Breaking the Rules

Reminders:

• Tonight, August 18 at 7pm is Parent Orientation in the Gan at Home Zoom Room. To join just go to www.gansinai.org/zoom. The passcode is: ganathome

• Tomorrow, Friday, August 19 is Back to School Day! Check the Playground app if your teacher has asked you to come at a certain time based on your last name.

• TGS: 9am-10am

• PK2: 10am-11am

• PK3: 11am-12pm

• PK4: 12:30pm-1:30pm

• Please make sure all of your forms are signed and uploaded in the Playground app under "Documents"

• There are lots of sign ups available (hot lunch, enrichment, challah, birthdays, etc.) Check www.gansinai.org/backtoschool for all the details and links.

• Monday, August 22 is our first day of school!

Get all the latest info and links at www.gansinai.org/greatthings.

Find quick links and easy-to-access information at www.gansinai.org/families.

From Rabbi David

This weeks parsha, Eikev, describes in rich detail all of the blessings the Israelites will enjoy if they just follow God’s commands. In many ways this is the foundation for Judaism being understood as a religion of law. We recognize the value of norms and laws and see ourselves as always striving to do a better job of following God’s ritual and ethical rules.

As your children begin a new school year they too will encounter rules to keep them safe and help them develop into kind, compassionate, creative and thoughtful young people. But just as important as the rules at Gan Sinai is the freedom to explore, make mistakes, try new approaches and break those very rules.

We learn who we are in relation to others by testing the waters and sometimes breaking the rules. We begin to develop our own moral code and our compassion for others’ needs only when we have taken the bold steps to challenge what is expected of us and learn who we are and who we can be in our community of friends, teachers and family. And so one of our goals at Gan Sinai is to create a safe space for children to test the waters, break some rules and discover themselves. We celebrate each and every one of our children - when they do what they are asked, and also, when they challenge us and themselves. This is growth. This is true blessing.