Momof3
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Posts posted by Momof3
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Anyone have some favorite/classic children's books in Spanish...preferably some that would ease us into learning the language? We are diving into Spanish this year - spending lots of time with bilingual friends, watching Salsa Spanish, and doing a number of other games & activities... I'm planning on using my library for simple picture books in Spanish...but would like to purchase a few great books. Any recommendations?
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I had a Grolier Encyclopedia from the 50's, I think, when I was growing up. There was a volume called Leisure Time Activities. It was the BEST book--myths, fairy/folk tales, jokes/riddles, crafts, games, nursery rhymes...
I read most of my fairy tales from it!
Little Mermaid and The Snow Queen were my favorites.
i also loved Cinderella. I had this volume:
She was way prettier than the Disney movie version (this is a Disney version, too, oddly enough--pages from Walt Disney's Cinderella Big Golden Book)I had that book! :) Brings back wonderful memories... I spent sooo much time looking over those Cinderella pictures!
My favorite fairy tales...if I *had* to pick two...(and if Narnia doesn't count? ;)) I liked Rumpelstiltskin and The Knights of the Silver Shield.
Others at the top of my list...
Beauty and the Beast
The Emperor's New Clothes
Snow White and Rose Red (thanks for reminding me of this one, all! :))
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I just saw this. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:
I have only dealt with miscarriage, and cannot fathom the pain you and your family are experiencing. This is every mother's nightmare.
What a beautiful, beautiful boy.
May you find peace and healing.
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:bigear:
I'm pretty sure I've seen threads that addressed this before...but I can never (okay, rarely) find the conversations I need on this blog when I actually need them. :)
Those of you that bought some books, and borrowed others...which are worth buying?
I'm thinking I'll be purchasing:
The Usborne Book of World History or The Usborne Illustrated Book of World History: The Ancient World
The D'Aulaires' Greek Myths
Archaeologists Dig for Clues
Peter Speier's Noah's Ark
Maybe another mythology book...or two... Gods & Goddesses of Olympus (Aliki), Classic Myths to Read Aloud, some of Mary Pope Osborne ???
Also looking into...
The Egyptian News, The Greek News, and The Roman News books
Egyptian Diary and Roman Diary
Still looking for good options for Ancient China, India & Africa... Might just use the library for those...
My wish list changes every time I reevaluate my curriculum plans...or my budget. ;)
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I like The Bronze Bow for ancients, too. :)
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Johnny Tremain
Treasure Island
Not sure if these have been mentioned yet... They are must-reads for my boys! :)
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Or a link to a thread...? I'm not finding the search engine very helpful today... Anybody? ;)
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Anyone know of (or have) an *online* list of Ancient People to know?
I know there's a list in WTM...but that's at the library, and I'm home. :) Trying to see if there is anything more I should add to our history lesson plans...
Thanks, all! :)
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It depends on the context.
Neither approach is 'wrong' in general... there is a time and place for each (or both!)
This is hard to explain...
Each piece of Torah has layers of meaning, layers of interpretation... we talk about the seventy facets of Torah... and the different approaches are like a circle of observers around a large, multifaceted gem... each sees a different aspect, though folks coming from a similar angle will have overlap... but they have to be in that circle, linked together, hand-in-hand-in-hand around the circle.
...and each angle of view offers us different insights we can bring to our own lives and observance and understanding of G-d and His Torah.
...but each insight is connected back to our mesorah... all the way back to Sinai.
Thank you again for your answers, Eliana. You have a beautiful way of speaking - I love the music of your words! :)
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After typing all that out...maybe it *is* time for us to consolidate some more! :)
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We've really consolidated our toy collection, too.
Legos and play food in the playroom...
Boys have playmobil in their bedroom, dd has a dollhouse & some figures.
They each have a couple stuffed animals, and dd has a couple dolls.
A small bin of matchbox cars & plastic animals...mostly played with by the toddler...may disappear at some point, and probably wouldn't be missed. :)
Oh, and the boys have a set of rifles and koosh guns...
Audio books/music cds
Board books, picture books, chapter books galore!
Puzzles
Games: Monopoly Jr, Hi Ho Cherrio, Candyland, a Maisy matching game...
*Lots* of paper, scissors, glue, tape, colored pencils, crayons, markers, etc.
Play-doh & paints come out occasionally (when I'm psyched up for a mess).
I keep a small bucket of 'travel toys' - random things (binoculars, retractable measuring tape, happy meal-type toys, Melissa & Doug hangman game, tiny board books, etc.) for long car trips.
For Christmas & birthdays, we request that grandparents send $ or contribute to one of the toy collections we've already started (no random toys). Otherwise, their $ goes into their savings accts. We usually give them a nice book and some small addition to a collection (Legos, playmobil, dollhouse, etc.).
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I *love* Pyle's version! :) I haven't read Green's...going to have to check that out. I'm keeping an eye on this thread, b/c I want to introduce my kids to Robin Hood next year when we do medieval history, but I don't think they'll be quite ready for Pyle. We might try it anyway if I don't find a version I'm happy with. :)
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Everyone. Of course everyone.
Yes, your soul is as much a spark of the divine as mine.... imagine a balloon inflated with helium (only it is a special balloon that will never leak anything out)... if you let go of it, it moves up automatically... unless you put a weight on the end... but even then it still pulls up as far as it can... that is our neshamos... pulling 'up toward G-d...
Our challenge is to keep listening to that pull... even when we're tired or in pain... even when the washing machine breaks or money is tight... in a boardroom or a concentration camp or a store or a hospital (as either caregiver or patient), we must struggle to feel that pull... and to use it to elevate everything else... to be holy, to bring holiness into the mundane world and make everything we do, say, eat, work on part of our service to the Divine.
...and that is as true for you as for me.
Our souls are unique, and we each have our own life circumstances, our own inherent skills and talents... and we each have a unique contribution to make... Jew or gentile...
So then what in essence is the difference between Jews and Gentiles...or the ramifications of the difference, really? Is it solely that God has chosen to set His love upon the Jewish people, to call them His own? Is there any other difference?
Another question: Do you see Messiah (you said there will be two?) as bringing *salvation* to the world - or just peace? I imagine the 'challenges and limitations of the physical earth' would be lifted at that point?
And in ushering in the time of peace, do you see a time of war preceding that? Where Messiah would crush the enemies of God (thinking Psalm 2)? Would that be the first Messiah (ben Joseph)?And then the second Messiah (ben David) would actually sit on the throne & reign as King?
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Me, personally?
I study the weekly Torah portion - some weeks in more depth than others (iow with more commentary).
Right now I am working through Pirkei Avos (Ethics of the Fathers - a section of Mishnah that we read from Pesach to Shavuos) - this year I'm using R' Hirsch's commentary & Rabbenu Yonah's.
I've just started studying Megillas Rus - which we read on Shavuos.
I have a sefer (book, in this context a Torah book, in the broadest sense of the word) that has a little lesson a day focusing on the special qualities of each day of this Omer counting period.
I'm reading through a sefer about the Omer period.
I'm reviewing halachos and other teachings about the upcoming holiday of Shavuos.
I usually have a Mussar book in process - right now one of Rabbi Dessler's .
I recite a section of Tehillim each day (most days).
I might be forgetting something, but Torah study is at the center of my life - I do it in bits and pieces through my day...
I used to have study partners I learned with regularly and classes I went to, but I have some health issues that have interfered with that, though things have improved a bit & I'm trying to add that back in, but the scheduling logistics are sometimes challenging, especially working around my husband's learning schedule.
[He primarily studies Gemara (and the weekly parsha, of course), and he has a Mishna study group on Shabbos]
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Each week has its Torah portion (in this case Torah = Chumash) each with its corresponding selection from Neviim (Prophets).
The 5 Megillos are each done on a specific holiday [Esther = Purim, Shir haShirim (Song of Songs)= Pesach, Rus= Shavuous, Eicha = Tisha B'Av, Koheles = Sukkos].
One should review the relevant halachos before each holiday
Men should have fixed time Torah study (even if short) morning and evening.
This is very disjointed, I'm sorry... I am getting too tired to think clearly.
I will try to stop in tomorrow, but it is Erev Shabbos, so I will be wrapped up in Shabbos preparations.
I was meaning Orthodox Jews in general, not just you. I should have been clearer. But thank you for answering.
Would you say that you (Orthodox Jews again) take the Scriptures 'literally' or more allegorically? Or are their different views on interpretation among different Jewish groups?
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How do you study Scripture? Do you have any requirements for how you go about it, when you read, what you read, how often, etc.?
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No, no, and no.
1) We are born with perfect neshamos, sparks of divinity, but the challenges and limitations of the physical world make staying aware of the pull to the Divine that is inherent in our souls hard.
I could expand on this if you'd like, but the fundamental answer will be the same - no, we do not consider humans to be inherently 'sinful'... the latter is not a word I can imagine ever using.
[There are a number of words that are used for describing failing to live up our potential or choosing to make a wrong choice - cheit, missing the mark is one, aveirah, transgression,a crossing over of boundaries is another...]
2) No, make a wrong choice never cuts us off from G-d, chas v'shalom (G-d forbid)... it is as if we stepped further away...but we can always step back again.
3) No. This is a complicated topic, but let me just point out the korbanos (offerings) in the Beis HaMikdash were for **unintentional** transgressions. Their role in the overall hashkafic picture is complex, and multi-faceted, but the requirement for atonement is teshuvah (repentance).
4) There are many who hold that the only personal korbanos in the rebuilt Beis HaMikdash with be the korban Todah (the thanksgiving offering).
I don't want to sound unfriendly, but your questions (not just these) are those typically put forward by proselytizers, and, however positive your intentions, I have some buttons around the dynamic.
Okay...trying to fit the pieces together in my mind...
When you say 'we are born with perfect neshamosh' do you mean the Jewish people? Or everyone?
Also, what about Gentiles in #2? Are they born with an inherent 'pull' towards God? Is anyone (Jew or Gentile) ever separated from God at death?
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No, no, and no.
1) We are born with perfect neshamos, sparks of divinity, but the challenges and limitations of the physical world make staying aware of the pull to the Divine that is inherent in our souls hard.
I could expand on this if you'd like, but the fundamental answer will be the same - no, we do not consider humans to be inherently 'sinful'... the latter is not a word I can imagine ever using.
[There are a number of words that are used for describing failing to live up our potential or choosing to make a wrong choice - cheit, missing the mark is one, aveirah, transgression,a crossing over of boundaries is another...]
2) No, make a wrong choice never cuts us off from G-d, chas v'shalom (G-d forbid)... it is as if we stepped further away...but we can always step back again.
3) No. This is a complicated topic, but let me just point out the korbanos (offerings) in the Beis HaMikdash were for **unintentional** transgressions. Their role in the overall hashkafic picture is complex, and multi-faceted, but the requirement for atonement is teshuvah (repentance).
4) There are many who hold that the only personal korbanos in the rebuilt Beis HaMikdash with be the korban Todah (the thanksgiving offering).
I don't want to sound unfriendly, but your questions (not just these) are those typically put forward by proselytizers, and, however positive your intentions, I have some buttons around the dynamic.
Wow. Thank you for responding! I didn't realize our belief systems were so different! I really appreciate you taking the time to answer - especially when my questions are coming across as forward. I'm really not meaning them that way at all. I have only met maybe one or two Orthodox Jews in my life - and this is a wonderful opportunity for me to learn from you all!
I want to take some time to reread your answers above, and mull over them a bit. I'm sure I'll have more questions to ask... Would you rather stay away from theological questions?
Thanks again!
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1) We don't translate it that way - the kedem ("old") shapes the next bit 'days of olam'... olam has a wide range of meanings (in a tefilla we do each day 'Adon Olam' it is 'universe' (or world))... it has a connotation of expanse, in time or space. In this pasuk we're talking about origin... the origin goes way back...
No, moshiach is not going to be eternal. He will die (and stay dead!). Like any other human being. He will be as human as you or I.
2) I assume you mean 9:5? Or do you number things differently?
I think the verses may be numbered slightly different. In my version, it's vs.6 ("for unto us a child is born, etc.") but it must be vs.5 in your Hebrew Scriptures.
No, no messianic reference at all. It refers to King Chizkiyahu (Hezekiah) The pasuk talks about his birth had that G-d called Chizkiyahu the prince of peace.
(I can go through word by word and explain the translation, but I assume the end result is what you are looking for. [seeing this as messianic is, imo, another assertion based on mistranslation]
If you do mean 9:6, it is still talking about Chizkiyahu.
3) Your NT is filled with errors in its depiction of Jewish thought, Jewish law, and Jewish procedure. It makes no sense in the context of the actual processes we had at the time.
I'm happy to talk about 'blasphemy' from a Jewish perspective, but I will not discuss your NT, quotes from it, or things presented in it.
Fair enough! I'll shy away from that. :) Thanks for letting me know.
I don't want to sound unfriendly, but I see no toelis, no positive purpose in such a discussion.
Hmm... I have sooo many questions! :) I could spend all day just perusing the questions & answers from other posters... Thank you all for taking the time to share the Jewish world with us! :)
What is your understanding of sin?
My understanding:
1) All people are born sinners.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 "there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not",
Jeremiah 17:9 "the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked",
Isaiah 64:6 "we are all like an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away", etc.
Sin is "missing the mark" - not meeting up to God's holiness.
2) Sin separates me (and all of us) from God.
Because of God's holiness, man (speaking generically here, I apologize if I offend anyone :)) is cut off from a relationship with God.
3) Blood is required for the atonement of the soul.
This is where the blood sacrifices would come into play. God clothed Adam & Eve with the skins of an animal, indicating that an animal had been killed (blood shed), and God accepted Abel's sacrifice (a lamb) but not Cain's... David also speaks (I believe it's Psalm 40) to "sacrifice & offering Thou didst not desire...burnt offering and sin offering hast Thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart." So, while the blood sacrifice is important, God is ultimately looking at the heart.
Does that sound like a proper understanding of the Scriptures? I know there have been a lot of questions already about blood sacrifices... Forgive me if this has already been asked: Will there ever be a time when the blood sacrifices will be done away/obsolete?
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I will after I say this piece explain (to the best of my ability) the three verses above. But let me start with this. In the Jewish idea of a messiah/messianic time, there will be no more war or fighting, everyone will recognize G-d as L-rd and Supreme Commander-in Chief :) , there will be the reinstatement of ritual sacrifices, the dead will arise from the ground in soul form. I'm looking around -- don't see any of that. So to Jews, the Messiah's not been here yet. The messiah is also a guy, a person, not a God-man amalgam. People can't come back from the dead. Not the really, really dead kind. The Messiah also comes once, not twice or five times. So I say to the Jewish perspective, the Messiah has not come yet. We pray he does (notice it's not a "He" with a capital letter H. He will have no divinity about him. He will be a king, a flesh and blood king.) every day, multiple times a day.
OK, now onto the three verses. Now I am reading them in Hebrew, the language the (Jewish) Bible was written. I'm guessing you are not. Your Bible is a translation from the Hebrew to the Greek (forced out of 70 rabbis- the Septuagint), then from the Greek to Latin and from Latin to your language. That many translations can make some "telephone game" problems even without any deliberate mistranslations.
Isaiah 53: The whole passage speaks about Israel. My people are the Jews. All of these prophets are chastising the Jews for their many, many sins throughout that entire time period. It must be rather clear to the Rabbis elucidating the text as there is only one commentary on the word "ami" my people. The RaDaK says, all peoples and the people said here, because of their sins there came to them a potch (Yiddish for smack/hit), there was not sin in their midst. All the verbs there are in the plural.
Micah 5: The Messiah can come from anywhere. Probably Brooklyn since we have a lot of Jews there. :) The Rabbinic Commentaries (Rashi, Radak, Metzudas David, Even HaEzer) all say that since King David came from Bethlehem this is why it's mentioned and important. Now the RaDak (he tends to the most "out-there" regular commentary) continues that Bet-Lehem, an important city in the territory of Yehuda and from Shevet (tribe) Yehuda (the people inherited a section of land and in it is Bet-lehem), will come Melech HaMoshiach (King Messiah). And Jews think that the messiah will come from the tribe of Yehuda. So it's no big sign pointing to Jesus. He's not from Yehudah anyways. The tribal affiliation of a person comes from their father. For example, my husband has no Jewish father, so unfortunately he has no tribal affiilation. Don't know where we will go (tribal-wise) once the messiah comes -- someone will figure it out! Likewise, if Jesus' father was God, then he also has no tribal affiliation. You don't get to choose or adopt one.
Daniel 9: Daniel is talking about how (once again!) the Jews have blown it in G-d's eyes and is begging G-d to not do the Ultimate Smackdown. This prophesy is interrupted by a visit from the Angel Gavriel telling him a time table from which the Jews will repent. Rashi (12th c. main rabbinical commentary) says this refers to Jerusalem in the time of the first Churban (temple destruction) in the days of King Tzidkiyahu until the second destruction in 70CE. All the other commentaries talk about how the years are referenced in various places in the Bible and that this prophesy is talking about those current times. The word "mashiach", annointed one, in that verse (since as you remember I am reading this in the original), according to Rashi is Cyrus (in Jewish lore, the son of Queen Esther and Ahchasverosh) who redeemed the Jews from the first exile in Babylonia to return to Israel.
But regardless, please refer back to my first paragraph; no peace, no Messiah.
Thanks so much!
I have a couple more questions... :)
1) In the Micah 5 passage, how do you understand the "whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting" portion of the verse? Does that indicate that the messiah would have to be eternal? Or can those words (in the Hebrew) mean just 'from a long time ago'?
2) Isaiah 9:6 - would you take this to be a messianic reference? This would be a key verse for Christians who believe the OT teaches Messiah would be Divine. (I know you would take serious issue with that belief - I'm just wondering how an O Jew would interpret the verse.)
3) In the NT, the Jewish leaders attempt to stone Jesus because "he said that God was his Father, making himself equal with God." Essentially, they were accusing him of blasphemy. I talked to some people (Jehovah's Witnesses) who say this was a misunderstanding on the part of the Jews...that Jesus' claim to be the Son of God was NOT the same as saying he WAS God... What is the proper Jewish understanding of Jesus' claims? Was his claim to be Son of God rightly viewed as blasphemous?
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer! This thread has been so helpful already!
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This is the first year we'll be 'officially' homeschooling... Yay!!! :) I'll have ds in 1st grade and dd doing some K4. Anyone want to give me a reasonable cost estimate for schooling (monthly and/or annual) per child?
I know costs will vary greatly between families...depending on curriculum, grade level, etc., so maybe you just want to let me know what you plan on spending on a monthly and/or annual basis?
We don't use terribly expensive curriculum... Math Mammoth for Math, a lot of library books, Answers in Genesis Science, SOTW, etc. I'd like to have some flexibility to be able to take field trips, do random projects as we are interested, etc. And I'll probably be going through lots of paper & ink this year! :)
Anyone?
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Curious...
What do you believe about the passages of Scripture that we (Christians) believe refer to Messiah:
1) Isaiah 53 - speaks of Messiah being 'wounded for our transgressions,' 'with his stripes we are healed,' etc. I've heard that Orthodox Jews believe this passage to be referring to Israel & her sufferings...but then who is the 'my people' (v.8) for whom 'he' was afflicted?
2) Micah 5 - refers to Bethlehem-Ephratah as the city out of whom Messiah would come "yet out of thee shall he come forth that is to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old from everlasting" (v.2)... Do you believe Messiah will come from the city of Bethlehem? If not, to what is this verse referring?
3) Daniel 9 - "from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the time of Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks...and after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself..." Are you familiar with the belief that this passage is explaining the time of Messiah's presentation of himself? That it would be 483 years (69 sets of seven years) from the command to restore/rebuild the streets & walls of Jerusalem?
These are 'key' passages that we would use to prove from the scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah (His sufferings and substitutionary death, His birth and eternality, and the timing of His presenting Himself as King... I'm not at ALL trying to be antagonistic here, and I know you disagree with my interpretation of these passages. Just wondering if you could give an Orthodox understanding of these verses.
Thanks for the thread! :)
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There are 35 lessons per book. You should be able to easily do 3 lessons/week. There are also some occasional 'extras' - biographical sketches, etc. - that you could spend some time on if you wanted/had more time.
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I don't think anyone has ever really said it's about parents forcing children to do anything.
* schools turning early education very academic. This is different from encouraged or even mandatory education for those under 5: it is entirely possible that it is standard procedure for young kids to attend a program that is entirely un-academic in focus. See my above video on Hungary. I have seen the same in videos of Sweden. There may be some alphabet games or counting songs or whatever, but it's not primarily about academics, and no one is expected to read and write before age 5.
* homeschooling parents copying this, or parents (either homeschooling/future HSing, with kids not enrolled in school yet, or with kids enrolled in such a program) feeling their children are behind if their or other young kids aren't doing this.
...as opposed to kids who start to read on their own, or ask to be taught, or anything of that sort. Whatever some group of homeschooled parents are doing is unlikely to start a national trend; I think all the responses from anyone concerned about very young academics have been focused on that; some people who work with their young children have felt implicit criticism, but I think there really wasn't any. I don't think any of the posts on here have suggested they do anything that is morally or educationally repugnant with their young children. The issue is whether young kids are being expected, as a matter of course, to act like much older kids.
I am opposed to systematic young academics and in favor of a rich, broader experience base for young children. I am not opposed to early education. I think it can be very nice for children who lack exposure to adults who spend much time with them, and in situations where no one is doing age appropriate activities with them. I have such people in my extended family whose children attend non-academic early education programs in other countries, who adore them, because they have a nice teacher who sings them songs and so forth, and they don't have a parent who reads to them or plays with them or anything to do at home besides get in the way. If a kid wants to learn, fine, but there is only so much the typical young child can do, and developing skills including fine motor, gross motor, and social skills, doing things like singing and playing and being read to, seem more important to me than spending a lot of time on other skills that are usually mastered later in life. I think early childhood is special.
Just read this response, and that answered some of my commentary. Thanks. :)
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The beauty of homeschooling is that every parent can decide what is best for her/his child.
I think there's a lot of judging on both sides of the aisle. I don't try to impose what I think is best for *my* kids on everyone else. And I don't do what I do because of pressure from other moms (certainly not the public school system!) - although I get a ton of great ideas on the forum! :)
My kids learned to read at 3.5 - by sitting on the couch with me for 15 min *max*/day, reading from Alphaphonics. They learned to sit still and pay attention.
We have a morning time when we sing songs together & memorize Scripture. This helps us start our day together and on the same page. My kids *need* a routine - they love starting every day in a predictable way. We read from the Bible and pray together. They do math. They color. We read books together. From 8am to 9:30 or so (depending on how long they color, and how many books they request). We sometimes watch a Salsa Spanish video (15 min) later in the morning or afternoon. Our 'school' time is the highlight of their day. If we don't 'do school', that's all I hear about for the rest of the day...
Otherwise, they have *no* screen time, and as long as they pick up after themselves & help with setting the table, etc., the day is theirs.
I'll be adding history and science (mostly reading books and taking walks) when Ds5 is finished with K and home again. :) Dd4 will probably join us for this time - and I don't foresee her having trouble with that.
Just because a child can read by 3 or 4 doesn't mean they are necessarily spending their childhood on academics.
Just because a mom does 'school' with her preschoolers doesn't mean those kids have no childhood.
That being said, I totally agree that the public schools are a mess - and I would agree that a lot of time is wasted in preschool *and* kindergarten. Most kids can learn more in 60 min/day at home than they learn from 8 to 12pm at school!
The best Spanish picture books ???
in K-8 Curriculum Board
Posted
Doing some more thinking...
Are there any Sonlight-type lists for Spanish children's books out there? With the *very best* books for 3 yr olds, K4, K5, etc.?