The Final Shabbat

{Sigh} the school year has come to an end. It seems as if I just dropped off my little one for his FIRST day of preschool...and today it was over. We celebrated the end of the school season with a nice Shabbat celebration last Friday.

First, all of the parents watched a slideshow of the preschoolers, which showed us all of the things the wee-tots did during the school year, including their Passover play, Purim parade and Israeli birthday party. They have also enjoyed a school year filled with art projects, music classes & Hebrew. I crammed for my Hebrew classes while studying for my Bat Mitzvah. Clearly, our little mensch is well ahead of the game!
That's our little Sweet Pea on the screen, starting the show Words of inspiration from the rabbi

After final words from the rabbi, it was time to start our Shabbat celebration:
Shabbat candles burning bright
Women cover our eyes after the candles are litwhile we say a Shabbat prayer
Each child has his or her own placemat at the table
The Kiddush, or prayer over the kid "wine" (juice)
Miss Elena plays Hebrew songs on her accordion-sounds like the authentic "Old Country." The Shabbat setting: candles, kid "wine" and a loaf of challah bread with a cover that reads "Shabbat" in Hebrew
Real challah waiting to be opened & shared Breaking bread Guess who LOVES challah Enjoying the Kosher kid "wine," thanks to Manischewitz
preschool teacher miss tali
hebrew teacher miss shellee
education director miss alyse
final kisses and waves of good-bye See you in the fall!

Rikki Ragland
the preppy debutante