A flexible two-year Jewish identity curriculum in four units
By Judy Dick – Online Companion by Jeremy Poisson
Lesson Plan Manuals by Sharon Halper (vols 1&2) and Nathan Weiner (Vols 3 & 4), with Project Based Learning Modules by Diane Zimmerman
Establish a foundation for lifelong Jewish engagement.
The Building Jewish Identity series introduces students to core knowledge that is essential to developing a strong Jewish identity. It uses stories, interviews, and activities to explore the ethical teachings, laws, language, rituals, symbols, and myths that create a distinctive Jewish worldview using a journal/activity book format that invites personal reflection.
The series is designed to be used in four units over two years. Appropriate for grades 3, 4, and 5, each volume is available separately to allow maximum flexibility to fit into your program.
Enduring Understanding
Our Jewish community, our shared language, our sacred writings, our stories and history as Jews help unite us and connect us to each other and to our Jewish identity. Our experience of time and celebration of important moments provides a lifelong, emotional connection to our heritage, our culture, and our values.
Click here to learn more about each volume and lesson plan manuals + view discounted bundle options
Materials:
The print materials include four volumes of activities, games, thought questions, texts, and profiles of real kids as well as historical figures, plus other background your students will need to explore and build their identity as Jews.
Matching Lesson Plan Manuals (each covering two volumes) provide step-by step guidelines for each class meeting plus experiential and project based learning ideas, instructions for complementary family education programs, assessments and reviews, plus ideas for teaching holidays through the building blocks of Jewish identity.
An optional digital companion for each volume can be used either in class or from home to bring a rich assortment of interactive games, videos, songs and other components to enliven your students’ exploration of their Jewish identity. Each online companion comes complete with its own lesson plans.
Selected Essential Questions:
- How is my Jewish identity similar to others’? How is it unique?
- How does Hebrew help us form our Jewish identity?
- How do mitzvot help us build our best possible community?
- How do we make time into Jewish time?
- What makes a home Jewish?
- How has Torah inspired the Jewish people?
- Why are different Bible texts connected to different holidays?
- How did the rise of other religions affect Jews?
- How did freedom affect Jewish life?
- How is Jewish history relevant to us today?
