Image

The Rat in the Hat

A tribute to Dr. Seuss, and Purim! $0.00$0.00The sun did not shine.It was too wet to play.So the king stayed in the palace,and partied that cold, wet day. His queen did not show.He felt low and quite licked.To him it was a blow.A new queen must be picked. Then one day, by the palace,out came Thing One and Thing Two.The Things were full of malice.Away with the king they wanted to do. But along came Mordechai, the Jew,Who stopped Thing One and Thing Two. Then that rat in the hat,That Haman, that fat brat,

Joshua Malina: A Rising Star

Actor Joshua Malina describes how he has used his unique talents to help raise tzedakah funds for important causes. In the accompanying  lesson, students will distinguish their own talents and determine how to use these talents to encourage others to give. $0.00$0.00  "'Those who lead the many to righteousness will be like the stars forever and ever' (Daniel 12:3). This refers to tzedakah collectors [who cause others to be charitable." Talmud, Bava Batra 8b Lesson Summary:  Students will distinguish their own talents and determine how best to use these talents to encourage others to give. Printable Lesson:  6406lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Tzedakah Project Planning Worksheet Jewish Texts Study Sheet Additional Resources:  About Bet Tzedek http://www.bettzedek.org

Tzedakah E-Z Form

Inspire your students' tzedakah giving with this form and tzedakah box craft activity. $0.00$0.00Giving tzedakah is a mitzvah that brings justice into the world. In fact, (tzedakah) has the same letters as the word (tzedek, justice). No act of tzedakah is too small to make a difference. Use this "income tax form" to calculate the amount of tzedakah that you give to different causes. The standard in Jewish tradition is to give 10 percent of your income. How do you measure up? Use the Tzedakah E-Z form doqnload to find out! Then, create your own tzedakah box (also part of the download)! "It is a positive mitzvah to give tzedakah according to one's means. Arba'ah Turim #247 (Laws of Tzedakah) Lesson Summary:  Students will explore the nature of tzedakah (as compared to mitzvah, charity and good deeds) and the reasons for this obligation by playing a game and studying relevant Jewish texts. Students are encouraged to completed the E-Z Tzedakah form with their parent. Printable Lesson:  6407lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Word Cards

The Secret of Giving

The article about Od Yosef Chai describes how the organization distributes money to needy families in Israel.  In the accompanying  lesson, students will explore the relationship between matanot la’evyonim and Purim; discover connections between tzedakah and other Jewish holidays and life-cycle events; and design tribute cards to raise funds for their school’s or synagogue’s tzedakah funds. $0.00$0.00  "[The Jews] were to observe [the days of Purim] as days of feasting and gladness, and of sending food to their friends and gifts to the poor." Megillat Esther 9:22 Lesson Summary:  Students will explore the relationship between matanot la'evyonim and Purim; discover connections between tzedakah and other Jewish holidays and life-cycle events; and design tribute cards to raise tzedakah funds. Printable Lesson:  6408lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Jewish Timeline - Holidays Jewish Timeline - Life Cycle

Saddam's Dignity: What's It Worth?

United States policy says that immoral treatment of prisoners during interrogation is wrong. But Jewish values state that saving many lives at the price of one is more important than any other commandment. In the case of Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi leader, what do you think is right?  Use of a visual organizer will help students sort out the conflicting Jewish values. $0.00$0.00United States policy says that immoral treatment of prisoners during interrogation is wrong. But Jewish values state that saving many lives at the price of one is more important than any other commandment. In the case of Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi leader, what do you think is right? Trained interrogators from the CIA and FBI are grilling Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi dictator, who was captured by U.S. soldiers as he hid in a shallow hole in the ground on December 13. The interrogation, however, has been unproductive. Lesson Summary:  Students will use a visual organizer to help them consider how to choose between maintaining Saddam Hussein’s dignity and using questionable tactics to gain potentially life-saving information. Printable Lesson:  6402lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Visual Organizer

Pinball Wizard

The pinball machine that gives back. $0.00$0.00Can a game of pinball teach you about tzedakah? Yes, if you're playing on the Amazing Tzedakah Machine at Shalom Street, a new Jewish museum near Detroit. After pinball players insert a quarter, they watch the coin bounce and whirl through the machine- in place of the traditional silver ball. The quarter gets deflected by the machine's bumpers until it eventually falls into one of four flashing boxes, which represent different areas where kids can give tzedakah: hunger, health, education, and the environment.

Hats of Hope

Read how Max spread hope with hats. $0.00$0.00 

Russia Today and the Jews

Despite the difficult political situation in Russia and the increase of anti-Semitism there, it is possible to address the situation with hope. Learn about the Jewish community in Russia and the challenges it faces, study some texts about hope, and then take action to inform your community of the issues, give the Russion Jews hope, and advocate with your political leaders.  $0.00$0.00Vladimir Zhirinovsky (pronounced Jheer-in-ov-ski) has been the leader of a political party in Russia that spreads hatred toward Jews and other minorities. He regularly blames Jews for Russia's economic hardships, repeating the anti-Semitic lie that the world's largest banks and corporations "are ruled by Jews." Lesson Summary:  In this lesson, students will study a variety of Jewish texts and consider how this article fits into an issue dedicated to the theme of tikvah, hope. Printable Lesson:  5401lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Russian Jews Action Plan Additional Resources:  NCSJ http://www.ncsj.org Jewish Telegraphic Agency http://www.jta.org Union of Councils for Soviet Jewry http://www.ucsj.org

Larry Brown: Hoop Dreams

Read this interview with professional basketball coach Larry Brown. In the accompanying lesson, explore the concept of hope with your students by examining inspirational storiesa nd role models, and creating comic strips of the stories. $0.00$0.00  With only seconds left in the first half of a close NBA game, Detroit Pistons Coach Larry Brown huddles with his team during a time-out. His Pistons trail the Washington Wizards by five points, but Brown never quits, and he demands the same attitude from his squad. Shouting above the roar of the crowd, he calls a play that he hopes will trim Washington's lead and silence the hometown fans. It doesn't, but Coach Brown heads to the locker room determined to turn the game around. "Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for God." Psalms 31:25 Lesson Summary:  Students will examine inspirational stories and role models to determine what helps someone inspire hope in others. They will then create comic strips of what they have studied. Printable Lesson:  5404lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Quotations About Hope Additional Resources:  Professional resources and tips for creating comic strips: http://members.shaw.ca/creatingcomics

Torah Page 542

Read about how kids keep their hope alive, even when the going gets rough. $0.00$0.00One of the things that I do to maintain hope while facing hard times is to always think positively. Instead of moping around and thinking of all the bad things, I think of the bright side. Also, I talk to one of my friends or parents. They always give me good advice. They help me see hope again. Emily Scharlach, 7th grade

Hila Arie: Planting Seeds of Hope

Read about the Seeds of Peace summer camp experience which brings young Israelis and Palestinians closer.Then explore with your students the relationship between wishes, prayers, and the actions that make hopes “come true.” $0.00$0.00  Some kids return from camp with archery trophies, swimming certificates, or their bunkmate's sweatshirt. But teenager Hila Arie returned to Israel from a special camp in Maine two summers ago with something precious: renewed hope for peace in Israel despite the continuing violence. "May God, Who makes peace in the universe, bestow peace upon us and upon all Israel. Amen." Oseh Shalom (Siddur) Lesson Summary:  Students will explore the relationship between wishes, prayers and the actions that make hopes “come true.” Printable Lesson:  5402lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Additional Resources:  Seeds of Peace http://www.seedsofpeace.org

Hold On to Hope

In this lesson, students will visualize and verbalize their individual concepts of hope. They will also brainstorm ways to hold on to hope and then compare their ideas with the tikvah tips cited in this article. $0.00$0.00When our troubles make us feel as if we need a lifeline, we can cling to these tikvah tips, and the buoyancy of hope will keep us afloat. Each of us will face problems, challenges, and crises in our lives. As sad as that seems, it is certain. But equally certain is the fact that we'll move past the dilemmas that drag us down, eventually learning to solve them, cope with them, or adapt to them. Lesson Summary:  Students will think about hope in their own lives and compile their own list of tikvah tips for use in times of trouble. Printable Lesson:  5407lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet

Sap

How does sap travel up a tree anyway? Students will visualize themselves as trees, and think about hope rising in them like sap in a tree after studying texts on trees, hope and new years. $0.00$0.00Tree-mendous Facts *The world's tallest living tree, the Stratosphere Giant, grows in Humboldt Redwoods State Park in California. It is 369 feet tall, meaning its sap must rise from the ground to heights taller than a 30-story building. *You'll need 35 to 40 gallons of tree sap to make one gallon of maple syrup. *When the sap of lime trees becomes exposed to air, it often ferments, turning into alcohol. When bees drink this sap, they become drunk and bump into trees on their way back to the hive! Rising to the Challenge "There is hope for a tree. If it is cut down, it will renew itself...At the scent of water, it will bud and produce branches like a sapling." Job 14: 7,9 Lesson Summary:  Students will examine inspirational stories and role models to determine what helps someone inspire hope in others. They will then create comic strips of what they have studied. Printable Lesson:  5406lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Additional Source with Study Questions How to Collect Sap for Maple Syrup

Jews and Jedi

By studying the quotations of Star Wars character Yoda, students will learn that the aged Yoda is revered by other Jedi masters for his wisdom. Students will play a game before reading the article to match Yoda’s sayings to quotations from “even older” Jewish sources, which they will study in greater depth. $0.00$0.00  A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away lived a 900-year-old being named Yoda. Although the pointy-eared, elfin Jedi was masterful with a lightsaber, wielding wisdom was his truest strength. "Who is wise? The one who learns from every person." Pirkei Avot 4:1 Lesson Summary:  By studying the quotations of Star Wars character Yoda, students will learnthat the aged Yoda is revered by other Jedi masters for his wisdom. Studentswill play a game before reading the article to match Yoda’s sayings to quotationsfrom “even older” Jewish sources, which they will study in greater depth.  Printable Lesson:  4405lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Source and discussion questions worksheet Additional Jewish Texts Yoda Quotations Additional Resources:  Official Star Wars web site: http://www.starwars.com

Haim Reizes: The Spy Kid

In the interview, Haim Reizes shares his experiences as a member of the underground, fighting for Israel’s independence from the British in the early 1940s. In this lesson, students prepare to learn more about their older relatives' history. $0.00$0.00  Lesson Summary:  Students will learn and practice skills for conducting oral histories and will be asked to interview an older person to learn how an historic event made an impact upon the life of the older person. Printable Lesson:  4404lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Effective Interviewing Techniques List Photograph of Haim Reizes (printable) Hebrew version of this article Additional Resources:  History of the Irgun (Etzel): http://etzel.org.il/english http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/History/irgun.html Virtual tour of Etzel Museum

Torah Page 543

Use this text and lesson in a program for parents, grandparents and students. They  will explore the maxim “with age comes wisdom”by analyzing Jewish textx. $0.00$0.00This verse implies that a certain wisdom comes from living a long time. The wisdom is what you learn from other people; it doesn't come from books. It comes from your heart. Rebecca Young, 5th grade Every time I speak to my grandfather, he asks, "What's new?" I answer, "Well, at school today..." I tell him what I learned. I show him my projects, and he reads every single word. After every conversation he says, "You see, you learn something new every day." Yetti Steinman, 7th grade Every other week, my sixth-grade class visited a nursing home. Lesson Summary:  Students will analyze the text from Job and complete a "wisdom worksheet" about the "wise" people in their lives and in the Torah. Printable Lesson:  4403lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Wisdom Worksheet Additional Resources:  D'var Torah on Parashat Bo about learning from elders: http://www.torah.org/learning/lifeline/5759/bo.html

Sign of the Ages

Biblical references are everywhere, even on Israeli buses. $0.00$0.00In Israel, Biblical references pop up everywhere- even on buses. Like many American buses, the 4,000 Egged buses in Israel have signs that gently remind passengers to give up their seats to the elderly. In Israel, the signs quote the Biblical commandment from Vayikra 19:32: mi'p'nei seivah takum (you shall rise before the aged). Every day, one million bus passengers learn this ancient lesson as they travel the modern roads of Israel.

Everybody Loves Doris

Age was never a barrier to  actress Doris Roberts. $0.00$0.00The funny bone can stay fit well past age 70- just ask Jewish actress Doris Roberts. This past fall, Roberts, who's in her mid-70s, won her third Emmy for best supporting actress in a comedy series for her role as Marie Barone, the pushy, yet well-intentioned mother of Raymond in "Everybody Loves Raymond."

Tuesdays with Adam

Adam teaches the elderly how to use all of the newest technology, and was surprised at how much he learns in return. Studying inventions and other changes of the last 70 years will help your class understand how younger people can help the elderly by teaching them, and will help them honor and cherish previous generations. $0.00$0.00When Earl Gibbs was growing up in the 1930s, a mouse was a rodent, a web was a spider's home, and windows were holes in a wall. But for 17-year-old Adam Singer, a mouse, the Web, and Windows are all entries into the world of computers- important tools that he's introduced to Earl and more than 40 other senior citizens at the ONEgeneration senior center in Reseda, California. "Blessed is the generation in which the old listen to the young. And doubly blessed is the generation in which the young listen to the old." Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 25b Lesson Summary:  Students will create a technology timeline to learn how much the world has changed during the lives of the elderly. They will consider ways to help the elderly by teaching the elderly skills that the younger people take for granted. Printable Lesson:  4402lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet

A Helping Hand at Any Age

Read about how different generations come together to help those in need of medical aid.  Then, bring generations together to discuss how youth and elderly view each other.  The lesson plan, designed for a class to learn together with a group of seniors, can be adapted for use with the class alone. $0.00$0.00  The woman glances frantically around the supply room, her eyes darting from shelf to shelf like a frenzied bumblebee hunting for the last drop of pollen in late autumn. By her side, stands her daughter, silent, unassuming, and frightened. They've hurried to the Jerusalem headquarters of Yad Sarah- the largest lender of free medical supplies in the world- to borrow a tank of oxygen, which the girl needs to breathe. Lesson Summary:  This lesson is designed to be used with both feature articles, which address the value of seniors and young people’s interacting with each other. Seniors are invited to the classroom for this lesson to participate in drama activities and Jewish text study with the students. Students will discover ways to help the elderly and to learn from them. Printable Lesson:  4408lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Organization Chart Additional Resources:  Lyrics to "Bookends": http://www.paulsimon.com Yad Sarah: http://www.yadsarah.org.il/English Newsletter on Intergenerational Service-Learning http://www.crf-usa.org/network/net8_4.htm

Teach Israel

 Experience Modern Israel

New from Behrman House. Fly to Israel without a plane ticket.

Discover Israel

 Let's Discover Israel

Offer younger children an exciting and age-appropriate introduction to the Jewish homeland