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Under God Under Review

Is the mention of God in the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional? Check out the debate here, and consider the Jewish values apart from the legal ones. $0.00$0.00A federal appeals court in California stunned the country when it ruled recently that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional. The court decided that the phrase, "one nation under God," violates the Constitution's First Amendment, which prevents the government from establishing a national religion. President Bush reacted angrily, saying the court's decision was "ridiculous" and "out of step with the traditions and history of America." AN ANGRY PARENT PROTESTS Lesson Summary:  Students will review Jewish opinions concerning the court ruling, including the separation of church and state, the importance of believing in God, and the role Jews might play in encouraging moral behavior. Students are asked to articulate their opinions during a circle activity. Printable Lesson:  3301lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Pledge of Allegiance

A Wonderful Whale

Everything you need to know about blue whales! $0.00$0.00       

Where No Israeli Has Gone Before

In a 2002 interview with Israel's first astronaut, Colonel Ilan Ramon, he looked forward to the wonder of being in space and looking back on earth. In their classrooms, students will travel with the assistance of guided imagery and use Jewish texts to experience God's presence in nature and the awesomeness of creation. $0.00$0.00In January 2003, if all goes according to schedule, Colonel Ilan Ramon, Israel's first astronaut, will take an elevator 20 stories to the top of the space shuttle Columbia. He'll crawl into his seat and strap in tightly. Exactly 6 seconds before launch, the shuttle's engines will roar to life, and the spaceship will shake. That vibration, however, will be nothing compared to what will happen when the huge booster rockets ignite. Spewing a river of fire, Columbia will literally explode off the launch pad, hurtling Col. "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky shows God's handiwork. Day after day they speak out, and night after night they reveal knowledge." Psalms 19:2-3 Lesson Summary:  Through guided imagery and poetry, students will explore their experiences observing the awesomeness of nature and gain a greater appreciation for the miracle of creation. Printable Lesson:  3304lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Additional Resources:  News article links, including articles in Hebrew http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/history/space.htm Mission Info http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/shuttle/countdown/sts107/index.htm SpaceHike.com Looks at the Universe http://www.spacehike.com Astronomy-Outer Space for Kids http://www.gomilpitas.com/homeschooling/explore/astronomy.htm NASA Space Radar Images of Earth http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/radar/sircxsar

Shirley Braha: Music to Her Ears

Shirley Braha was sick of Christmas songs, so she took matters into her own hands and produced a Hanukkah CD. Read about her in this article and then encourage your students to write their own songs for Hanukkah as a way of “publicizing the miracle” of H. anukkah and other miracles in our day. A fun activity for the weeks before Hanukkah. $0.00$0.00It happens like clockwork at the end of every November. Bright lights pop up on homes in many neighborhoods, the malls are transformed into winter wonderlands, and Christmas music hijacks the airwaves. "For the Conductor, a song with musical accompaniment. Nations will praise You...the nations will be glad and sing." Psalms 67:1,4,5 Lesson Summary:  Students will write their own songs and poems for Hanukkah as a way of "publicizing the miracle" of Hanukkah. Printable Lesson:  3302lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet

Matzah MANIA

How many matzah balls can YOU eat in 5 minutes?? $0.00$0.00The starting whistle sounded and the contestants were off and chewing. Their mission: to devour as many matzah balls as possible in 5 minutes and 25 seconds, and be crowned winner of the Annual Charity Matzo Ball Eating Contest, sponsored by Ben's delicatessen in New York City.

Meeting the Other Side

The article about the Likrat program tells about one program in Israelthat addresses the rift between observant and secular Jews. This lessonuses a problem-solving game and discussion to help students understandhow treating others with respect and dignity is  so important. $0.00$0.00One wears pants to school, the other only long skirts. One has an earring in his ear, the other has tzitzit peeking out from under his shirt. Are they like oil and water? Cats and dogs? Not necessarily. These kids are part of Likrat (Toward), an experimental program in Israel that connects religiously observant and non-observant teens in cyberspace. Since the founding of the state, observant Jews (datiyim) and secular, or non-observant Jews(hilonim) have disagreed. "The religious want more places closed on Shabbat, and the secular want more open. "When one sees a crowd of people, one is to say, 'Blessed is the Master of mysteries.' Just as their faces are not alike, so are their thoughts not alike." Talmud, Berakhot 58a Lesson Summary:  Students complete a problem-solving game and participate in a discussion about understanding how treating others with respect is the foundation for ahavat yisrael. Printable Lesson:  2308lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Tangram puzzle

Bionics

Bionics, one of the most promising new technologies, could one day cure paralysis. Read on to see what else bionics can do. In the lesson, students will consider the Jewish responsibility to help all humans live better lives using the world's many resources. $0.00$0.00The Science of Cyborgs A bionic eye restores sight to a man who uses a tiny digital video camera attached to his glasses. The camera records images and sends them to an electrode implanted in the man's brain. A computer chip implanted in the brain allows some paralysis victims to move a cursor across a computer screen using only their thoughts. "The Lord restores sight to the blind; the Lord makes those who are bent stand straight..." Psalms 146:8 Lesson Summary:  Students will consider the Jewish responsibility to help all humans live better lives using the world's many resources. Printable Lesson:  2306lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Bereishit Worksheet

The Reunion

Read this story with your students about a reunion between two girls who have grown in seemingly different directions. In the accompanying lesson,your students will explore their personal responses to the short story and recognize the interrelationship between individual thought, acceptance, friendship and respect. $0.00$0.00The walk was familiar. And the way her hair frizzed out at the sides. We used to spend hours fixing each other's hair. I walked a little faster, telling myself I was being ridiculous. After all, Dina had moved away nearly two years ago. I had tried to keep up by email, and I wrote several letters that she never answered. I even phoned once or twice, and each time Dina seemed too busy-too involved in her new life to care about me. I hurried, telling myself this was silly. Just then she turned. For a moment both of us stopped in our tracks. Lesson Summary:  Students will explore their reactions to the story and discuss the relationship between individual thought, acceptance, friendship and respect. Printable Lesson:  2309lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Friendship Questionnaire

Sonia Levitin Has the Write Stuff

BabagaNewz sits down with award-winning author Sonia Levitin In this lesson, students will explore their personal responses to the short story “The Reunion,” and recognize the interrelationship between individual thought, acceptance, friendship, and respect.  $0.00$0.00This award-winning author-who wrote"The Reunion" (p.14)-talks about her craft. BABA: When did you realize that you wanted to be a writer? Lesson Summary:  Students will explore their reactions to the story and discuss the relationship between individual thought, acceptance, friendship and respect Printable Lesson:  2309lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Friendship Questionnaire

Nothing But Nets

Rabbi Reeve Robert Brenner has created a basketball game  that anybody can play. $0.00$0.00He shoots. He scores. It's good for two! It may sound like a typical basketball game, but this game of hoops is different. For starters, Bankshot Basketball was created by a rabbi, Reeve Robert Brenner of Rockville, Maryland. And a typical Bankshot court has 19 nets, each set against a colorful backboard that's been angled, curved, or built in some other wacky way. Players proceed through the course, attempting to make as many baskets as they can.

Torah Page 545

Remember that even though cliques and bullies may make you feel inferior, everyone is created equal. $0.00$0.00Jocks, preppies, Goths, and geeks. Everywhere we look, cliques (pronounced clicks) surround us. A clique is a small group of like-minded people who do everything together, and often dress and talk alike. There's nothing wrong with being in a clique; it's great to have a circle of friends to have fun with and confide in. But cliques also can hurt people. Some kids might use their status in a popular clique to tease or bully anyone who is different. Others might turn the clique into a snobby club, preaching, "We're better than they are."

Do You Treat People With Dignity?

This personality quiz will help your students to reflect about how they treat people  In the lesson, students will use the as a springboard for discussion about how to treat others respectfully. $0.00$0.001. Your elderly great-aunt loves to tell you stories. She often repeats the same story, again and again. When she visits, you: a. Excuse yourself and go out with a friend. b. Spend time with her and show interest in what she says. c. Stay for a while and then find something else to do. 2. When you're with your friends and you see the school janitor, what do you do? a. Say hello and continue talking to your friends. b. Pass by without saying hello because your friends take all your attention. c. Stop to ask how he is and encourage your friends to do the same. 3. Lesson Summary:  Students will use the Dignity Quiz as a springboard for discussion about how to treat others with dignity. Printable Lesson:  2305lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet The House That Love Built Lesson Plan

The Hunt for Terrorists - Are There Legal and Ethical Limits?

Racial profiling causes tension between civil liberties and national security concerns.  What does Judaism have to say on the subject? Students will use a graphic organizer to sort out their thoughts ans the result of their text studies. $0.00$0.00Immediately after 9-11, President Bush gave law-enforcement agencies powerful new tools to hunt suspected terrorists, arrest them, and hold them in jail. Critics are crying foul. They argue that Bush's anti-terrorist tactics threaten civil rights. The American Civil Liberties Union warns that government policies "should not be based on the myth that liberties must be curtailed to protect the public." HOW DO WE FIND TERRORISTS? Lesson Summary:  Students will complete a visual organizer to help sort out the various sides of the profiling debate and the relevant Jewish ideas. Printable Lesson:  2301lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Visual Organizer Template

A Sign of Respect

See how television star Marlee Matlin never lets her deafness get in the way. Use her experiences to help students consider their own strengths and weaknesses, and to understand how our differences and similarities can strengthen and help build our communities. $0.00$0.00Her hands slice through the air, swiftly forming different shapes- almost like an orchestra conductor telling the flutist when to pipe in, or a baseball coach urging a player to steal third base. But for deaf actress Marlee Matlin, a star in TV's hit show "The West Wing," sign language isn't reserved for a concert or a baseball game. It's how she communicates with the world every day. "You shall not curse the deaf and you shall not place a stumbling block before the blind. You shall fear your God." Vayikra 19:14 Lesson Summary:  Students will explore their own positive and “negative” attributes and recognize the strength in differences between people. Printable Lesson:  2304lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Additional Source Sheet with Discussion Questions Additional Resources:  Strategies for Synagogue Accessibility http://www.uscj.org/accessibility More on Marlee Matlin http://www.marleematlinsite.com

Giving It His Best Shot: Hoopster Tamir Goodman Goes Pro in Israel

Read this article about Tamir Goodman  who chased his dream of playing professional basketball while observing Shabbat. . $0.00$0.00He's been called the Jewish Jordan. With a blue kippah clipped tightly to his bright red hair, 6-foot, 3-inch Tamir Goodman races across the basketball court, amazing the crowd with his ball-handling skills as he heads for the hoop. With a sudden head fake, he loses his helpless defender and leaps high into the air. The ball rolls delicately off into his fingertips...nothing but net! "More than Israel has preserved the Shabbat, the Shabbat has preserved Israel." Ahad Ha'am Lesson Summary:  Students will evaluate how the concept of kavod applies to time by examining classical texts and analyzing Tamir’s choices Printable Lesson:  2307lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet

Democracy Israeli Style

This article gives concise background info on the structure of the Israeli government. In the lesson, students will work as part of a mock political committee to gain a deeper understanding of the political ideologies of the parties. $0.00$0.00Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. National security issues such as the existence of a Palestinian state, the status of the settlements in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), and the final status of Jerusalem are hotly debated in the Knesset (Israel's parliament). To understand Israeli policy, it helps to be aware of the political landscape that influences the government's decisions. THE ABC'S OF POLITICS IN ISRAEL Lesson Summary:  Students will work as part of a political committee to gain a deeper understanding of the political ideologies of these parties. Printable Lesson:  1301lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Government Comparison Chart without Answers Government Comparison Chart with Answers Additional Resources:  Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs (general information on how the Israeli government works) http://mfa.gov.il/MFA/AboutTheMinistry/Pages/default.aspx Knesset (includes platform information from each of the parties that participated in the last election) http://www.knesset.gov.il/elections/eindex.html [Note: This link was listed incorrectly in the print version of the Teachers’ Guide.] Library of Congress, Federal Research Division (brief overview of political parties in Israel) http://rs6.loc.gov/frd/cs/israel/il_appnb.html

The House That Love Built

Volunteers from Habitat for Humanity who helped Annette built her house in Bridgeport felt they were "putting God's words into action." Others who helped repair a community center in Washington called their project "Sukkot in April." What is the connection between Sukkot and providing shelter for others? $0.00$0.00Annette Quintero's home in Bridgeport, Connecticut, is made of something stronger than dry wall and nails; it's made of love. How do you build a house out of love? Habitat for Humanity- an international organization that builds affordable housing for families in need- has years of experience doing just that. Here's the Habitat blueprint: First, you find volunteers who are willing to provide the muscle power necessary to build a house. Then, you combine the volunteers' energy with the sweat and determination of a future home owner. "All the charity and deeds of kindness which the children of Israel perform in this world promot peace and good understanding between them and God." Talmud, Bava Batra 10a Lesson Summary:  Students will explore the significance of sukkot, the shelters that we build to remind us of God's providence during the 40 years in the desert. This concept, combined with that of Imitatio Dei (imitating God), will help us understand why it is important for members of the Jewish community to help provide shelter for others. Printable Lesson:  1309lesson.pdf

Peter Himmelman: Jamming with a Jewish Soul

This interview with guitarist Peter Himmelman focuses on his love for writing music and the role Judaism plays in his career as well as in his daily life. In the accompanaying lesson, students will explore the relationship between inner peace and Shabbat through the use of various creative media. $0.00$0.00His hands fly over the strings of the acoustic guitar. His right leg pounds out the rhythm of the beat pouring from his soul. Peter Himmelman is onstage where he belongs, rockin' with his audience. The crowd can't resist his energy: They're noisy, energetic, and loving every minute of it. Though he's written hundreds of songs, including theme songs for hit TV shows like "Judging Amy" and "Bug Juice," Peter's fans love it when he improvises. We talked to Peter at his studio in Los Angeles, and what he said struck a chord with us. "Sing praise to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and melodious song. With trumpets and the blast of the horn..." Psalms 98:5-6 Lesson Summary:  Students will explore the relationship between inner peace and Shabbat through the use of various creative media. Printable Lesson:  1304lesson.pdf Additional Resources:  Peter Himmelman web site http://www.peterhimmelman.com

Just "Lion" Around

Read about lions adorning the streets of Jerusalem. $0.00$0.00Lions, lions, and more lions! Oh my! The stately lion has taken over the streets of Jerusalem. Eighty full-size sculptures of lions- the symbol of Jerusalem- are brightening the city's streets this summer, creating a citywide art exhibit. The Lions in Jerusalem project has boosted the city's tourism, while reducing the tension felt on the streets of the Israeli capital during this difficult time. The imaginative sculptures include everything from a mosaic lion, to a lion decorated with camel paintings, to one adorned with golden wings.

Jerusalem, Forever Ours

The article about Jerusalem, the City of Peace, recounts the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967. In this lesson, students will study both a liturgical text and a popular song to discover the centrality of Jerusalem to Judaism and to help them explore their own relationship to the city. $0.00$0.00In 1948, the State of Israel declared her independence and, against all odds, defeated the Arab countries that had hoped to destroy the new Jewish state. Israel may have won the war, but she lost an important part of her soul for the sake of peace. Jerusalem-Israel's capital and the spiritual center of the Jewish world-was divided. Jordan occupied the Old City and forbade Jews from visiting the holy sites of the Temple Mount and the Kotel. "'Jersuaelem which is bound firmly together' [Psalms 122:3] binds the Jews one to the other." Talmud Yerushalmi, Hagigah 21a Lesson Summary:  Students will study both a liturgical text (from the weekday Amidah) and a popular song, Yerushalayim Shel Zahav, to discover the centrality of Jerusalem to Judaism and to help them explore their own relationship to the city. Printable Lesson:  1308lesson.pdf Additional Resources:  Lyrics to Yerushalayim Shel Zahav in English and Hebrew "Tourists" by Yehuda Amichai http://www.csuohio.edu/tagar/tourists.htm Background information about Naomi Shemer's song, Yerushalayim Shel Zahav http://www.jerusalemofgold.co.il Real-time webcam of the Kotel http://www.aish.com/wallcam

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