Lesson

Tu B'Shevat Mini-lessons

Ten mini-lessons for Tu B'Shevat, including text study about trees and experiental approaches to the holiday. $0.00$0.00In the first mishnah in Tractate Rosh Hashanah, four new years are mentioned: the first of Nisan as the new year for kings and festivals, the first of Elul regarding the tithe of animals, the first of Tishrei for counting the years, planting and the official new year for the Jewish people, and Shevat as the new year for the trees. Share and examine this text with your students. Why does the text explain four different new years? Why is each mentioned? What is unique about each of the dates? Are all these dates significant? Why or why not? Additional PDFs:  Mini-lessons (printable version)

Purim Mini-Lessons 5770

Enjoy these activities and mini  lessons in celebration of Purim $0.00$0.00HAPPINESS-A-DAY According to Jewish tradition, Rosh Hodesh Adar ushers in a month of happiness: Mishenikhnas Adar marbin b'simhah, (When Adar begins, happiness increases). To celebrate the joy that is associated with the month of Adar, have students create a Happiness-a-Day calendar. They can create personal calendars for themselves and their families or the class can create one together. Distribute a blank Adar calendar page to every student. Printable Lesson:  6001lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Blank Adar calendar Purim mini-lessons from 5765

The Mitzvot of Purim

Students will look at the four mitzvot of Purim, considering both the actual definition of a mitzvah as a commandment and the popular understanding that a mitzvah is a good deed. $0.00$0.00LESSON AT A GLANCE Students will look at the four mitzvot of Purim, considering both the actual definition of a mitzvah as a commandment and the popular understanding that a mitzvah is a good deed. In small groups they will then create an activity or program that focuses on both understandings for one of the mitzvot of Purim. OBJECTIVES - Students will explore the meaning of the word 'mitzvah.' - Students will know the four mitzvot of Purim. - Students will find a meaningful way to connect with one of the mitzvot of Purim. Printable Lesson:  6002lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Texts Worksheet Guiding questions for the groups

The Questions of Pesach

Students will review the Four Questions of Pesach and discuss some of the traditional answers to the questions, with special concentration of the concept of freedom, and the knowledge of modern day slavery. $0.00$0.00LESSON AT A GLANCE - Students will review the Four Questions of Pesach and discuss some of the traditional answers to the questions. After studying a text on the obligation of seeing oneself as having been freed from Egypt, students will then be asked to think of slavery and freedom in a modern context. They will then research modern-day forms of slavery and freedom from slavery and develop questions related to their research that can be discussed at the Seder table. Printable Lesson:  7003lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Four Questions Texts

Seder Plate Activities

Seder plate activities just in time for Pesach.  Illustrated cards display seder symbols; the accompanying ideas for classroom activities demonstrate just a few of the many ways you can use them. Be sure to watch the mini-movie to introduce the items on the seder plate. Click on the YouTube button to watch the video. $0.00$0.003 new Seder plate activities to help your class prepare for Pesach! 1. A multimedia slide show mini-movie that deepens students' understandings of the Seder plate 2. An exciting game to reinforce the learning objectives of the game 3. Printable cards to bring to the family Seder Additional PDFs:  Seder Plate cards How to Use the Seder Plate cards

Tefillah L'Shalom Hamedinah

Add meaning to your students' prayer by teaching them about the Prayer for the State of Israel. Students will think about what the prayer means to them and to people within and outside Israel. $0.00$0.00LESSON AT A GLANCE Students will study the first part of the prayer for the State of Israel. After discussing some of the major points, students will think about how the prayer relates to them individually and to others living outside of Israel. They will explore the imagery of the words and create a piece of art to illustrate their personal connection to the prayer and the importance of praying for Israel. Printable Lesson:  8003lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Text of the prayer Images for inspiration Worksheet

Israel Fair Tahanot (Stations)

Enjoy these ideas for creating an Israel fair that's just right for your school or group! $0.00$0.00Here are some ideas for creating an Israel fair that's just right for your school or group!   How to implement the fair: Printable Lesson:  Download the Israel Fair stations

The Names of Shavuot

We can learn a lot from names. Through exploring the different names of Shavuot, students will learn about different aspects of the holiday.  Research into their own names will reveal differnt aspects of their own identity. $0.00$0.00LESSON AT A GLANCE We can learn a lot from names. Through exploring the different names of Shavuot, students will learn about different aspects of the holiday. Building on the theme of names, students will then do research on their own names. OBJECTIVES Students will learn four different names of Shavuot. Through research, students will gain more insight into their own names. ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS Jewpardy! Shavuot Edition Printable Lesson:  9002lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Texts Texts worksheet Names research worksheet Excerpt from The Book of Jewish Holidays, Behrman House More activities related to Shavuot

Values in the Story of Ruth

Students will learn the story of Ruth, discuss and illustrate the values that this book imparts to the Jewish People during the holiday of Shavuot. $0.00$0.00LESSON AT A GLANCE Students will learn the story of Ruth and have the opportunity to discuss and illustrate the values that this book imparts to the Jewish People during the holiday of Shavuot. OBJECTIVES Students will learn the story line of the megillah of Ruth. Students will identify the values that are taught through this narrative and depict them in a tapestry. Printable Lesson:  9003lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Summary of the Megillah of Ruth Texts More activities related to the megillah of Ruth More activities related to Shavuot (from the Book of Jewish Holidays, Behrman House)

Book of Ruth Mini-Movie

An epic journey, romance, a surprising twist leading to redemption--the Book of Ruth has a plot to rival any movie produced in Hollywood.  After watching a movie of an early scene, students will interpret the story in a way that emphasizes the characters of Ruth and Orpah and their relationships with Naomi, with comparison to their own personal relationships. $0.00$0.00 Lesson Summary:  Orpah’s decision to kiss Naomi goodbye and remain in Moab contrasts with Ruth’s loving embrace and her choice to follow Naomi back to Judah. Students will explore the significance of each woman’s behavior and relate the biblical characters’ conduct to their own lives. OBJECTIVES 1. Students will summarize the narrative account in the Book of Ruth. 2. Students will identify Orpah’s kiss as symbolic of impulsive behavior and recognize Ruth’s embrace as a sign of long-term commitment. 3. Students will read and recite the congregational response to the gabbai’s call for the first Aliyah to the Torah. Printable Lesson:  Lesson Plan Additional PDFs:  Scene Summary Group Study

Zionism Without Zion?

Teach a piece of Zionist history with this original play about the Uganda plan.  This  dramatization  explores why the Sixth Zionist Congress dealt with this proposal and the merits and drawbacks of the Uganda plan. In the accompanying  lesson, students will do a dramatic reading of the play and enter into the same debate that the Zionist leaders from the Sixth Congress argued over a century ago. They will also study Jewish texts that explore the role of Zion within Jewish thought. $0.00$0.00Photo credit: Israel GPO Before Israel was established as the Jewish state, Zionists considered a different location—Uganda. This article is a dramatization that explores why the Sixth Zionist Congress dealt with this proposal and the merits and drawbacks of the Uganda plan. You are missing some Flash content that should appear here! Perhaps your browser cannot display it, or maybe it did not initialize correctly. "As long as deep in the heart the soul of a Jew yearns, and toward the East an eye looks to Zion, our hope is not yet lost." Hatikvah Lesson Summary:  In this lesson, students will do a dramatic reading of the play and enter into the same debate that the Zionist leaders from the Sixth Congress argued over a century ago. They will also study Jewish texts that explore the role of Zion within Jewish thought. Printable Lesson:  Zionism Without Zion? Lesson Plan Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet

Jake Gering: Biking the Holy Land

Inspire your students with this article about Jake and his dad, who joined 174 other riders, to tackle the Arava Institute-Hazon Bike Ride in Israel. In the accompanying lesson, students will deal with the idea of feeling a serious connection to a place. $0.00$0.00As Jake Gering sped downhill on his bike, the chilly morning air whipped his face. The lanky 15-year-old from Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, knew that one minor mistake could spell disaster. "I tried not to focus on how fast I was going," he says, but hurtling along at 40 mph took his breath away. And so did the scenery along the road from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea: "Bedouins and their dusty camels were a blur as we raced past them," Jake recalls. "But suddenly, in the distance, we saw the Dead Sea shimmering through the afternoon haze. "Get up and walk through the land...for I give it to you." Bereishit 13:17 Lesson Summary:  Students will explore their connections to Jewish places and how they developed those connections. Students will think about the roles that the past, present, and future can play in developing a connection to a place. Printable Lesson:  4803lesson.pdf Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet Additional Resources:  Israel Ride's website Israel's story in maps

Just Jammin'

Israeli hip hop and rap artists sound off on the messages in their music. Use this article and lesson plan to explore those messages and their Jewish values with your students.    $0.00$0.00  "Everyone talks about peace, no one talks about justice!" Mook E Lesson Summary:  In this lesson, students will examine Jewish values in two popular Israeli songs, and the responsibility of Diaspora Jews to pursue justice in Israel. Printable Lesson:  Lesson Plan Additional PDFs:  Source Sheet "Medabrim Al Shalom" lyrics "Tikvah" lyrics

Jon Denning: Crash Course in Judaism

In this interview, NASCAR driver Jon Denning describes how his participation in a Birthright trip to Israel renewed his commitment to Judaism. In this lesson, students will do two experiential activities on refreshing and renewing one's identity as Jew especially as the New Year approaches. $0.00$0.00The green flag drops, and adrenaline instantly surges through Jon Denning's body. He guns the engine of his Chevrolet Impala SS, and 3,100 pounds of fiberglass and steel explode down the straightaway, reaching a speed of 140 miles per hour. Easing slightly off the accelerator, Jon speeds into a steep turn, jockeying for position among cars only inches away from him. He grips the steering wheel tightly and focuses on one thing: winning and taking the checkered flag. "Return to Me...and I will return to you." Zechariah 1:3 Lesson Summary:  In this lesson, students will engage in two experiential activities to explore the value of being refreshed and renewed, and what types of experiences can have that effect on a person. Additionally, students will brainstorm ideas for what they can do to refresh and renew themselves as Jews as the New Year begins. Printable Lesson:  1903lesson.pdf

Book Study Guide: Duel by David Grossman

This study guide provides material for a lesson, unit, or book club discussion about the novel Duel by David Grossman. Studying this novel expands exploration of the concept shalom (peace). $0.00$0.00The letter on the table said: 'You are a miserable old thief! Unless you return her mouth to me by seven o'clock this evening, I will take it away from you by force'. So begins a story in which a young boy must solve the mystery of the stolen mouth and save two men from a duel to the death. This is a tale of friendship between a beguiling boy and an old man with a past — a history that shapes the plot of the book and unfurls in the way real stories do between friends. David and Mr. Additional PDFs:  Study Guide

The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill

With satire and humor, the novel The Pushcart War narrates the story of a battle between pushcartt peddlers and truck drivers. The study guide explores the themes of peace and harmony. $0.00$0.00The pushcarts have declared war! New York City's streets are clogged with huge, rude trucks, and the pushcart peddlers are determined to get rid of them. But the trucks are just as determined to get rid of the pushcarts, and chaos results. The pushcarts then come up with a brilliant strategy that will surely let the hot air out of their enemies. The secret weapon: a peashooter armed with a pin; the target: the vulnerable truck tires. Once the source of the flat tires is discovered, the children of the city happily join in with their own pin peashooters. Additional PDFs:  13book.pdf

Haym Salomon: Liberty’s Son by Shirley Milgrim

This study guide provides material to help with the preparation of a lesson, unit, or book club discussion about the biography, Haym Salomon: Liberty's Son by Shirley Milgrim. Studying this non-fiction work expands the exploration of American Jewish history, and increases knowledge and understanding of the War of Independence. $0.00$0.00Here is the little-known story of the selfless and patriotic Jewish merchant who raised money to finance the American Revolution and the new nation. Salomon's patriotism and his exploits with the Sons of Liberty were a natural outgrowth of his Jewish heritage. Additional PDFs:  Study Guide

The Return by Sonia Levitin

Engage your students in activities relating to The Return by Sonia Levitin with this book study guide.  Included are questions for study and discussion, passages for close analysis, lesson ideas, writing activities and projects for you to do with your students. **Please note that due to some of this book’s content, it would be best studied with more mature readers. ** $0.00$0.00Desta is a fifteen-year-old orphan girl from Beta Yisrael, the Jews of Ethiopia who endured centuries-long persecution at the hands of their Ethiopian neighbors. She embarks on a perilous trip to Sudan, where she hopes to find the rescuers who are taking Beta Yisrael to safety in Israel. Desta and her sister use their wits and determination to find others from their village in Ethiopia and to fulfill their dream of living in Eretz Yisrael. Additional PDFs:  48bookStudyGuide.pdf

Holes by Louis Sachar

This study guide provides material for a lesson, unit, or book club discussion of the popular novel Holes, by Louis Sachar. Studying this novel expands the exploration of the concept re’ut (friendship). $0.00$0.00"If you take a bad boy and make him dig a hole every day in the hot sun, it will turn him into a good boy" is the motto of Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention center. Sent there as punishment for a crime he didn’t commit, Stanley Yelnats is determined to survive. In this story of crime, punishment, and friendship, Stanley realizes that fate has big things in store for him. Additional PDFs:  Study Guide

Book Study Guide: Rivka's Way by Teri Kanefield

This study guide provides materials for a lesson, unit, or book club discussion about the novel Rivka's Way by Teri Kanefield.Students will explore the concept of ometz lev (courage). $0.00$0.00Rivka’s Way is set in Prague in 1778, when Jews were forced to live behind ghetto walls. Rivka ventures outside the ghetto walls to help a new friend, a Christian boy, but she fears the consequences if anyone were to discover her secret. What she discovers outside the walls dramatically changes the way she views her neighbors, her family, herself, and her future. Additional PDFs:  66book.pdf

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