middle school - taking care of ourselves
To learn about the Jewish values of Betzelem Elohim – being created in G-d's image – and Sh'mirat Habriyut – guarding our health – we are...
Ideas to Bring It Home
- Brainstorming and acting out different ways that we can honor and respect the people around us.
- Working together to think of ways that we can take care of our bodies, minds, and spirits.
- Reflecting on aspects of ourselves that we feel confident about and parts that we want to feel more confident about.
Ideas to Bring It Home
- Ask your student: What healthy habits are you going to try this week? What responsibilities do we have if we are created in G-d's image?
- Bring it home:
- Kid friendly recipes: Practice Sh’mirat Habriyut at home with these healthy snacks and meals.
- The holistic Jewish view of health: This inspiring story of how one man took full responsibility for his physical, emotional and spiritual health as he battled cancer aligns with the value of guarding your health.
5th grade - resolving conflicts
To learn about conflict resolution, we are...
Ideas to Bring It Home
- Learning about strategies Moses used to resolve conflict and brainstorming other ways to prevent and solve arguments with the people we know.
- Working together to decide what to do when faced with different ethical dilemmas.
- Collaborating on challenges – like building structures out of popsicle sticks – to practice teamwork and working out our differences.
Ideas to Bring It Home
- Ask your student: What are some ways that you can solve conflicts between you and your friends? Has there ever been a time that you did not know how to solve a certain conflict?
- Bring it home:
- Conflict Resolution for Kids: How can you understand conflict, avoid making things worse and work together to find a solution? Check out this ‘Kids Health’ article and learn how to resolve conflict, an important Jewish value.
- 8 tips for helping your child resolve conflict: Help your child unlock the keys to friendship with these five conflict resolution behaviors and three important ways of practicing them.
4th grade - welcoming guests
To learn about the Jewish value of Hachnasat Orchim – welcoming guests – we are...
Ideas to Bring It Home
- Discussing our experiences being a guest and a host and brainstorming what makes someone a good host and what makes someone a good guest.
- Connecting this value to the story of Abraham and Sarah – the first Jewish people – by remembering how Abraham and Sarah welcomed guests into their tent while they were traveling in the desert.
- Making venn diagrams that represent the different ways Hachnasat Orchim plays a role in our lives – in relationships with other people, our relationships with ourselves, and our relationships with G-d.
- Making a decoration for our home that reminds us to always be welcoming and kind.
Ideas to Bring It Home
- Ask your student: What are some ways that you can make your guests feel welcome? Have you ever had an experience in which someone was unwelcoming? What did they do that you didn't like?
- Bring it home:
- Watch this video and compare how your family creates Hachnasat Orchim with Abraham's way of creating Hachnasat Orchim.
- Hachnasat Orchim hosting tips for you! Check out these seven tips to make overnight guests feel welcome in your home.
3rd grade - learning about honesty
To learn about the Jewish value of Emet – truthfulness – we are...
Ideas to Bring It Home
- Acting out different scenarios in which someone might lie, and discussing them with our peers.
- Playing the game telephone to show how even white lies can get out of control.
- Making comic strips that tell different stories about small lies can make a big impact in a negative way.
Ideas to Bring It Home
- Ask your student: What is the problem with telling a white lie? Is it ever hard to tell the truth?
- Bring it home:
- The lie that cost Samson his strength: In the story of Samson and Delilah, Delilah’s lying cost Samson his strength and led to his capture. Watch the story play out and talk with your child about the consequences of lying.
- A parent’s age-by-age guide to lying: Longer conversations about honesty are necessary as your child grows – use this resource to help strike up a conversation with your child about the importance of telling the truth.
2nd grade - the story of jacob and esau
To learn about the story of Jacob and Esau we are...
Ideas to Bring It Home
- Discussing our experience with siblings and how we react when our sibling does something that we aren't crazy about.
- Making home-made lentil stew to remind us of the stew that Jacob made for his father Isaac
- Hunting" for stuffed animals around the classroom to remind us of Esau
- Adding Jacob and Esau to our Matriarchs and Patriarchs family tree to relate the story of Jacob and Esau to the stories of Isaac and Rebekah (their parents) and Abraham and Sarah (their grandparents).
Ideas to Bring It Home
- Ask your student: Have you ever promised to give somebody something, but not meant it? Has anyone ever promised to give you something and not done it?
- Bring it home:
- 20 must play indoor games: The story of Esau and Jacob illuminates the importance of conduct with siblings and family members. Try some of these games, which promote connection, friendly competition, and bonding.
- Sibling Fighting – Five tips to Help Your Kids “Work It Out”: Teach your children how to avoid negative situations, recognize and set boundaries & problem solve from this parent centered article.
1st grade - boarding the ark
To learn about the story of Noah's Ark, we are...
Ideas to Bring It Home
- Playing a drama game and acting as different animals to help us think about all of the animals that were on the ark.
- Reading a story about Noah's Ark, and having a conversation about the best parts of the story.
- Making our own unique arks out of paper plates and craft materials, with two of every animal!
Ideas to Bring It Home
- Ask your student: Do you think it was a good idea for G-d to send a big flood? What were some of the different animals on Noah's Ark?
- Bring it home:
- Stop Motion Noah’s ark: Campers from Camp Ramah created this animation of ‘what really happened’ on Noah’s ark.
- ArkEscape: A Jewish Memory Game App made by kids for kids! Match up the animals on the ark! Fun for kids ages 3 to 8, with great sound effects and memory practice. You can download it here for iPhone, and here for Android.
kindergarten - celebrating shabbat
To learn about the Jewish holiday Shabbat, we are...
Ideas to Bring It Home
- Having a mock Shabbat ceremony with toy versions of all of the most important items – from challah to grape juice to candles!
- Listening to the book, "The Shabbat Box" and decorating challah plates to start making our very own Shabbat boxes.
- Singing Shabbat songs while moving and grooving with our classmates.
Ideas to Bring It Home
- Ask your student: Why do we celebrate Shabbat? What are some foods that we eat on Shabbat?
- Bring it home:
- Shabbat blessings: Karaoke for Kids: You can find the blessing over bread here, and the blessing over the candles here.
- No time to make Challah at home? There’s an APP for that! Mix it, Braid it, Bake it & Bless it – all without the sticky mess. This Jewish baking app has all steps of baking challah in an interactive format with sounds to match. You can download it here for iPhone and here for Android.
- Challah in a Bag! Watch this ‘Jewlish’ video to make your own challah this Shabbat.
pre-k – celebrating shabbat
To learn about the Jewish holiday Shabbat, we are...
- Having a mock Shabbat ceremony with toy versions of all of the most important items – from challah to grape juice to candles!
- Listening to the book, "The Shabbat Box" and decorating challah plates to start making our very own Shabbat boxes.
- Singing Shabbat songs while moving and grooving with our classmates.
- Ask your student: Why do we celebrate Shabbat? What are some foods that we eat on Shabbat?
- Bring it home:
- Shabbat blessings: Karaoke for Kids: You can find the blessing over bread here, and the blessing over the candles here.
- No time to make Challah at home? There’s an APP for that! Mix it, Braid it, Bake it & Bless it-- all without the sticky mess. There is a Jewish baking app has the blessing for separating the dough and blessing the challah along with all steps in an interactive format with sounds to match. You can download it here for iPhone and here for Android.
- Challah in a Bag!!! Watch this ‘Jewlish’ video to make your own challah this Shabbat.
pre-school - celebrating shabbat
To learn about the Jewish holiday Shabbat, we are...
- Having a mock Shabbat ceremony with toy versions of all of the most important items – from challah to grape juice to candles!
- Listening to the book, "The Shabbat Box" and decorating challah plates to start making our very own Shabbat boxes.
- Singing Shabbat songs while moving and grooving with our classmates.
- Ask your student: Why do we celebrate Shabbat? What are some foods that we eat on Shabbat?
- Bring it home:
- Shabbat blessings: Karaoke for Kids: You can find the blessing over bread here, and the blessing over the candles here.
- No time to make Challah at home? There’s an APP for that! Mix it, Braid it, Bake it & Bless it-- all without the sticky mess. There is a Jewish baking app has the blessing for separating the dough and blessing the challah along with all steps in an interactive format with sounds to match. You can download it here for iPhone and here for Android.
- Challah in a Bag!!! Watch this ‘Jewlish’ video to make your own challah this Shabbat.
