Teaching A Jewish Teaching A Jewish Curriculum When You Curriculum When You

Are Not JewishAre Not Jewish

Teaching A Jewish Teaching A Jewish Curriculum When You Curriculum When You

Are Not JewishAre Not JewishTracy RiceTracy Rice

Kindergarten TeacherKindergarten TeacherCongregation Kol ShofarCongregation Kol Shofar

Tiburon, CATiburon, CA

Group Demographics How many people teach in a Jewish Preschool? If you are comfortable sharing- how many of

you are not Jewish? What is the biggest challenge you face in

teaching a Jewish curriculum? What do you enjoy most about teaching a

Jewish curriculum?

Your Goals For This Workshop

What do you hope to gain from this workshop? Are there particular concepts that you find

“troublesome?” Are there things that you feel you do very well

that you would like to share with the group at the end of the session?

Basic Concepts Holidays- Going through a Jewish year and teaching the rituals

and stories associated with each holiday Shabbat- Teaching about Shabbat through songs, stories and

ritual Prayer and Blessings- Introducing and reinforcing the idea of

“talking” to God. Teaching them the blessings and prayers for specific rituals and occasions.

The Torah- both the physical object and the stories included. Mitzvot- Basic Commandments as a concept of values and

behaviors. Hebrew and Israel- A basic introduction to Hebrew with simple

words and visual aspects, and the land of Israel as the home for all Jewish people.

The Synagogue and People in the Community.

The Jewish Year Through Holidays

The Jewish year begins with Tishrei and Rosh Hashanah (the Head of the Year) Concepts- apples and honey for a sweet new year, we

wish each other Shanah Tovah (Happy New Year), we send New Year cards, the Shofar is blown

Sample Lesson- “I Was So Mad” and tashlich Yom Kippur

Concepts- Thinking about how we behave and how we can be better, we wear white clothes and no leather, the grown-ups fast, Yom Kippur ends with the blowing of the Shofar

Sukkot Concepts- we eat in the Sukkah, we pray for rain, we

decorate the Sukkah, we celebrate the Harvest Simchat Torah- Starting Over

Concepts- we sing and dance with the Torah, we read the end of the Torah and start at the beginning again

Sample Lesson- Make a Torah

The Jewish Year Through Holidays, Continued

Chanukkah Concepts- Chanukkah is celebrated for 8 days, the miracle of

oil, special foods for Chanukkah, playing dreidel, Chanukkah songs

Sample Lesson- make a Chanukiah Tu B’Shevat

Concepts- we take care of trees, what comes from trees, planting trees

Purim Concepts- hearing the Megillah read, the main characters and

plot of the story, festive meal, gifts to the poor, Shalach Manot, noisemakers, wearing costumes

Sample Lesson- Shalach Manot Pesach

Concepts- the story and characters of the Exodus, matzah, the 10 plagues, the four questions, the Seder, songs for Pesach

Shavuot Concepts- eating dairy, decorating with flowers, wearing

white, the Ten Commandments, the Book of Ruth

Teaching About Shabbat

Shabbat is the celebration that happens with the most frequency and the hardest concept to teach.

It is good to start with the basics: The Ritual Items The brachot Songs and Stories

The Shabbat Box for an at home connection. Materials for making a box:

Video storage box Plastic Kiddush cups from Benny’s Candle cups from Benny’s Candles Challah Challah covers Handbook for families Journal for families

Prayer and Blessings Prayer as Talking to God

Talking to God is easy for children and a great way to phrase the idea of prayer and brachot.

Modeh/Modah Ani- The morning prayer The Shema as meditation

The Shema is one of the most powerful and moving prayers and one that is easy to learn. I introduce the prayer through meditation. I take the students outside and ask them to listen. We are silent for a while then share all the things we heard. The next step is teaching the actual prayer and talking about it

Make a mezuzah for the class and learn how it relates to the Sh’ma

Basic brachot that the class should know Kiddush Hamotzi Lighting candles

Resources for learning Websites- www.aish.com, www.chabad.org, www.ritualwell.org

The Torah What is the Torah? What makes it special? How is it different from

the “Old Testament?” What does the Torah look like? How is a Torah written? Books of the Torah-

Bereshit- in the beginning (Genesis) Shemot- Names (Exodus) Vayikra- He called (Leviticus) Bamidbar- In the wilderness (Numbers) Devarim- Things or Words (Deuteronomy)

Stories for your classroom with sample lessons: Creation- Eco Judaism

Sample Lesson- Activities for each day of creation with a lesson on Tikkun Olam at the end- decorating canvas bags, planting trees or picking up trash.

Joseph- Jealousy, betrayal and forgiveness- Monkey and Horsey, friends with real life problems (see handout)

Abram and Sarai- Strangers at the Tent- Welcoming and Faith - Discussion- how do you make people feel welcome in your “tent?” Why is it

important to treat strangers with kindness? What lesson does Sarai learn? Moses- The Journey into freedom

Act out the story with dolls from the house corner. Make a pyramid for the wall (sample in Pesach Lesson)

Mitzvot B’Tzelem- Taking care of ourselves and others- God created us in

God’s Image How do we care for others- visiting the sick, supporting the mourners,

visiting the elderly Shalom- peace between friends, in the classroom, at home (Shalom

Bayit) and in the world Creating classroom rules that promote the idea of Shalom, respecting

parents and teachers Tikkun Olam- we are God’s partners in taking care of the world

Cleaning up garbage, saving water, recycling, reusing materials, not wasting paper

Tzedakah- our responsibility to help those less fortunate- not charity Bringing money for the tzedakah box, involving the kids in the donation

process Tzaar Baalei Chayim- taking care of animals

Classroom animals, talking about caring for pets Hachnassat Ochim- hospitality and welcoming

Discussion on welcoming guests at home and in the classroom

Hebrew and IsraelHebrew Terms to Know: Shalom- Hello, Good-Bye, and Peace Todah Rabah- Thank You Bvakasha- Please Sheket- Quiet Boker Tov- Good-Morning Chaverim- Friends Yeladim- Children Abba- Father Imma- Mother Mishpacha- Family

Relating Israel to Children Israel is home for all Jewish people We always pray for peace in Israel Israel on the map The Flag of Israel The languages of Israel The food of Israel People we know who are from Israel Music from Israel

The Synagogue and People in the Community

Interview with a Rabbi- Collect questions from the students and invite the Rabbi to come and answer them. In the future, if questions arise, start an “Ask the Rabbi Box” where you can put questions in.

Take a tour of the Synagogue with journals. Have the students draw pictures of what they see. Invite them to recreate the space using classroom materials.

Decorate kippot for the classroom Make a small Aron for the classroom Visit other classrooms and plan joint lessons to create a

sense of community. Do projects with local Jewish Organizations:

Sample plan- JFCS Holiday Gift Bags.

Teaching ToolsPuppets- Puppets are a great way

to capture interest and to encourage “audience participation.”

Stories with a Jewish Theme that are not Jewish (I Was So Mad)

Wall of the Month

Sample Lesson:Pesach

Pesach Lesson PlanBegin by telling the story of MosesBuild a Pyramid on the Wall of the

Month Incorporate more of the Pesach story as the

month goes on.

Make Seder PlatesMake “Bag of Plagues” Learn “The Four Questions”Culminate with a Model Seder

Resources Benny’s Educational Toys- http://www.tjssc.com/

Easy to navigate website with awesome materials for Jewish Educators.

Staff is very helpful and the prices are reasonable. Oriental Trading Company

While most of their stuff is for general ed schools and Christian-based schools, they have a surprising amount of Judaica.

There general craft supplies are also great for prizes and activities

Jewish Every Day This book breaks it down by age and provides teachers

with a great resource for each holiday and observance

Brainstorm Ideas

How to Get The Handout and Sample

Flyers• In an attempt to go paperless, I’m not

providing handouts.• If you would like a copy of the

presentation, I’m happy to email it to you. Same with any of the other materials I have shown you today.

• Please email me at teachertracy@gmail.com and specify if you need it in a Word format.