Tribe Spark 2: Parashat Nitzavim and Vayelech · 1 Tribe Spark 2: Parashat Nitzavim and Vayelech Hello and welcome to Spark! Spark is aimed at facilitating the smooth running of Toddlers

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Tribe Spark 2: Parashat Nitzavim and Vayelech

Hello and welcome to Spark! Spark is aimed at facilitating the

smooth running of Toddlers’ Services, Children’s Services and

Youth Services across United Synagogue communities.

Firstly, thank you for offering to run a Children’s Service in your

local shul. The US is very proud of the numerous Children’s

Services that are run every week across the UK. We would not be

able to do this without you!

Spark has been designed in order to help you run your Children’s

Services. Obviously, every Children’s Service is different, in terms

of how many children there are; what their age range is; its length;

and how knowledgeable the children are likely to be of this week’s

parasha.

Ideally, where possible, a Children’s Service should consist of

some time used to discuss the weekly parasha and some time

devoted to davening. Spark gives you an overview of the weekly

parasha, a song, activity, discussion or Dvar Torah linked to the

parasha or any important event that week. It is separated into

sections for different age groups but often you will find that an

activity in one section will be suitable for children in another

section. So, please take the time to read through it all – I know you

are busy people but it will help you and ultimately the children.

Please also try to read Spark during the week as sometimes some

props will be needed. It will give you a chance to find them.

It is important to note that Spark should help you to run

Children’s Services, but it does not completely run it for you. It is

not designed to give to one of the children to read out to the group

for them to run themselves. You are running the Children’s

Service, and Spark is here to help you do it.

I hope that you and the children in your service will benefit from

Spark2. As always your feedback would be welcomed.

Shabbat Shalom,

Sharon Radley

([email protected])

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Parasha Summary:

This week we have two parshiot – Nitzavim and Vayelech.

Nitzavim:

Moshe gathers together all the Jewish people on the last day

of his life and makes a new treaty between them and God.

From now on every Jew in every generation will be

responsible for himself and his fellow Jew.

Moshe warns of the exile and destruction of Eretz Yisrael

that will result from the Jewish people abandoning God’s

laws. He assures them that they will eventually repent and

will be returned to the Land.

The punishment for serving idols is repeated.

The parasha concludes by discussing the freedom of choice

and the mitzvah of teshuvah.

Vayelech:

Moshe is one hundred and twenty years old and knowing

that it is the last day of his life, bids farewell to the Jewish

people.

Moshe summons Joshua and charges him with leading the

Jewish people into the Land.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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Moshe then wrote the entire Torah and gave it to the

Kohanim.

Moshe and Joshua are commanded by God to write the song

that He would tell them and to teach it to the Jewish people.

God says that a time will come when the people would

abandon God and He will at that time hide Himself from

them. They will then be subjected to troubles and will claim

that these misfortunes are happening to them because God

has abandoned them. This song will be a reminder to them

that these events are as a result of their own behaviour.

Moshe gives the commandment of Hakhel, whereby every

seven years at the end of the Sabbatical year, on the first day

of Chol Hamoed Sukkot the entire nation was commanded

to assemble at the Bet Hamikdash. There the King would

read selected sections of the Torah.

Moshe took the freshly finished Torah scroll and gave it to

the Levi’im. He instructs them to put it next to the Ark.

Moshe gathers all the people together to hear the song. The

song is narrated in the parasha next week.

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Toddlers Service

This week we read two parshiot in shul. In the second one we

learn that Moshe was very old and knew that he wouldn’t be able

to be the leader of the Jewish people any more. He also knew that

the Jewish people were about to enter Eretz Yisrael and would

need an excellent leader to take them into the Land.

Activity

Action game:

Sit the children in the circle and choose a volunteer to go out of the

room. Choose another child to be the leader. The leader will

perform actions such as clapping hands or tapping their feet. All

the children in the circle should watch the leader and whenever

the leader changes the actions so should the rest of the group. It is

the job of the volunteer to work out who the leader is when they

are called back into the room. The children in the circle should not

make it obvious when they look at the leader to see when an action

has been changed. The game should be played whilst the children

are singing.

Discuss:

What do you think makes somebody a good leader? Is it just

the person with the loudest voice?

Have you ever had a leader or a teacher who you thought

was excellent and why?

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Children’s Service

Years 1-3


learn that Moshe was very old and knew that he wouldn’t be able

to be the leader of the Jewish people any more. He also knew that

the Jewish people were about to enter Eretz Yisrael and would

need an excellent leader to take them into the Land.

Activity One:

Rock Paper Scissors (with a difference...)

Check all the children know how to play rock/paper/scissors. Decide

with them a definitive way that you are all going to play the game

so that they are all playing it in the same way.

When you say, “Off you go”, the children should walk around the

room. When you say, “Stop”, they should stop and find a partner

to play rock/paper/scissors with, three times. The person who scores

least in this game should walk behind the winner and chant their

name aloud. The two of them should walk around the room

looking for another pair to play against. The pair that looses this

competition should stand behind the winning pair and chant the

name of the person at the front. There should now be four people

in this group. They should walk around the room chanting the

name and looking for another group to play against. In the end

you should end up with one long line of children chanting the

name of the person at the front.


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Activity Two

Action game:










are singing.

Discuss:

What do you think makes somebody a good leader? Is it just

the person with the loudest voice?



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Children’s Service

Year 3-6

Vayelech, 31:7

‘Moshe summoned Yehoshua and said to him before all the Jewish

people, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall come with this

people to the Land that God swore to their forefathers to give

them and you should cause them to inherit it. God- it is He who

goes before you, He will be with you, He will not release you and

nor will He forsake you. Do not be afraid.....’


learn that Moshe was an old man and knew he was about to die.

He also knew that the Jewish people were about to enter Eretz

Yisrael and that he would need to appoint a new leader to take

them into the Land. This man was Yehoshua.

Activity One

Action game:










are singing.


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Activity Two

Rock Paper Scissors (with a difference...)

Check all the children know how to play rock/paper/scissors. Decide

with them a definitive way that you are all going to play the game

so that they are all playing it in the same way.

When you say, “Off you go”, the children should walk around the

room. When you say, “Stop”, they should stop and find a partner

to play rock/paper/scissors with, three times. The person who scores

least in this game should walk behind the winner and chant their

name aloud. The two of them should walk around the room

looking for another pair to play against. The pair that looses this

competition should stand behind the winning pair and chant the

name of the person at the front. There should now be four people

in this group. They should walk around the room chanting the

name and looking for another group to play against. In the end

you should end up with one long line of children chanting the

name of the person at the front.

Ask: In the parasha this week we are told that Moshe appointed

Joshua/ Yehoshua as the next leader of the Jewish people.

(See top of page 6) What do the children know about

Yehoshua that would make them think he was the right

candidate to become the next leader of the Jewish people?


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Explain:

Yehoshua was one of the twelve spies who were sent on a

mission to assess Eretz Yisrael. There were twelve spies sent

and all of them except two men gave negative reports on the

Land. One of these men was Yehoshua. It surely must have

been very difficult for Yehoshua to withstand the peer

pressure from the other spies, yet he bravely remained loyal

to Hashem and did not criticise Eretz Yisrael. The other spy

who also stood up for the truth was Calev. In fact if we look

at the episode of the spies in the Torah we see that it was the

passionate Calev who stood up to the other spies first –

before Yehoshua. Yehoshua only spoke later when the

Jewish people were really worked up and wanted to return

to Egypt. Why didn’t Yehoshua stand up for Eretz Yisrael

right at the start of the spies feedback like Calev did? Was he

swayed by the opinion of others?

Our rabbanim tell us that Yehoshua only spoke out later

because was a realistic and reflective person who knew how

and when to lead. He knew that the spies would not change

their mind and so at first he did not speak up – he realised

there was no point. Only when the Jewish people began to

speak about changing God’s plan by wanting to go back to

Egypt did Yehoshua speak up as that for him was one step

too far.

We also learn that before Yehoshua goes on the mission to

spy out the Land, Moshe changes his name. Previously he

was called Hoshea but Moshe adds letters from Gods name

to this name so that he is now called Yehoshua. This addition

of letters signifies protection from God. Yehoshua was the

only spy singled out to have his name changed as Yehoshua

was Moshe’s personal assistant and advisor.


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Moshe knew that Yehoshua was the kind of person who

would not be swayed by the opinions of others. In order to

remain steadfast and strong Yehoshua would need a

blessing from Moshe.

So to sum up: We can see from these two points that

Yehoshua was a brave, loyal, realistic, sensible, and

thoughtful man. He had a very close relationship with

Moshe and was an obvious choice as the next leader.

Discuss:

What do you think makes a good leader?



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Youth Service

12-16

‘Standing up for your convictions’.

Sit all participants in a circle and say one of the statements below.

If a participant agrees with the statement they should stand up

and if they don’t they should remain seated. Watch your

participants carefully. You will see that some stand up and when

they see their friends remain seated they quickly sit down again.

Some will stay seated but when they see their peers standing they

will jump to their feet.

Statements for game:

Chocolate is the best ice cream flavour.

Tottenham is the best football team.

Peanut butter is better than jam.

Kids should not be allowed to eat sugary cereal.

Teenagers should not be allowed to watch TV or go on

screens on school nights.


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All kids should own mobile phones.

It’s ok to borrow something without permission.

People must report cheating they see on a test.

Everyone must work to pick up litter.

Kids should be friends only with people of whom their

parents approve.

Every Jewish person should learn to speak Ivrit.

It’s important to support Israel with our words and deeds at

all times.

It’s important to keep kosher.

For the final round ask pupils to share a belief about which

they feel strongly.


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Next, ask the participants:

How did it feel to stand up for the statements with which

you agreed?

How did it feel to stay seated?

How did it feel to be the only or one of the only ones to be

standing?

How did it feel to be the only one or one of the only ones to

be seated?

Were there times when you felt pressure to stand?

Where there times when you would have stood but you felt

embarrassed to stand?

Did you ever change your mind and sit down after standing

or stand after remaining seated? Why?

What character trait do you think it takes to be the only one

sitting or standing?

Do you think being able to withstand peer pressure is an

important character trait for a leader?

Explain: In the parasha this week we are told:

‘Moshe summoned Yehoshua and said to him before all the Jewish

people, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall come with this

people to the Land that God swore to their forefathers to give

them and you should cause them to inherit it. God- it is He who

goes before you, He will be with you, He will not release you and

nor will He forsake you. Do not be afraid.....’ (Vayelech, 31:7)

Moshe knew he was about to die and that the Jewish people were

about to enter Eretz Yisrael and would need a new leader to take

them into the Land. This man was Joshua/Yehoshua.


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Ask

Have any of the participants heard of Yehoshua before?

What do the participants know about Yehoshua that would

make them think he was the right candidate to become the

next leader of the Jewish people?

Explain

Yehoshua was one of the twelve spies who were sent on a

mission to assess Eretz Yisrael. There were twelve spies sent

and all of them except two men gave negative reports on the

Land. One of these men was Yehoshua. It surely must have

been very difficult for Yehoshua to withstand the peer

pressure from the other spies, yet he bravely remained loyal

to Hashem and did not criticise Eretz Yisrael. The other spy

who also stood up for the truth was Calev. In fact if we look

at the episode of the spies in the Torah we see that it was the

passionate Calev who stood up to the other spies first –

before Yehoshua. Yehoshua only spoke later when the

Jewish people were really worked up and wanted to return

to Egypt. Why didn’t Yehoshua stand up for Eretz Yisrael

right at the start of the spies feedback like Calev did? Was he

swayed by the opinion of others?

Our rabbanim tell us that Yehoshua only spoke out later

because was a realistic and reflective person who knew how

and when to lead. He knew that the spies would not change

their mind and so at first he did not speak up – he realised

there was no point. Only when the Jewish people began to

speak about changing God’s plan by wanting to go back to

Egypt did Yehoshua speak up as that for him was one step

too far.


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We also learn that before Yehoshua goes on the mission to

spy out the Land, Moshe changes his name. Previously he

was called Hoshea but Moshe adds letters from Gods name

to this name so that he is now called Yehoshua. This addition

of letters signifies protection from God. Yehoshua was the

only spy singled out to have his name changed as Yehoshua

was Moshe’s personal assistant and advisor. Moshe knew

that Yehoshua was the kind of person who would not be

swayed by the opinions of others. In order to remain

steadfast and strong Yehoshua would need a blessing from

Moshe.

So to sum up: We can see from these two points that

Yehoshua was a brave, loyal, realistic, sensible, and

thoughtful man. He had a very close relationship with

Moshe and was an obvious choice as the next leader.

Discuss:

What do you think makes a good leader?



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Tribe Spark 2: Parashat Nitzavim and Vayelech · 1 Tribe Spark 2: Parashat Nitzavim and Vayelech Hello and welcome to Spark! Spark is aimed at facilitating the smooth running of Toddlers