Celebrating Sukkot!
2nd Year B’nei Mitzvah
To learn about Sukkot, Simchat Torah & the pursuit of justice, we are…
Discussing the theme of Bitachon (Trust/Security) as it relates to Sukkot, and pairing up to do a fun trust challenge with blindfolds.
Looking at real text from the Torah and identified key words in it.
Playing justice themed game of taboo to help us define justice and peace in our own words.
Playing an “agree/disagree” game with laws from the Torah, and comparing these laws to laws that we have in our society today.
Ask your student...
What are some customs on Sukkot?
What are we celebrating on Simchat Torah?
What do you think the difference is between peace and justice?
What are the famous words in the Torah that you learned about today?
HEBREW
On Sundays, we split into leveled Hebrew groups. Every group goes at their own pace through learning the Hebrew letters, reading letter combinations, and conversational Hebrew. If you want to know exactly what your student is learning in their Hebrew group, reach out to Neshama at Sunday@jewishkidsgroups.com.
1st Year B’nei Mitzvah
To learn about Jewish blessings & the Shema, we are...
Playing drama games to learn the basic words of Jewish blessings.
Creating brochot (blessing) comic strips, and discussing a variety of blessings for different occasions.
Discussing the meaning and purpose of the brochot (blessings), and playing blessing-themed group games.
Exploring the meaning of “Oneness” with unity group movement activities.
Listening to the Shema and meditating on it.
Creating beautiful unity-themed Shema art.
Ask your student...
How do Jewish blessings usually start?
Did you learn any blessings that surprised you?
What is the Shema prayer about?
What does unity have to do with the Shema?
HEBREW
On Sundays, we split into leveled Hebrew groups. Every group goes at their own pace through learning the Hebrew letters, reading letter combinations, and conversational Hebrew. If you want to know exactly what your student is learning in their Hebrew group, reach out to Neshama at Sunday@jewishkidsgroups.com.
5th Grade: Forgiveness & Joseph
To learn about Joseph and his family, we are….
Acting out the story of Joseph as we read it and discussing our own relationships with our siblings, and the conflicts that sometimes arise between siblings.
Playing a game of pictionary with clues related to the story of Joseph.
Discussing the importance of forgiveness in the context of the story of Joseph and sharing positive results of forgiveness in our own lives.
Ask your student...
What is the story of the Joseph?
How does Joseph show forgiveness?
Why is it important to practice forgiveness in our own lives?
HEBREW
On Sundays, we split into leveled Hebrew groups. Every group goes at their own pace through learning the Hebrew letters, reading letter combinations, and conversational Hebrew. If you want to know exactly what your student is learning in their Hebrew group, reach out to Neshama at Sunday@jewishkidsgroups.com.
4th Grade: Celebrating Sukkot
To learn about Sukkot, we are…
Jamming out to a Sukkot song by the Maccabeats!
Acting out silly scenarios about welcoming guests into our homes and Sukkahs, giving examples of what it's like to be a good host and what it's like to be a bad host
Creating beautiful welcome banners to hang in our homes or sukkahs with the words “Ufros Aleinu Sukkat Shlomecha" (spread over us the sukkah of peace) written on them. This reminds us to open our hearts and homes to others and to always create a space of peace.
Ask your student...
How can the entrances to our homes be more welcoming and accessible?
What can you do personally to be more welcoming and hospitable?
How can you incorporate the value of Hachnasat Orchim into your classroom at JKG and in school?
HEBREW
On Sundays, we split into leveled Hebrew groups. Every group goes at their own pace through learning the Hebrew letters, reading letter combinations, and conversational Hebrew. If you want to know exactly what your student is learning in their Hebrew group, reach out to Neshama at Sunday@jewishkidsgroups.com.
3rd Grade: The Meaning of Sukkot
To learn about Sukkot, we are…
Making our own lulav and etrog puppets (the plants that you shake under the sukkah) and practicing saying the blessing while shaking them.
Designing a craft-sukkah with teammates using the sukkah building rules.
Listening to a story about Sukkot, while learning the double meaning behind the holiday (we celebrate the end of the harvest season, while also representing the temporary huts that the Israelites used while wandering in the desert for 40 years after being freed from slavery.
Ask your student...
What do you shake inside the sukkah?
Why must the roof of the sukkah have openings in it?
What is the double meaning of sukkot?
HEBREW VOCABULARY
Rainbow - keh-shet - קֶשֶׁת
Red - ah-dome - אָדוֹם
Orange - cah-tome - כָּתוֹם
Yellow - tzah-hove - צָהוֹב
Pink - vah-rode - ורוד
Colors - Tzeh-va-eem - צבעים
Green - yah-roke - יָרוֹק
Blue - cah-chole - כָּחוֹל
Purple - sah-goal - סָגוֹל
White - lah-vahn - לבן
Grey - ah-foor - אפור
Brown - Choom - חוּם
Black - shah-chore - שָׁחוֹר
2nd Grade: Exploring Sukkot & Simchat Torah
To learn about Sukkot & Simchat Torah we are…
Discussing our favorite Jewish traditions and ways we like to celebrate Jewish learning
Reading stories about the two holidays and creating our own sukkah wreaths to hang in the Sukkah or at home
Playing freeze dance with the Torah to celebrate Simchat Torah
Ask your student...
What does Simchat Torah celebrate?
Why do we eat our meals in the Sukkah?
HEBREW VOCABULARY
Rainbow - keh-shet - קֶשֶׁת
Red - ah-dome - אָדוֹם
Orange - cah-tome - כָּתוֹם
Yellow - tzah-hove - צָהוֹב
Pink - vah-rode - ורוד
Colors - Tzeh-va-eem - צבעים
Green - yah-roke - יָרוֹק
Blue - cah-chole - כָּחוֹל
Purple - sah-goal - סָגוֹל
White - lah-vahn - לבן
Brown - Choom - חוּם
Black - shah-chore - שָׁחוֹר
1st Grade: What is Sukkot?
To learn about Sukkot we are...
Getting to know the lulav and etrog (the plant and fruit that we shake under the sukkah) and shake-shake-shaking them under an imagined sukkah.
Reading a mysterious story about Sukkot, and playing the game "Sukkot Charades" to act out different Sukkot traditions
Creating our own edible sukkahs out of graham crackers, icing, and pretzels to learn about the rules of building a sukkah
Ask your student...
What are the rules of building a sukkah?
What are some Sukkot traditions that you learned about today?
HEBREW VOCABULARY
Rainbow - keh-shet - קֶשֶׁת
Red - ah-dome - אָדוֹם
Orange - cah-tome - כָּתוֹם
Yellow - tzah-hove - צָהוֹב
Green - yah-roke - יָרוֹק
Blue - cah-chole - כָּחוֹל
Purple - sah-goal - סָגוֹל
Brown - Choom - חוּם
Black - shah-chore - שָׁחוֹר
Kindergarten: Discovering Sukkot
To learn about Sukkot, we are...
Learning how to shake a lulav and etrog (the plant and fruit that we shake under the sukkah) and learning about foods we harvest during Sukkot
Going on a nature walk to collect sticks, leaves, acorns and other materials from nature to make sukkah decorations and a harvest foods headband
Designing our own dream sukkahs and reading all about Sukkot!
Ask you student...
What is a sukkah?
What do you do with a lulav and etrog?
Preschool/Pre-K: Introduction to Sukkot
To learn about Sukkot, we are...
Creating paper links and fruit as decorations for the sukkah because this is a mitzvah!
Designing our own sukkah using popsicle sticks for the walls and plants (pinestraw, leaves) found outside for the roof
Playing class-wide games with the etrog to familiarize with the symbols of Sukkot
Ask your student...
What is a sukkah?
What do you do with a lulav and etrog?
JKG Jr.: All About Sukkot!
To learn about Sukkot, we are…
Building our own JKG Jr. sukkah!
Creating Sukkot decorations from nature.
Putting together a paper chain to decorate our JKG Jr. sukkah, houses or personal sukkahs.
Keep exploring the holiday of Sukkot with your kids by…
Making edible sukkahs!