Shabbat, Havdalah, and More

2nd Year B’nai Mitzvah: Israel History Up To Present Day

Learning the history of the Six-Day War and Yom Kippur War through a word scramble game.
Playing a “4 Quarters Guessing Game”.
Categorizing different key aspects of the major groups of people in Israel.
Debating whether transportation should be allowed on Shabbat in Israel by representing the different opinions actually found in Israel.

How many countries are surrounding Israel?
What are some ways that fighting on Yom Kippur actually helped the Israeli soldiers?

How does public transportation work on Shabbat in Israel?
What group of people were you assigned for your poster, and what is an interesting fact about that group of people?

Discussing the three moments in Jewish history that Shabbat helps us remember – Creation, the Exodus from Egypt, and the future.
Thinking about how the Torah explains work and what is prohibited on Shabbat.
Playing games that are kosher for Shabbat like a “rock, paper, scissors” game with Havdalah words substituted in, to learn about the different components and customs of Havdalah.
Watching a video of a Havdalah ceremony

Connecting the idea of welcoming guests to welcoming Shabbat, the day of rest, into our lives, and connecting it to the precedent that our patriarch, Abraham, set when he welcomed people into his tent in the desert.
Reviewing five steps of welcoming guests.
Watching a video that shows a Havdalah service, and then performing a mock one of our own.
Making a brochure that explains Shabbat, Havdalah, and Hachnasat Orchim to someone who might not know about them.

How should we welcome a friend when they come over, say goodbye when they leave, and act while they are in our home?
What are ways to be a good host?
What is the difference between Shabbat and Havdalah?

Practicing meditation and discussing how it relates to caring for our minds and bodies.
Connecting the idea of resting one day a week to the Jewish value of “Shmirat Ha’Guf”, or caring for the body.
Brainstorming ways that we can be more mindful of our health each week.

What is “Shmirat Ha’Guf?”
Why is resting each week important to our well-being (physical, emotional, and spiritual)?
What do each of the Shabbat/ havdalah ritual items teach us?
How can we rest more?

Starting our day with a relaxing zen counting game to simulate the rest we feel on Shabbat.
Sharing the traditions some people have on Shabbat and sharing some of our own family Shabbat Traditions.
Practicing Shabbat evening blessings, simulating a full evening, complete with prayers, grape juice and Challah, and singing our favorite Shabbat songs.

Experiencing a mock Shabbat dinner and saying the blessing over challah, grape juice, and candles.
Discussing the meaning of different Shabbat items, as well as our personal experiences with Shabbat.
Learning the American Sign Language terms for different Shabbat words.

Brainstorming what we know about Shabbat and discussing our own family Shabbat traditions.
Exploring the important symbols of Shabbat – candlesticks, the wine cup (Kiddush cup), and Challah.
Playing a calming counting game because Shabbat is the day of rest.

Jewish Kids GroupsJanuary 17, 2021Comment