Learning So Much

2nd Year B’nei Mitzvah: What is Jewish about Using Social Media?

Identifying ways gender pressures and norms influence how teens interact with and post on social media and group messaging platforms
Reflecting on how social media and group texting affects their individual lives
Applying Jewish ethics and values around speech and interpersonal communication to posting

Learning about the Holocaust hero, Irena Sendler, who smuggled children out of the Warsaw Ghetto, and producing skits about heroes standing up for important causes.
Discussing what it means to “not stand idly by,” and why it is important to take action.
Creating murals showing causes we will stand up for--and how.
Watching a cartoon of a child talking to a holocaust survivor, and considering why it’s important to talk about the holocaust and ensure we never forget.

Who was Irena Sendler, what did she do?
Why is she – and others like her – considered a hero?
Why is it important to “never forget,” and how does it relate to avoiding standing idly by?

Identifying famous Jewish figures and their varied contributions to society in the many fields. For example, Albert Einstein in science and Daniel Radcliffe in entertainment.
Exploring modern day Jewish icons through a categorizing game.
Playing a matching game in which we try to match Jewish figures with their accomplishments.

Excavating “ancient artifacts”, similar to how archaeologists excavate artifacts from the Temple in Jerusalem.
Hearing the history of the Kings of Israel and how they built the Temples in Israel.
Discussing the different ways the ancient Israelites celebrated holidays and rituals in the Temple.
Creating our own “artifacts” to show people in future what Jewish life looks like now.

Who built the Temples in Jerusalem?
What kinds of practices would happen inside the Temple?
In modern times, what do many Jews do when they visit the Temple instead of offering a sacrifice?

Learning about where Jews live in the world.
Singing a song that shows us wherever we go in the world, there will be someone Jewish.
Playing a game to learn the different traditions Jews do around the world for Passover.

What does “diaspora” mean?
In what ways are Jewish traditions from around the world the same and different?
Where are our ancestors from?