Week of Saturday, May 30th

Make a plan to start Shabbat this week with another family or friend via Zoom or Facetime. Light your candles together at a set time!

Or … reach out to someone you know who is alone and offer to light candles with them. Light candles together on Zoom or Facetime or over the phone.

Shabbat is more fun with friends so make that part of your week!

Week of Saturday, June 6th

This week prepare a meal as a family and drop it off to someone you know would appreciate it.

Sharing home made creations are a great way to show you care!

Week of Saturday, June 13th

Put together a package of hard to find items and leave it on the porch for a relative or friend who cannot get to the store easily.

An unexpected gift is a real treat!

Week of Saturday, June 20th

Pick one way to take care of your room and belongings this week. Clean your room OR organize your closet OR begin making your bed each day.

Parents will love your effort and you will feel good about the results too!

Week of Saturday, June 27th

Help out around the house by offering to do extra chores and/or help care for the family pet.

Do a little each day to make a difference in your family life!

Week of Saturday, July 4th

Be kinder to your siblings and plan a picnic together  preparing sandwiches, drinks and a dessert to share in the backyard.

Fun with siblings is a great way hang out with your built in best friends!

Week of Saturday, July 11th

Set up a family game night where each person introduces the family to a new game.

Or pick a movie that the entire family would enjoy watching together.

Take turns suggesting new movies or games to share with your family.

Doing something new with your family makes family time more exciting!

Week of Saturday, July 18th

Call a grandparent or someone you know who is alone and talk about all the things you look forward to doing with them in the future.

Make a list of future activities to do together.

Looking forward to future fun is good medicine!

Week of Saturday, July 25th

Give a compliment to one member of your family each day this week.

Nice words lead to good feelings!

TO BE CONTINUED …

Create your own mitzvah of the week for the next two weeks! Share your ideas with your family and teachers!

Week of Saturday, August 23rd

Lighting Candles and Challah

COMING SOON

Week of Saturday, August 30th

Marking of the First Day of Every Month of the Jewish Calendar

COMING SOON

Week of Saturday, September 6th

Celebration of the Jewish New Year – Blowing Shofar/Eating Apples and Honey

  • Rosh Hashanah is the celebration of the Jewish New Year. This is the year 5781.
  • On Rosh Hashanah, Jews from all over the world celebrate God’s creation of the world. It is one of the holiest days on the Jewish calendar and is considered one of the “High Holidays.’
  • One of the most popular Rosh Hashanah customs involves eating apple slices dipped in honey with our holiday feast. The honey symbolises the anticipation and hope for a sweet New Year.
  • On Rosh Hashanah, Jews listen to the Shofar (ram’s horn) blown during synagogue services. The Shofar is a call and reminder to Jews that God is their king and one should act in a noble way.
  • The  blessing on the Shofar is: “ Blessed are You, Ruler of the World, who has made us holy with commandments, and who has commanded us to hear the voice of the shofar.”
  • Every person in the world is judged individually on Rosh Hashanah.
  • To wish someone a happy Rosh Hashanah, one says “Shanah Tovah” which means “good year” in Hebrew.

Week of Saturday, September 13th

YOM KIPPUR

  • Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year in Judaism. It follows Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. For those ten days, Jews are given the chance to reflect and apologise for their sins.
  • Adults fast from sundown the night before Yom Kippur and continue until one hour after sunset on Yom Kippur.
  • Fasting is a way of reflecting and repenting for our sins and helps keep our minds on the theme of forgiveness.
  • On Yom Kippur, Jews ask God to pardon us for our sins. We also apologize to all the people we may have hurt during the previous year.
  •  A special prayer book, or Mahzor is used in the Synagogue to pray with.
  • Yom Kippur is ushered in while it is still light out with a powerful and ancient prayer called Kol Nidrei (All Vows) .
  • Yom Kippur closes with a unique and emotionally powerful service called Neilah,where the Shofar is blown.
  • Many people wear all white on Yom Kippur as a sign of purity and refrain from working.
  • The holiday usually ends with a celebratory ‘break- the fast’ feast at sundown.

Week of Saturday, October 4th

Building a Sukkah and Lulav and Etrog

  • Sukkot is the Hebrew word for “booth” or “huts”
  • Sukkot commemorates the 40 years that the Jews spent wandering the desert, living in temporary shelters, or huts, on their way to the Promised Land
  • The holiday also serves to remind Jews of how God protected them and provided for their needs in the wilderness
  • It is a Mitzvah to build a Sukkah as an outdoor, temporary living space to eat, drink, entertain and live in for seven days
  • Children love to decorate the Sukkah with handmade crafts
  • A sukkah has to have two and a half walls. The roof should be temporary, covered with loose branches or anything that grows out of the ground. One must be able to see the stars through the roof
  • Sukkot also celebrates the fall harvest, expressed by blessing and waving the lulav and the etrog, symbols of the harvest
  • The etrog, or citron, is a lemon-like fruit and the lulav is a closed leaf of the date palm tree
  • Sukkot is one of the most joyous Jewish holidays. Enjoy!

Week of Saturday, October 11th

Complete the Annual Torah Reading Cycle/ Dance and Sing with the Torah Scrolls

  • Simchat Torah celebrates the completion of the reading of the entire five books of the Torah. The reading takes an entire year to complete
  • Simchat Torah means“The Joy of the Torah” and the Torah is the star of the holiday
  • It is a joyous and festive holiday which is celebrated by taking all the Torah scrolls out of the ark in Synagogue and spending the evening dancing, singing, and rejoicing
  • The scrolls are carried around the Synagogue sanctuary in seven circles called hakafot
  • As many people as possible are given the honor of carrying a Torah scroll in these processions. Many children sing and dance with small toy Torahs
  • In some neighborhoods there are outdoor street parties celebrations while carrying the Torah
  • The Torah is always new and never finished. Therefore, Jews do not wait until the next Shabbat to start the reading of the Torah all over.
  •  After the completion of the last book, Deuteronomy, we immediately read the first verses of Genesis.( the first book)

The greeting for Simchat Torah is “Chag Sameach!” (Happy Holiday)