REDISCOVERING THE JEWISH HOLIDAYS
Tradition in a Modern Voice
By Nina Beth Cardin with Gila Gevirtz

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Help your students grow and mature as Jews for the rest of their lives. A rich and innovative book that is sure to captivate your students and provide a wonderful antidote for adolescent skepticism. Rediscovering the Jewish Holidays invites your students to not only share in the treasures of Judaism, but also enrich our tradition by making their own contributions to modern Jewish life. Using the holidays as a springboard, the text focuses students on Judaism's core truths and values–which have endured for thousands of years–while helping them understand the dynamic nature of our tradition–which inspires each new generation to make its own sacred contributions. For just as our ancient sages created prayers and rituals based on those who came before them–giving us Elijah's Cup for Passover and the Amidah prayer–so, too, do modern Jews continue to create new traditions, such as Miriam's Cup and prayers for the modern State of Israel. Help your students rediscover the holidays and then go beyond, learning the excitement of extracting personal meaning from ancient tradition. Help them discover for themselves the sustaining values that are the foundation of Judaism, as well as the creativity and holiness with which they can enrich our tradition. Lavishly illustrated with more than 180 full-color photographs and the midrashic art of contemporary Judaic artists, each chapter presents a key holiday, including background information, the details of observance, and the following features: What Do You Think? Thought-provoking questions that foster creativity and challenge students to use their critical-thinking skills. Taking Action Jewish values, such as Tzedakah, Shalom, and Feeding the Hungry extend the message of the holiday. Students plan concrete actions they can take to incorporate the values into their lives. One People, Many Customs Interesting facts about customs in different Jewish communities help students appreciate our tradition of diversity. Title-at-a-Glance Rediscovering the Jewish Holidays Grades 6-8 197 pages 8" x 11" Full color 180 photographs Includes activities A Tradition of Innovation Portraits of the many ways in which our tradition has evolved–and continues to evolve–inspire students' perceptions of liberal Judaism as authentic Judaism Light Bulbs: Sharing Your Bright Ideas Students imagine they are members of a synagogue committee–for example, the ritual, membership, or social justice committees–where they are asked to address challenges such as how to increase congregants' involvement in tzedakah projects and prayer services. Back to the Sources Quotes from sacred texts, presented in Hebrew and English, illuminate the spirit and meaning of the holiday. Honoring and Creating Jewish Tradition The final activity in each chapter helps students reflect on what they have learned and consider contributions they can make to enrich our people and tradition. Teacher's Guide See samples of the Teacher's Edition: Table of Contents & Introduction (PDF) Chapter 1 (PDF) Chapter 2 (PDF) Chapter 3 (PDF)