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Our Catalog: Teaching the Jewish Holidays

From the celebration of the New Year at Rosh Hashanah to the honoring of the natural world on Tu B'Shevat; from the soul searching of Yom Kippur to the revelry of a Purim shpiel, every holiday is an opportunity for children and their families to connect with each other, their spiritual heritage, and their community. And every holiday holds a new opportunity for educators to share not only the richness of Jewish customs, rituals, and mitzvot, but also the sacred purpose and sense of wonder they embody.

Celebrate a Year of Jewish Holidays
Behrman House offers a broad array of resources to help make the holidays an engaging and meaningful part of the religious school and home experience. Presented in a variety of formats (four-page folders, full-length books, family folders for parents, and booklet-CD combinations), and using creative teaching techniques, these materials offer a rich set of options with which to address the diverse needs of your school, students, and families.

[TJ Holidays]


 GRADES K-2                      
Let's Discover the Holidays (K-1)
[cover] Your youngest students will delight in these 4-page, full-color holiday folders—and be able to explain why and how we celebrate the holidays. Engaging text, simple activities, and inviting artwork and photographs help students identify key holiday objects, learn and practice the associated vocabulary and religious rituals, and understand the values and ethical teachings underlying the holiday. Special "learning at home" letters to parents, contained in the Teacher's Guide, encourage family celebration and build the connection between home and synagogue.


Let's Discover Shabbat (K-2)
[cover] Introduce young children to the traditions and rituals of Shabbat with this series of eight 4-page, full-color folders. Children learn the why's, when's, and how's of Shabbat observance through age-appropriate poetry, vivid photographs and artwork, and high-interest stories, activities, and games. Their appreciation of ritual is developed by exploring the meaning of Shabbat as a holy time, a time of rest, prayer, peace, and reflection. Stories, such as "Shabbat: A Gift Every Week" and "Shabbat Spice," and activities, such as "Time to Get Ready" and the "Oneg Shabbat Game," reinforce and broaden young learner's understanding of Shabbat practice.

Folder Titles: A Gift from God, Welcoming Shabbat, A Holy Day, Saying Thank You, A Time to Be Joyful, A Time to Pray, Saying Good-bye, and Shabbat Is Our Day.


For the Family: Shabbat Blessings
[cover] Each set of Let's Discover Shabbat includes a unique 4-page, full-color folder that helps bring Shabbat observance into the home. It includes a Friday night checklist, the blessings over Shabbat candles, wine, hallah, and children, as well as selected parts of the havdalah service. Each Shabbat blessing is presented in Hebrew with transliteration and English translation, as well as step-by-step instructions for parents. Lavishly illustrated, with photographs, and printed on sturdy cardstock, it will become a valued resource. Can also be purchased separately in sets of 10.


Let's Celebrate (1-2)
[cover] These 16-page magazines combine engaging prose and thought-provoking activities with vibrant illustrations to depict the richness and vitality of the Jewish calendar. Each folder presents students with the holiday's symbols, blessings, and stories, the meaning of its customs—why we fast on Yom Kippur and why we eat bitter herbs on Passover—and describes the historical, cultural, and ethical origins of the holiday. The Parent Page for each holiday helps make the connection between schoolwork and home life.

Folder Titles: High Holy Days, Fall Holidays, Hanukkah, Shabbat, Purim, Passover, Shavuot.


Let's Celebrate CD (1-2)
[cover] Ideal for both home and classroom use, Let's Celebrate CD includes songs and stories for the holidays. Debbie Friedman performs thirteen of her own original songs as well as seven traditional holiday pieces.


 GRADES 2-3                      
My Jewish Year: Celebrating Our Holidays
[cover] In this lavishly illustrated journey through the Jewish year, students' personal experiences—the breathless search for the afikoman, the delight of dressing up for Purim, the awesome call of the shofar—become the springboard for learning lessons from the Torah, and holiday blessings and traditions. Bible stories, legends, creative activities, and cultural vocabulary reinforce learning. My Jewish Year invites children to become proud owners of our heritage. "Family Education Experience" pages in the Teacher's Guide include holiday projects and activities, as well as prayers, blessings, songs, and stories to send home.


 GRADES 4-5                      
The Book of Jewish Holidays
[cover] In this comprehensive volume, students deepen their understanding of the relationship between core Jewish values, such as seeking peace and justice, and Judaism's annual feasts, festivals and fasts. Bible stories and midrashim illuminate the meaning of each holiday, and modern customs and celebrations are presented alongside ancient traditions. Innovative features and activities, such as "Living our Tradition" and "Plan Ahead," help students bridge the gap between abstract theory and concrete, personal practice. "Home Connection Activity" sheets in the Teacher's Guide offer mini-lessons on the festivals with follow-up family activities.


 GRADES 6-8                      
Rediscovering the Jewish Holidays: Tradition in a Modern Voice
[cover] A rich and innovative book that invites young adolescents not only to share in the treasures of Judaism, but also to enrich our tradition by making their own contributions to evolving modern Jewish life. Through special features, such as "One People, Many Customs," "Back to the Sources," and "Honoring and Creating Jewish Tradition," students learn the excitement of generating personal meaning from ancient and diverse traditions. Black-line masters in the Teacher's Guide will spark discussion and learning for the whole family.


 ADULTS AND FAMILIES  
The Tapestry of Jewish Time: A Spiritual Guide to Holidays and Life-Cycle Events
[cover] Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin takes us through a rich and evocative exploration of the holidays, enhanced with poetry, folktales, personal anecdotes, and rabbinic stories, as well as prayers, medications, and blessings for the home. she invites us to become weavers of our tradition, to knit our personal stories together with those of our ancestors and our community.

Invite dialogue between parents and students by using The Tapestry of Jewish Time for parent parallel study while children study Rediscovering the Jewish Holidays. Beautifully illustrated, this hardbound volume also makes an excellent gift.


Day of Days: Creating Family Shabbat Through Song
[cover] Give families the gift of Shabbat through the joyous music of Mah Tovu. This exciting new CD includes seven original songs and the blessings for Friday night. The accompanying booklet guides families as they develop their own unique Shabbat experiences. Includes the blessings in Hebrew, English translation, and transliteration, lyrics to the songs, reflections on Shabbat themes, suggestions for family activities, and simple recipes. Together with Let's Discover Shabbat, a complete resource for discovering and enriching the Shabbat experience.





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