Temple Solel Religious School Third Grade Concepts

Creation (Child’s Bible, Behrman House – Creation) God created the sky and the earth. The earth had no shape. It was empty. Darkness was over the deep. The breath of God floated over the water. On the first day God created the light and called it day and God called the darkness night. On the second day God divided the waters and created a space. On the third day God made dry land appear and flowers and plants grow. On the fourth day God created the sun, moon and stars. On the fifth day God made fish and birds and on the sixth day God created all the animals and people. On the seventh day God rested from all the work and God blessed the seventh day and made it holy.

 Creation is an ongoing process  The Sabbath is an important part of Creation  Creation consists of bringing order to chaos  God wants people to look for ways to take care of all living things  The world God created is intended to be a good place  God is always with us  In Creation, God brought order to chaos, light to darkness, and goodness in the world.

Adam and Eve (Child’s Bible, Behrman House – In the Garden) God planted a Garden in Eden and put Adam there. In the middle of the Garden was the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. God told Adam not to eat from this tree. God made Adam sleep in a deep sleep and he took one of his ribs and made a woman. The snake was sneaky and he manipulated the woman into eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam also ate the fruit from this tree. Then, the eyes of Adam and Eve were open and, being afraid of God, they hid. They told God that the snake had tricked them. God cursed the snake and told him to eat dust for the rest of his life. God sent Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden to farm the soil from which they were shaped. .  It is not good for people to be alone.  God loves all of Creation.  Human beings have free will.  We must take responsibility for our actions.

Cain and Abel (Child’s Bible, Behrman House – The Terrible Crime) Adam and Eve had two sons, first Cain then Abel. Abel became a shepherd and Cain farmed the soil. Once, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as a gift for God while Abel brought the best, first born of his flock as his gift. God accepted Abel's gift but not Cain's offering. Cain was very angry and his anger grew and grew. While they were in the field Cain started fighting with Abel and he killed him. When God found out what Cain had done he condemned him to a life of wandering the earth. God, however, put a mark on Cain so whoever met him would know not to kill him. Cain began his wandering.  God wants us to give our best efforts.  Good choices lead to good results. Bad choices lead to bad results.  We are responsible for each other.  God wants us to live, even if our actions are wrong.

Noah (Child’s Bible, Behrman House - Noah and the Flood) Noah was a good and righteous man who walked with God. God saw that the people did a lot of evil on the earth and his heart was pained. He told Noah to build an ark, as he was bringing a flood on the earth. Noah and family, as well as every kind of living thing (in twos) came to the Ark. Then, God shut them in and seven days later the waters of the flood covered the earth. The rain fell for 40 days and nights. The waters rose for 150 days. Then God remembered Noah and the waters went down. The Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. Noah first sent out a raven and then a dove to see if there was still water on the face of the soil, but the dove did not land. Seven days later, when the dove returned there were olive leaves in her beak and Noah knew that the water had gone down. After another seven days, the dove was sent out again but she did not return. Soon the earth was dry. Noah, his family, and all living things emerged from the Ark and God blessed Noah and his sons. God said that the rainbow would be a sign of the covenant between Him and the earth.  Noah was a righteous man in his time.  There are many things we can do to be righteous people today. Some of the righteous things we can do are to visit the sick, feed the hungry and speak kindly to our friends and family.  Jewish symbols such as the following help us remember Jewish teachings: a rainbow, a , a menorah, and the Star of David.

Tower of Babel (Child’s Bible, Behrman House - A Tower to the Sky) All the people on earth had one language. Everyone lived together in a land called Shinar. The people decided to build a city with a tower with its top to the sky. The tower would keep them from being scattered all over the earth. When God saw what the people were doing, God babbled their language so that they would not understand each other. They stopped building the city and God scattered them all over the earth. That is why the city is called Babel; because in Babel, G-d babbled all the languages.  It is wrong to think that all humans should be one and the same. In truth, God is One and Unique, while we are many and different.  God makes each of us special, so every person is important. Every person has something special to offer the world. “Looking down” on people is always a mistake.  God wants us to remember what is really important. Bricks can never be more important than people. That is what the builders in the Tower of Babel story forgot, and that is what we must always remember.

Abram (Child’s Bible, Behrman House - Abram Walks With God) Abram and his wife, Sarai, lived in Canaan. Abram was very rich in herds, in silver, and in gold. Lot, Abram’s nephew, also owned sheep, oxen and tents. The land would not support both of them living together, so Abram, in order to avoid conflict, told Lot to take whatever part of the land he desired. Lot saw the banks of the Jordan River, which was a rich land with much water, and he chose this land, the Jordan Plain. Abram lived in Canaan and Lot lived near the City of Sodom.  Growing up involves choosing the right path.  Families should live at peace – in Hebrew, shalom bayit.  The Jewish people derive strength from unity.

Sodom and Gomorrah (Child’s Bible, Behrman House - The Sad Tale of Sodom) Abram and his wife had no children. When Abram was ninety years old, God told Abram to walk in God’s ways and God will make a covenant between God and Abram. Abram’s new name will be Abraham and Sarai’s new name will be Sarah. God will give Abraham and Sarah a son. One day, Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent. Three strangers passed the tent. Abraham invited them in and gave them food and water. Later, God told Abraham that the people living in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were so evil that he was going to destroy them. Abraham argued with God and asked if he would destroy good people with evil people. God said that if he found fifty innocent people he would not destroy the cities. Abraham eventually bargained down to ten innocent people but God could not find even ten innocent people in Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot and his family were good so God told them to run away and to not look back. Lot took his two daughters and his wife and they ran, but as they reached the top of the hill, Lot’s wife looked back. She turned into a pillar of salt. But Lot and his daughters were saved.  Welcoming strangers (hachnasat orchim) is a Jewish value.  God provides us a chance to repent when we “miss the mark.”  A good person earns the right to argue even with God.  There is always a righteous element, even in our tough world. Because of that, humanity has survived.

Abraham and Isaac (Child’s Bible, Behrman House - Abraham’s Gift to God) God remembered Sarah and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son named Isaac. Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born. When Isaac was grown, God told Abraham to take Isaac to the land of Moriah and to use him as a sacrifice. Abraham and Isaac climbed up Mount Moriah and when they arrived at the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar. He laid out the wood and bound Isaac and he picked up the knife to kill his son. God intervened and told Abraham to spare Isaac’s life, as by his actions, Abram had demonstrated his intense love and faith in God. Abraham sacrificed a ram as an offering and called the place “Adonai Yireh”, as it is said, “On the mountain of God there is vision.”  G-d wants human beings to live, not die.  G-d does not require sacrifices as proof of faith.

Rebecca (Child’s Bible, Behrman House - Rebecca) By now Abraham was very old and Sarah had died. Abraham told one of his servants to go to his birthplace and to find a wife for Isaac. Abraham’s servant arrived in the city of Nahor with ten of Abraham’s camels. The servant made the camels kneel down by the well outside of the city. The woman who offered him water for his camels would be the one chosen for Isaac. Rebecca, the daughter of Bethuel, gave the servant and his camels water, and the servant knew that this was the woman for Isaac. Bethuel, Rebecca’s father, was Abraham’s relative. The servant brought Rebecca back to Canaan and Isaac took her as his wife. He loved her and found comfort after his mother’s death. Abraham lived to be one hundred and seventy-five years old. After the death of Abraham, God blessed his son, Isaac.  Mourning is a mitzvah.  Kindness to animals is as important as kindness to visitors.  Love of family can help us even difficult times.

Jacob and Esau (Child’s Bible, Behrman House - Twins and Tricks) Rebecca became pregnant with twins after years of being barren. The twins had already begun a struggle in the womb, which continued for many years after birth. The twins were very different: Esau (the first born) was a hunter and was favored by Isaac; Jacob was quiet and was favored by his mother. One day Jacob was cooking a stew; Esau came in starving and demanded some food. Esau sold Jacob his birthright for a bowl of stew. When Isaac was old, he believed that his death was imminent. He directed Esau to hunt for game, prepare him a meal, and then he would bless him. Rebecca overheard the conversation and instructed Jacob to deceive this father, Isaac. Jacob did so and received the blessing that was meant for Esau.  Brothers and sisters are often very different and have different interests, strengths and weaknesses.  Siblings often feel competitive for their parent’s love and blessings.  Living only for today can deprive us of the future.  All actions have consequences.  We must be sure that the consequences of our actions are worth the risk.  Being the first-born son is not a guarantee of any special rights and privileges in today’s world.

Jacob’s Dream and Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel (Child’s Bible, Behrman House - Jacob Takes Two Wives) Jacob was sent to Haran, Rebecca’s homeland to away from Isaac and to find a wife. On his way to Haran, Jacob had a dream in which angels were ascending and descending a ladder. God came to him in the dream and repeated the blessing given to Abraham and Isaac. In Haran, Jacob made an agreement with Laban that he would work seven years for his daughter Rachel’s hand in marriage. On the wedding night, Laban substituted his older daughter Leah for Rachel. Jacob worked seven more years for Rachel’s hand.  Our actions in the world are like “angels.”  The more good we do, the more we love doing good – in Hebrew, .  People learn to perform unkind acts by watching unkind acts.

Jacob Reconciles with Isaac (Child’s Bible, Behrman House – Jacob Returns Home) When Jacob’s fourteen years of working were over, Jacob was told by God to return with his family to Canaan. Before meeting up with Esau, Jacob wrestled with a “a man” (apparently an Angel of G-d) until dawn. The “man” gave Jacob a new name, Israel. The word Israel means “struggles.” Jacob then reconciled with his brother Esau.  Families should live at peace – in Hebrew, shalom bayit.  All human beings are capable of changing and growing.  God wants people to follow God’s ways, yet to be free to oppose and struggle with God.  Brothers and sisters who learn to hate can also learn to love.  In the Bible, dreams are moments of communication with G-d.

The Brothers Sell Joseph (Child’s Bible, Behrman House - Joseph’s Coat) Jacob (sometimes called Israel) had twelve sons. Joseph was the favorite of Jacob’s twelve sons. Jacob gave Joseph a coat of many colors. Jacob’s other sons (Joseph’s brothers) resented Jacob’s favoritism. Joseph’s brothers threw him in a pit, and then later sold him to some passing merchants who took him to Egypt. The brothers told Jacob that Joseph was killed by a wild animal and Jacob was devastated.

 Bragging can give rise to envy and jealousy.  Envy and jealousy have dangerous results.  Parents have different relationships with each of their children.  When you hurt one person, you also hurt the people who love that person.

Joseph Interprets Pharoah’s Dreams (Child’s Bible, Behrman House - Joseph and the Dreamers) Joseph was sold as a slave to an Egyptian named Potiphar. Due to an “incident” with Potiphar’s wife, Joseph was thrown into jail and it was there that he interpreted the cupbearer’s dream. The cupbearer remembered Joseph two years later and Joseph was summoned to the palace to interpret Pharaoh’s two strange dreams. Joseph advised Pharaoh how to prevent famine and Pharaoh was so impressed that he put Joseph in charge of Egypt. Joseph was second only to Pharaoh and seven good years passed and then the dry years began.  Doing good for others changes the entire world for the better.  Our talents are God-given. We must use them wisely.  We must plan ahead to get ahead.  We must try to do what is right, even when it seems to hurt us.

Joseph’s Brothers Meet Joseph in Egypt (Child’s Bible, Behrman House - Joseph’s Brothers Come Down to Egypt) Famine in Canaan caused Jacob to send his ten sons to Egypt to bring food home while Benjamin, the youngest, stayed home. The brothers saw Joseph but did not recognize him. Joseph ordered them to return to Canaan and bring back Benjamin. When all his brothers were before him, Joseph revealed his true identity and reassured his brothers not to be afraid of revenge because God wanted him to be in Egypt to save the people from famine. And that is how the children of Israel came to live in the Land of Egypt.  Others deserve forgiveness, even when they wrong us.  We must do our best to make the world a better place.

Baby Moses is Saved (Child’s Bible, Behrman House - Baby Moses in the Basket) Joseph and his brothers died in Egypt. Their children grew into a numerous people who were referred to as “The Nation of Israel.” Pharaoh feared the Israelites because they are so many, and forced them into slavery. Pharaoh then ordered that every infant Israelite boy be thrown into the Nile River. Pharaoh’s daughter found a baby floating in an ark on the river. She called him “Moses” which means, “pulled from the water.”  Slavery is an inhuman condition.  We must prepare ourselves for freedom.  Children determine the world’s future.

Moses and the Burning Bush (Child’s Bible, Behrman House - Moses and the Burning Bush) Moses was raised as an Egyptian Prince but he knew he was an Israelite. In Egypt, the Israelites were slaves. When Moses was grown, he went out one day to see how the Hebrew slaves made bricks. He saw a cruel Egyptian taskmaster beating one of the slaves. He killed the taskmaster. And then ran away in fear to the desert where he became a shepherd for a man named Jethro. He married one of Jethro’s daughters. In the desert, he saw a burning bush that did not burn up. God spoke to Moses from the bush and instructed him to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let the Israelites go free.  We cannot stand idly by while injustice is being done.  We must learn to notice the details of the world.  G-d guides our lives directly and indirectly.  We cannot run away from tasks.

The Ten Plagues (Child’s Bible, Behrman House - The Ten Plagues) Moses and Aaron asked Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. Time and time again Pharaoh refused. God sent ten plagues upon Egypt: The river turned to blood; frogs, flies, and insects swarmed over the land, the cattle died and their skin blistered; hailstones fell, locusts filled the sky, and there were days of darkness. After each plague, Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go. Finally, when the last plague killed the first born of every family in Egypt including Pharaoh’s son, Pharaoh allowed the Israelites to leave Egypt.  G-d wants us to live free, not in slavery.  Magic is not a religion.  Miracles are natural events that happen at precisely the right moment.

The Ten Commandments After leaving Egypt and walking toward the Promised Land, Moses and the Israelites stood at the foot of Mount Sinai. As the mountain trembled, there was the sound of a great horn, thunder and lightening. God spoke the Ten Commandments – I am the One G-d; You shall have no other gods; You shall not speak falsely in God’s name; Remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy; Honor your father and mother; You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not lie about your neighbors; You shall not covet your neighbors’ possessions. Moses taught the Israelites the Ten Commandments and many other laws. Moses and the Israelites traveled in the wilderness for forty years.

 The Ten Commandments show us how to live more holy lives.  The Ten Commandments provide a blueprint for Jewish behavior in society.  The commandments also stress that the Jewish religion is based on the premise of one God.  No one, including Moses, is above the law of God.

Moses’ Death and Joshua After wandering the desert for forty years, everyone of the generation who had been in Egypt had died except for Moses, Joshua and Caleb. Moses knew that he would not be going across the Jordan into the land of Canaan because he had disobeyed God. Before he died, Moses spoke to the Israelites. He reminded them of all the commandments and what they were required to do. He appointed Joshua as their leader and told him to be strong and courageous. Moses went to the top of Mount Nebo alone, and there he died when he was 120 years old.  No one is above the law of God.  Moses was unique among the leaders of the Jewish people.

Rosh Hashanah Concepts for Third and Fourth Grade  The Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur prayerbook is called a . It contains special prayers for the High Holidays. What kinds of subjects do you think these prayers contain? Now take out a machzor and see if you were right!!  Rosh Hashanah has three other names: 1) Yom Hadin (Day of Judgement) – Rosh Hashanah is not only a day when God judges the actions of Jews, but it is also a time for us to judge ourselves and our behavior. What kinds of behaviors can we be judging in ourselves this year (because is a religion that teaches the importance of community, we can also talk about behaviors that someone else needs to change – even if we ourselves do not need to change those behaviors)? 2) Yom Hazikaron (Day of Remembrance) – God remembers each of us on Rosh Hashanah. What actions did you take during the past year that you would like to be remembered? 3) Yom Teruah (Day of the Sounding of the ) – In the Torah, Numbers 29:1 talks about the shofar. “In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a sacred occasion; you shall not work at your occupations. You shall observe it as a day when the horn is sounded.” Which of the three names for Rosh Hashanah do you like best? Why?

 There are two ways of obtaining forgiveness. We may pray to God for forgiveness for the wrongdoings we have committed against God, but we must ask forgiveness directly from any people we have hurt. We can pray to God for the courage and wisdom to be fair and honest with those people we have wronged. Think about a time that you “wronged” God (swearing, using God’s name in a way that is not respectful, destroying the earth’s resources by cutting down trees unnecessarily or driving our cars more than we need). Think about a time you wronged a friend or family member.

 Blowing the shofar helps to intensify the spirit of reverence and solemnity of the Rosh Hashanah worship service. It wakes us up and commands our attention. There are three kinds of sounds made by the shofar: Tekiah (a long, deep note which ends abruptly), Shevarim (three shorter notes) and Teruah (a wavering sound consisting of nine short broken notes) The last Tekiah is prolonged and is called the Tekiah Gedolah. The great sage and scholar, Saadia Gaon (882- 952CE) listed ten reasons why we are commanded to blow the shofar: They can be summed up as follows: The shofar calls us to change our ways. The shofar heralds God’s monarchy as trumpets herald a monarch. The shofar was heard at Sinai as a war alarm at the destruction of the Temple My Jewish Year Teacher’s Guide-pg 15 How do you feel when you hear the shofar? Does it call you to change your ways?

Yom Kippur Concepts for Third and Fourth Grade  Kol Nidre is the opening prayer on the evening of Yom Kippur. This prayer admits that we may have made promises we were not able to keep. The Kol Nidre prayer frees us from those promises we made that we were not able to keep. Think about promises that you were not able to keep during the past year, and ways that you will try harder to keep your promises in the coming year.  During the Yom Kippur service, we read an important prayer called the Al Chet. In the Al Chet prayer we list the ways that we, as a group of all Jews, have “missed the mark.” As Jews, we must accept responsibility not only for ourselves, but for the entire community. We have all done things we are sorry about. So we say the prayer together – men and women, girls and boys,. We tell God we are sorry not only for what we have done wrong, but for the things our family, friends and neighbors have done wrong too. Many times during the Yom Kippur service we sing a special prayer called Avinu Malkenu. The prayer asks God to forgive us and to treat us kindly, even though we don’t always act the way we should. Adapted from My Jewish Year-pgs. 29-30 Why do you think that, as Jews, we accept responsibility for the entire community? Share some examples of sins that are committed by others and how we could somehow be partially responsible for them (ie: “A student in class teased another student and I did not speak up and tell him not to do it.”).  On Yom Kippur, we look back at the year that has passed and we look ahead to the new year that has just begun. We feel clean and good and full of hope. We have made a new start. We know that we can be better people in the new year. And we hope the new year will be good for all people everywhere. On Yom Kippur, we think of the many things in our world we would like to make better. People are hungry, people don’t have jobs, people are treated unfairly. And we want to heal those hurts. We think of the things we can do to help other people. My Jewish Year, Behrman House, pgs. 31-32 Name some actions we can take to help other people (ie: We can feed the hungry, visit people who are sick, and help our friends at school. We can give money to the poor, money to help Israel, and money to people who try to make the world better.).

Sukkot Concepts for Third and Fourth Grade  People everywhere have always celebrated harvest time. Thanksgiving is the American harvest holiday. The autumn harvest holiday of the Jewish people is Sukkot. Today we seldom see how our food grows or when it ripens and is gathered. It’s difficult for us to appreciate the importance of the harvest. Sukkot reminds us that we have food on our tables because of the hard work of many people and because of God’s generosity. Book of , Behrman House, pg. 35 Talk about the differences between 1) a student who lived many years ago and whose family grew all their own food, and 2) your life today, when you can go to the grocery store and buy your food.  In the ancient Land of Israel, most Jews were farmers. [They lived in huts in the fields and worked hard during the harvest.] By the end of the harvest, they were exhausted but also filled with joy. They were grateful to God and proud of their own work…The Torah says that after Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, they wandered for 40 years in the Sinai wilderness until they reached the Land of Israel. During this time, God provided them with manna for food and told them to build huts for themselves. The huts, which they set up (or built anew) each time they settled in a new place, protected them from the burning sun and the cold desert night. So in celebration of Sukkot, we build huts as a double reminder. With God’s protection, we survived 40 years in the wilderness and reached our homeland. And because of God’s generosity, food comes forth from the earth. We need to work hard to make our lives rewarding, just as the Israelites did, but we remind ourselves that God is here helping us, just as God was present in ancient Israel helping our ancestors. Book of Jewish Holidays, Behrman House, pgs 36-37 In what ways does God help you (ie: “When I am scared and I think of God, I am comforted,” or “God created a beautiful world that I enjoy every day.”  Just as God provided manna for the Israelites in the desert, we too must provide food for the hungry. Have you ever worked at a soup kitchen or brought a meal to a hungry person?  The lulav and etrog, or , are symbols of the harvest, but over the centuries they have suggested many other ideas as well. One such idea is that the lulav and etrog are like different parts of the body. The etrog is the heart; the straight palm is the backbone; the myrtle, with its oval leaves, is the eyes; and the willow is the mouth. Put them together, and they make a whole person who is able to harvest crops and then give thanks to God. Another idea is that the four species are like the Jewish people. The etrog, myrtle, willow, and palm are all different. They have different shapes, smells, and ways of growing. In the same way, every Jew is different. No two are alike. We all have our own interests, strengths, and weaknesses. Just as we bring the four species together because they all belong to the growing world, all of us – different as we are – belong together as one Jewish people, klal Yisrael. Together we are stronger than we could be on our own. Book of Jewish Holidays, Behrman House, pg. 42 Share a time when you worked together with others to accomplish a task that would have been much harder to do alone.

Simchat Torah Concepts for Third and Fourth Grade  The Torah is God’s most precious gift to us. It has stories we all love to read. The Torah tells us how God created the world. It tells us about Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. And it tells us about Noah and his huge ark. The Torah also tells us the history of our people. We relive the adventures of Abraham and Sarah. We read about Joseph and his colorful coat. And we learn how Moses brought our people out of Egypt to the Land of Israel. Torah is the story of the love between God and our people. But there is even more. The Torah teaches us how to be Jewish. God’s commandments, the mitzvot, show us how to lead good and honest lives. There is so much to learn that some people spend their whole lives studying Torah. My Jewish Year, Behrman House, pgs. 48-49 Share some of the mitzvot that you perform in your life (ie: going to services on High Holidays, honoring your mother and father, putting a mezuzah on your doorpost at home)  The Torah contains the first five books of the Bible. Its final chapters, which we read on Simchat Torah, are about Moses. After Moses brought the Israelites to the very edge of the Promised Land, God told him to climb a mountain, Mount Nebo. From the top he could see far across the land that would become Israel. Moses knew he would not live to enter the land. So he blessed all the Israelites before he died. For many days, the people mourned his death. Then they continued toward the land promised to them by God. When we read these verses, we feel saddened by the death of our greatest leader, but we also feel glad. This final chapter is about endings and beginnings – the end of Moses’ life and of our people’s wandering in the wilderness, and the beginning of life in our own land. Next we turn to the beginning of the scroll. The Torah’s first chapter takes us back to the beginning of everything. We read how, out of nothingness, God created the world. Reading the Torah’s end and its beginning makes us think about all that is written in between – the history and laws of our people and our relationship with God. The Torah tells us who we are and where we come from, things too important ever to forget. Book of Jewish Holidays, Behrman House, pg. 53 Teachers! Give each student a copy of the Pentateuch (which includes the first five books of the Torah interspersed with haftarah portions for each week - there are many copies in the foyer of the Temple in the prayerbook table which you can borrow-make sure to return them!). Ask each student to look through the Pentateuch and tell the class about a story or bible character they find!

Shabbat Concepts for Third and Fourth Grade  As starts, we put money in a box. This money is donated to people who are less fortunate or who need our help. We should always remember to assist people in need. What are some ways that you have helped someone in need?  Shabbat begins with the lighting of candles. On Friday, before the sun sets, we light at least two candles. Some people light one for each person in the family. After we light the candles, we recite Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav vitzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Shabbat. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the world, who makes us holy with mitzvot, and commands us to kindle the Sabbath lights. My Jewish Year, Behrman House, pgs. 62-63 When we light candles, we circle our hands around the lights three times. This act brings the light of the Shabbat candles into us and into our family and friends. In what ways can you bring light (joy, happiness) to your family and friends?  After lighting the candles, parents bless their children: May God bless and keep you. May God's light shine on you and be good to you. May God's light shine on you and give you peace. My Jewish Year, Behrman House, pg. 63 How do you feel when your parents bless you or tell you their good wishes for you? You can also bless your parents, sisters and brothers, or tell them good wishes for them. What are some blessings or good wishes you would like to say to your parents, sisters and brothers?  The Kiddush follows the blessing of the children...The Kiddush has three parts: The first part tells us that after God finished creating the world, God blessed the world and rested. The second part of the kiddush is the blessing for the sweet red wine we will sip: Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, Boray p'ree hagafen. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the world, Creator of the vine. The third part of the Kiddush reminds us of our Exodus from Egypt, when God freed us from slavery and led us to the Land of Israel... The Kiddush tells us that the Sabbath is a holy day. The word "Kiddush" means "holiness." My Jewish Year, Behrman House, pg. 64 In Hebrew, the word 'holy' also means separate - set apart. How is Shabbat holy/separate/set apart from the rest of the week?  Long ago, people ate dark bread with their meals during the week. But on Shabbat they ate , a tasty bread made with eggs and white flour. Today we still enjoy this soft bread. Before eating the challah, some families have a special ceremony of washing hands just as the priests did thousands of years ago in the ancient Temple. We cover the challah with a cloth. The knife used to cut the challah is also covered because a knife can be used as a weapon and Shabbat is a day of peace. Some people don't even use a knife. Instead they tear the bread with their hands. We say a blessing, hamotzi, to thank God for the bread and all the food that we will eat at the meal. Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the world, who brings forth bread from the earth. Then we cut or tear the challah and give a piece to each person. We put some salt on it. The salt adds a little extra taste in honor of Shabbat. My Jewish Year, Behrman House, pgs. 65-66 Many years ago, only kings and queens could afford to buy salt. Nowadays on Shabbat, everyone puts salt on their challah so that we all feel like kings and queens! What are some of the Shabbat rituals and traditions that make us feel like kings and queen?  On Friday evening there is a service in the synagogue. We sing L'cha Dodi. The song comparse Shabbat to a beautiful queen...Afterwards there may be an Oneg Shabbbat, a celebration with tea, coffee and cake. It is a time for people to share family stories and talk about things that happened during the week. On Shabbat morning we gather together for a service in the synagogue. The Torah is read and Sabbath prayers are recited. After the service there may be a Kiddush [lunch]. My Jewish Year, Behrman House, pgs. 67-68 We attend services with other Jews on Shabbat. Why is it important to pray with other Jews rather than just stay home and pray by ourselves?  We say good-bye to Shabbat with a prayer called Havdalah. Havdalah means "separation" - it separates Shabbat from the new week that is beginning. Some Jews look for three stars in the night sky before saying Havdalah. We light the tall, twisted Havdalah candle. The candle has many wicks so the flame burns brightly. We hold a cup of wine and a box filled with sweet- smelling spices. Each person sniffs the spice box. We say good-bye to Shabbat hoping that its sweetness will last all week long. Just as we began Shabbat with wine, we end the holiday by sipping the sweet wine. There is a legend that the prophet will bring peace to the world. During Havdalah we sing a song about him, Eliyahu Hanavi, because we hope that the peace of Shabbat will remain in the world every day of the year. My Jewish Year, Behrman House, pgs. 69-70 What are some ways that you can help bring peace to the world?

Chanukah Concepts for Third and Fourth Grade  There were many times in Jewish history when the Jews were not allowed to worship. On Chanukah, we celebrate a time when the Jews were brave and fought to win the freedom to worship in their holy place, the Holy Temple. What are some Jewish things that you like to do that you would not be able to do if you were not free to be a Jew today?  Long ago, the Jewish people prayed in the Holy Temple in . Jews came from all over the land of Israel to worship and celebrate at the Holy Temple. At that time, over 2,000 years ago, the land of Israel was ruled by the Syrians, who worshipped many gods. The Jews did not want to worship many gods. They worshipped the One God. Antiochus, the Syrian ruler, got mad at the Jews for not worshipping many gods, and told them they could not study Torah, celebrate the holidays, or worship the One God. Antiochus and his soldiers defiled the Holy Temple. Mattathias and his five sons were brave Jews who had faith in God and led a rebellion against the Syrians. Their small army won the battle and drove Antiochus's soldiers out of Jerusalem. Then they took back the Temple. What does it mean to have faith in God? What other things do you have faith in? How can faith help us in life?  We say three blessings the first night of Chanukah, and two each night after that. The Chanukah blessings thank God for giving us the mitzvah of lighting Chanukah candles, for doing wonderful things for our people long ago, and for bringing us to this season of joy. What wonderful parts of the world that God created, do you love? How is the holiday of Chanukah a holiday of joy for you?  On Chanukah, it is traditional to receive presents or gelt (money). It is also important to give tzedakah money on Chanukah (and every Jewish holiday). Jewish holidays always remind us to remember the poor. What are some organizations or place to which you can donate tzedakah money to help those in need?  It is a miracle that the oil in the Holy Temple burned for eight nights. There are many miracles in our lives. It is important to keep our eyes open for everyday miracles, such as a puppy being born or a seed growing into a flower. What are some miracles that you see in your everyday life?  When Chanukah was still a new holiday, there was a difference of opinion on how it should be celebrated. The students of said that Chanukah should begin with eight lights, and one light should be taken away each night. But the followers of Hillel disagreed. They said that Chanukah should begin with one light, and each night one light should be added, because "holiness is something that must grow, not become smaller." Do you agree with the students of Hillel or those of Shammai? Why? Which opinion (about lighting Chanukah candles) do we follow at Temple Solel? Book of Jewish Holidays, Behrman House, pg 79

Tu Bishvat Concepts for Third and Fourth Grade  It is important to know the birthday of the trees because of a commandment in the Torah: "For the first three years of a tree's life, you may not eat its fruit. During the fourth year, its fruit must be given to God. Only when a tree is five years old may you eat of its fruit. My Jewish Year, Behrman House, pg.91. Since it is hard to tell the age of a tree, some rabbis picked the 15th of Shevat on the Jewish calendar to mark a year in the life of a tree. Why do you think the Torah tells us we should not eat the fruit of a tree until the tree is five years old? What are some ways that we show respect for trees in our world today?  Our tradition teaches that the many wonders we find in nature are the signs of God's presence. The Book of Jewish Holidays, Behrman House, pg. 92. Name some wonders of nature that are signs of God's presence. What is your favorite wonder of nature? How do you feel when you see God's wonders of nature?  A story is told about an old woman who was planting a carob tree in her garden when the king rode by. "Old Woman, what are you planting?" inquired the king. "A carob tree, Your Majesty." "And how long will it be before your carob tree bears fruit?" "About seventy years." "Seventy years!" laughed the king. "Why do you bother planting this tree, since you won't live to eat its fruit?" "I have often eaten carob from trees planted before my time," replied the woman. "Years from now, after I've died, my grandchildren will be able to eat the fruit of this tree." Book of Jewish Holidays, Behrman House - pg. 94. What did the old woman know about caring for the world that the king did not know? Describe a place that is beautiful now because people who lived before you planted trees there.  It is traditional to pay for a tree to be planted in Israel in honor of special occasions (when a baby is born or a friend becomes a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, or when someone gets married). When you pay to have a tree planted in Israel, you are providing for the future of Israel. Israel needs lots of trees. Today, when you visit Israel, you see many forests and orchards which were paid for by donations from Jews all over the world, in honor of special occasions. When you plant trees in Israel, you fulfill the words of the Torah: "When you come into the land, you shall plant all kinds of...trees." (Leviticus 19:23) Temple Solel pays for a tree to be planted in honor of every Bar/Bat Mitzvah student. What message does that send to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah student?  Some Jews celebrate the [Tu Bishvat] holiday with a new tradition called a Tu Bishvat seder. Like the seder, this seder includes wine, blessings, songs, stories and good things to eat. Four kinds of wine (or grape juice) are served at the Tu Bishvat seder. They are a white, a pink, a light red, and a dark red wine. Three kinds of fruits are eaten: fruits with pits, such as dates, peaches, and olives; fruit with shells, such as nuts, oranges and pomegranates; and fruits that can be completely eaten - both inside and outside – such as raisins and figs. We recite blessings and sing songs thanking God for the many gifts of nature, and we remember our responsibility to be caretakers of the world. Book of Jewish Holidays, Behrman House, pg. 96. What are some ways that you can be a caretaker of the world?  Jews have often thought of trees as symbols of life and strength. Sometimes we have compared people to trees. For instance: A good person is like a cedar tree. The cedar’s shade extends a great distance, just as a good person’s influence does. The cedar reaches upward, and a good person’s heart reaches to God. Book of Jewish Holidays, Behrman House, pg. 99. What acts can you perform that might have a good influence on others? How does your heart reach to God?

Purim Concepts for Third and Fourth Grade  Megillat Esther 9:22 says: "Make them days (Purim) of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor." What are your favorite memories of Purim? What are some ways that we can give gifts to the poor?  Haman wanted to kill the Jewish people because they were different. But imagine how boring life might be if everyone looked, talked and acted the same way. Name three things that make you different from all your friends. Think of things that you like to do, music you like to play, sports you are good at. Name three things that make your family special - different from other families. Now compare your answers with those of your friends to see how important, and how much fun, understanding differences can be. My Jewish Year, Behrman House, pg. 105  On Purim, we deliver mishloach manot baskets filled with food and treats as part of our celebration of the victory of the Jews in the Purim story. It is our chance to give gifts to those we love. The tradition of delivering mishloach manot baskets is a generous and "giving" one. What lesson do you think this tradition tells us about how to celebrate victories?  Because Mordechai was Jewish, he would bow down only before God. What special things do you do because you are Jewish? Let's Celebrate, Behrman House, pg. 5  Esther was a heroine. What heroes/heroines can you think of? What makes a good hero/heroine?

Passover Concepts for Third and Fourth Grade  The Exodus story is important because it reminds us we were once slaves in Egypt. So the Torah tells us we must be careful to treat other people with kindness and must work to free all people who are oppressed. (My Jewish Year, Behrman House, page 132) What people in today’s world are not free? What are some ways that we can help the people in today’s world who are not free? What have you or your family done to help people who are not free?  Many years before the Jews became slaves, Joseph had helped an Egyptian Pharoah by interpreting his dreams and telling him to stockpile food during the good years so that his people would not starve during an upcoming famine. Unfortunately, many years later, a new Pharoah took control of Egypt and did not know or remember that Joseph had helped the previous Pharoah. If the new Pharoah had remembered or been told that Joseph had helped a previous Pharoah, perhaps the new Pharoah would not have been as cruel to the Israelites. This story teaches us the importance of memory. If we remember events that happened in the past, we are not as likely to repeat them. What lessons have you learned from difficult past experiences that are important to remember so that you can try to work toward these events not happening again to you or to the people you love?  When Moses saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave, he hit the Egyptian, and the Hebrew slave ran away. Pretend that you are Moses during this “scene”. What are you thinking and feeling? Share a time in your life when you helped someone who was not being treated with fairness or kindness.  One of the prayers in the begins, “This is the bread of hardship…let anyone who is hungry come and eat…” The matzah reminds us to invite guests to the seder so that no one is alone on Passover. It also reminds us to give money to feed the hungry. (My Jewish Year, Behrman House, page 127) Share a time when you helped someone in need, and/or sent money to help someone in need.  During the seder we drink four cups of wine. Each cup reminds us of one of the promises God made to Israel: “I will free you from Egypt. I will deliver you from slavery. I will lead you home. You will be my people.” As we say the blessing and drink each cup of wine, we remember God’s promises and hope that God will free those Jews who are not free to live as Jews, and all people who do not have freedom. We also recall the promise we make to God: to live as Jews, to study Torah and to work for freedom. My Jewish Year, Behrman House, pgs. 127-128 Talk about ways that you live as a Jew, study Torah and work for freedom.  On the seder table is a plate with five foods on it – a lamb bone; a green herb (like parsley); bitter herbs (usually horseradish); a mixture of chopped nuts, apples and wine called charoset; and a roasted egg. These are the symbols of Pesach. These symbols help remind us of Passover’s many messages. The roasted lamb bone or zeroah reminds us of the spring sacrifices that were offered in the . The green herbs and the egg remind us of the new life that grows each spring. We dip the parsley in salt water to remind us of the tears our people cried when they were slaves in Egypt. The bitter herbs, maror, remind us of the bitterness of slavery. And the charoset reminds us of the clay used to make bricks. During the seder we dip maror in the charoset and eat them together. (My Jewish Year, Behrman House, pages 129-130) Think about a without these symbols on the table. Name some other Jewish symbols and rituals (from other holidays). Why are symbols and rituals important in our lives?

Lag B’Omer Concepts for Third and Fourth Grade  There are 49 days between the second night of Passover and the first night of Shavuot. We count these 49 days by saying a prayer each day which tells us how many days have passed. This period of counting is a quiet, serious time. The ancient Israelites, who were mostly farmers, watched their crops anxiously during this period, worrying and waiting. By the last day of the omer, the second crop, wheat, would be ripe. If the crop had grown well during this time, there would be plenty of food, but if not, hunger and hardship might follow. So the 49 days of counting were days of tension. During that time, there were no joyous activities, no weddings or feasts. But the 33rd day of the omer, Lag B’Omer, is an exception. It became, in later days, a time of happy celebration – one day for weddings, picnics, and playfulness in the middle of those quiet weeks. Book of Jewish Holidays, Behrman House, pgs. 154-155. Nowadays, we buy our fruits and vegetables at the grocery store, so we are not very aware of how the wheat and crops are growing. On Lag B’Omer, we stop to think about the importance of the growth of crops. Tell each other your favorite fruits and vegetables, and think about how lucky you are to be able to go to the grocery store to buy them!!  Lag B’Omer became a holiday in the days that followed the destruction of the Second Temple, after Judea had been conquered by the Roman armies and the Jews were forced to live under Roman law. Roman rule was cruel, especially where religion was concerned. Jews were forbidden to study or teach Torah. There were great Jewish teachers at that time who refused to bend to Roman rule. One of them, Shim’on ben Yochai, continued to study Torah despite the law against it. Finally, he had to flee from the Romans to save his life. He escaped to the wild hills of Galilee and hid there in a cave with his young son. For thirteen years, Shim’on and his son lived in the cave, surviving on wild fruits and water from a spring. Rabbi Shim’on’s students could no longer study Torah with him, but they didn’t forget him. Every year on the 33rd day of the omer, they came into the hills to see Shim’on and to listen once again to his stirring words. Book of Jewish Holidays, Behrman House, pg. 156 What might have happened to Rabbi Shim’on’s students while they were on their way to see him? How do you think Rabbi Shim’on’s students felt when they were sneaking into the cave to see him on the 33rd day of the omer?  Lag B’Omer is not a major Jewish holiday. But it has been, over the centuries, a day for Jews to remember some of our wisest heroes and to celebrate with joy. In Israel, people dance around great bonfires and feast on this day. Many Orthodox Jews give their three-year-old son his first haircut on Lag B’Omer, and a party is held to celebrate the event. Book of Jewish Holidays, Behrman House, pg. 159 Name as many Jewish heroes as you can!

Shavuot Concepts for Third and Fourth Grade  If someone took your bicycle, that person would be told, “It’s not right to steal.” If someone told your teacher that you caused trouble in the lunch room when you didn’t, that person would be told, “It’s not right to lie.” Rules like not stealing and not lying come from a set of laws that were given to us by God. They teach us how to lead honest and good lives. Jews have been following God’s teachings for three thousand years. These laws are so important that we celebrate the day they were given to us with a holiday called Shavuot. My Jewish Year, Behrman House, pg. 149 Why are rules important? What rules do you follow at home? At school?  More than three thousand years ago, God freed us from slavery in Egypt. You have already learned that on Passover, we celebrate our freedom from slavery. But people need more than freedom. People need to know how to live as free people. Seven weeks after we left Egypt, God brought us to a mountain in the Sinai desert. The Torah tells us that the mountain was covered with smoke. Thunder crashed and lightning flashed in the sky. God called Moses to the top of Mount Sinai. There Moses stayed for forty days and forty nights. God taught Moses how the Jewish people should live. And God gave the Torah to Moses so that the Jewish people would learn how to live. There is a story that when the Jewish people received the Torah, all the thunder and lightning stopped. There was silence everywhere. Not a bird chirped. Not a lion roared. No person even whispered. Then the Ten Commandments were given in a great voice. My Jewish Year, Behrman House, pg. 151-152 Pretend that you are an Israelite “TV reporter” watching Moses come down the mountain with the Ten Commandments. Deliver a report to your class (different students can report different feelings, events – including adding details such as that fact that there was a deaf child who could not hear, or a person who tried to break through the barrier established by Moses).  In some synagogues, people stay up late at night on Shavuot to study the Torah. And in many synagogues, teenagers celebrate their progress in religious school with a Confirmation ceremony. My Jewish Year, Behrman House, pg. 155 Why do you think it is a tradition to study on Shavuot? What is your favorite Jewish subject about which you have learned in Religious School? Do you know someone who has been Confirmed, or have you attended a Confirmation service?  The word “Shavuot” means “weeks,” because it comes seven weeks after Passover. We count each day of the seven weeks between Passover and Shavuot. This is called “counting the omer.” It is as if were counting the days before we receive a letter from a good friend! My Jewish Year, Behrman House, pg. 156 Does counting the days toward a special event make it more exciting? What events in your life have you “counted toward?”