Tazria HOW to USE THIS GUIDE Tazria

igniting your shabbat services Tazria HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE Tazria Hello and welcome to Spark! Spark is aimed at facilitating the smooth running of Toddlers’ Services, Children’s Services and Youth Services across United Synagogue communities. Firstly, thank you for offering to run a Children’s Service in your local shul. The US is very proud of the numerous Children’s services that are run every week across the UK. We would not be able to do this without you! Spark has been designed in order to help you run your Children’s Services. Obviously, every Children’s Service is different, in terms of how many children there are; what their age range is; its length; and how knowledgeable the children are likely to be of this week’s parasha. Ideally, where possible, a Children’s Service should consist of some time used to discuss the weekly parasha, and some time devoted to davening. Spark gives you an overview of the weekly parasha, a song, activity, discussion or Dvar Torah linked to the parasha or any important event that week. It is separated into sections for different age groups but often you will find that an activity in one section will be suitable for children in another section. So, please take the time to read through it all – I know you are busy people but it will help you and ultimately the children. Please also try to read Spark during the week as sometimes some props will be needed. It will give you a chance to find them. It is important to note that Spark should help you to run Children’s Services, but it does not completely run it for you. It is not designed to give to one of the children to read out to the group for them to run themselves. You are running the Children’s Service, and Spark is here to help you do it. I hope that you and the children in your service will benefit from Spark2. As always your feedback would be welcomed. Shabbat Shalom, Sharon Radley [email protected] 2 PARASHA SUMMARY Tazria Parasha Summary… Usually the parshiot Tazria and Metzora would be read as a double parasha on the same Shabbat. This year however due to the fact that we have a Jewish leap year Tazria and Metzora stand alone. Please note that this week is also Shabbat Mevorchim Hachodesh when we pray for a good month and announce the date of Rosh Chodesh. The tefillah for this can be found on page 155 of the new Tribe Siddur Shevet Asher. Perhaps you may like to ask one of the participants at your service to announce the new month. n The parasha talks about some of the laws of childbirth, including the mitzvah to perform Brit Milah on every Jewish baby boy at 8 days old. n We are told the laws of ‘tzaraat’ – a physical sign of a spiritual problem. n The Torah speaks about how to identify ‘tzaraat’ and how a person with ‘tzaraat’ is treated. This includes them being sent into isolation outside the camp. n We are told that ‘tzaraat’ can also afflict clothing. 3 PRE-NURSERY TO RECEPTION Tazria Tots As it is Shabbat Mevarachim Hachodesh (see page 3) sing the song of the order of the Jewish months to the tune of ‘Bobby Shafto’. Ask the children to clap on the new month. (Nisan) Nisan Cheshvan Iyar Kislev Sivan Tevet Tammuz Shevat Av Adar Ellul and Adar Sheni. Tishrei In the parasha we are told about the skin disease known as ‘tzaraat’. We are told in the Talmud that one of the reasons a person would be afflicted with ‘tzaraat’ was if he had been gossiping and talking ‘Lashon Hara’. The song below talks about being a friend (and obviously not talking ‘lashon hara’) and ends with the Hebrew words ‘Ve’ahavta Lereiacha, Kamocha’ ‘Loving your neighbour as you love yourself’. If you do not know the tune to this song I have found it on You Tube. Search under the title of the song. It would help to teach the song if you have a print out of the words for each child or the song written up on some large sheets of sugar paper. Don’t walk in front of me Don’t walk in front me I may not follow Don’t walk behind me I may not lead Just walk beside me and be my friend And together we will walk in the ways of Hashem Ve’ahavta Lereiacha, Kamocha Ze Klal Gadol Ba Torah n A game you could play to promote friendship and for the children to get to know each other a little better is called, ‘Who is missing?’ The games works best when the children are sitting in a circle. Ask the children to take a good look around the circle for a minute. Blindfold one child and quietly ask another child to leave the room without mentioning their name aloud. Remove the chair of the child who is out of the room and close up the circle. Take the blindfold off and ask the child who was blindfolded to see if they can work out who is missing. Give the child two or three guesses and then bring in the ‘missing’ child. See who is able to work it out. You can play the game two or three times. n Discuss the importance of looking out for one another and being kind. Link this to ‘Lashon Hara’ and the importance of speaking thoughtfully. 4 YEAR 1 & 2 Ages 5-7 Tazria Explain to the children that: The Torah this week talks about the skin disease called ‘tzaraat’ which we are told a person would receive if he spoke ‘lashon hara’. Part of the cure for ‘tzaraat’ was to go outside the camp, all by himself for a while to think about what he had done and perhaps experience some of the feelings that a person who had been spoken badly about might feel. The person with ‘tzaraat’ would realise how powerful words are and how it is better to use words to do good. Words are a precious gift to us and we should try to use them carefully. Discussion: n How do you think a person who has been spoken badly about would feel? n Have you ever been spoken about behind your back? How did it feel? n Do you think being sent outside the camp and being all alone was a good way to cure someone of ‘tzaraat’ the ‘Lashon hara disease’? Why? Activity: Explain to the children that the following activity will promote using speech in a positive way. (The game will also enhance relationships within your service as children will learn more about each other. It is also a good way to improve the self esteem of participants and it helps develop social skills. A winner all round!) Split the children into random pairs. (Tip: You could ask the children to walk around the room and when you call out a number the children should get into groups of that number. You should make all children feel included by directing them to a group that is looking for a spare person. Once you have done this three or four times, call out the number ‘two’. When all the children have a partner ask them to sit down anywhere in the room and listen to your instructions. If you have an odd number of children make a group of three.) Explain that when you say ‘Off you go…..’ the children should interview each other for two minutes which you will be timing. One part of the pair should ask questions to their partner whilst the other listens and responds. When you announce the time is up they should switch. Brainstorm a couple of interview questions that they could ask. Once this is over bring the children back into the circle again and ask each pair to introduce one another and tell the group three new facts that they learned about their partner/s. 5 YEAR 3 - 6 Ages 7-11 Tazria The pashiot of Tazria and Metzora both mainly talk about ‘tzaraat’ and how it was diagnosed and dealt with. As these parshiot are separate this year I have decided to write an activity based on Rosh Chodesh as it is Shabbat Mevorchim this week and also a smaller activity linked to the parasha. Next week, for Metzora there will be a larger activity linking to the parasha. Please take your pick! I have created this page for ages 7-11 as these activities are suitable across the age range. Please also look at pages 4 and 5 this week as I feel the activities/discussion points there are also appropriate for these ages and can be easily adapted if necessary. I know it’s a little more reading but some of these activities can also be played out any week and would add to your repertoire. Activity to link to Tazria : Almost all of parashat Tazria discusses the laws of tzaraat which we are told affected people who spoke lashon hara. There is a hint to this the parasha of Ki Tezei where we are also told to be careful with our speech. Right after telling this to us the Torah mentions the incident of Miriam, the sister of Moshe who was punished with tzaraat because she spoke lashon hara about her brother. Discuss: n Our sages teach that gossip harms not only the one spoken about, but also the speaker and listeners.

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