igniting your 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 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 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 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.

nn The parasha talks about some of the laws of childbirth, including the to perform on every Jewish baby boy at 8 days old. nn We are told the laws of ‘tzaraat’ – a physical sign of a spiritual problem. nn 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. nn 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 that one of the reasons a person would be afflicted with ‘tzaraat’ was if he had been gossiping and talking ‘’. 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

nn 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. nn 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: nn How do you think a person who has been spoken badly about would feel? nn Have you ever been spoken about behind your back? How did it feel? nn 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 , the sister of Moshe who was punished with tzaraat because she spoke lashon hara about her brother. Discuss: nn Our sages teach that gossip harms not only the one spoken about, but also the speaker and listeners. How do you think that could be? nn There is an expression ‘sticks and stones can hurt my bones but words will never hurt me.’ Do you agree? Activity In order to promote speaking kindly about each other and to encourage the social aspect of your service you could play the following game. You will need a ball of string. Sit the children in a circle and the leader should start by holding the ball of string in one hand and the end of the string in the other. The leader should ask a simple question such as , ‘What’s your favourite food?’ and then throw the ball of string to another person in the circle making sure they still hold on tightly to the end of the string. The person who catches the ball should answer the question, make sure they are holding on tightly to their part of string and throw the ball to another person. Play continues until everyone has answered the first question and the ball is then thrown back to the leader who poses the next question. The game continues until a pattern has been made with the string and the leader feels everyone has said a couple of interesting facts about themselves. The questions can be as simple or as reflective as you like. It is very important that players continue to hold onto the string after each question is asked. To sum up the group leader should ask the children to look at the pattern they have created and to think about the fact that even though in some ways we are all the same and others we are all different we are still all connected. You can then link back to the parasha and discuss the fact that you are your own little ‘children’s service community’ and need to speak kindly to one another and look out for each other. The words they used in the activity were positive ways to use speech.

6 YEAR 3 - 6 Continued... Ages 7-11 Tazria

Activity to link to Shabbat Mevorchim 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. This activity also links to Pesach – a few a away! Start the activity by playing a few games to do with time. For example, the ‘minute game’. Ask all children to stand up with their hands behind their backs in case they are wearing a watch. Check to see if there is a clock on the wall in your room and ask the children to stand so that they have their back to it. Explain to the children that you are going to say ‘go’. When you say ‘go’ they should find a way to work out quietly when a minute is up. When they think exactly a minute has passed they should sit down. The leader should say ‘go ‘and time a minute. Do not tell the children when a minute has passed. Keep a careful watch to see who sits down closest to when the minute is up. When all children have sat down let them know who was closest and therefore the winner. You can play the game two or three times. Another game to do with time is the popular game: ‘Just a Minute’. Very basically, a child is given a topic and will need to speak on that topic for a minute without hesitation, repetition, or deviation. If any other child feels that any of these rules have been broken they should put up their hand to make a challenge and when asked by the leader they should explain why they have interjected. (At this point the timing of the minute should be stopped.) If the leader feels it is an acceptable challenge it will now be the turn of the challenger to continue talking about the topic for the rest of the minute. Whoever finishes the minute wins that round. When you have finished playing these games ask the children what element they feel both of the games had in common. Explain that today it is Shabbat Mevorchim and ask the children what Shabbat Mevorchim is all about. Ask the children if they know when in our history were the Jewish people given the mitzvah to observe Rosh Chodesh? Explain to them that Rosh Chodesh was the first mitzvah that the Jewish people were given to keep as a free nation. They were told while still in Egypt that the month of Nissan, the month in which they would be leaving Egypt, should be for their first month, and that from then on they would have the mitzvah to count the months and create a calendar. Ask the children if any of them feel that this is a bit of a strange commandment to be the first mitzvah. Can they think of any mitzvot that they would consider would be more important? So, why did God give this mitzvah first? (Take suggestions.) God wanted to give the Jewish people a sense of power over their own lives. Up until that point they had been slaves in Egypt. They were not in charge of their own time. They were told what to do and when to do it. Now God was telling them you are free people! You are in charge of your own time. You will be declaring the new moon and the dates of the festivals. You will now have control over your own time. With the power to be in charge of our own time comes responsibility. We are responsible to make the most of our time and use it in a constructive way!

7 Youth service Ages 12-18 Tazria

It may be a good idea this week to look at pages 6 and 7 as the materials for Shabbat Mevorchim could be useful for this age group as well. You will know your group best but you may find the materials are suitable. I have also written a Dvar Torah on Tazria and some discussion questions below. nn Before the Dvar Torah is read discuss with your participants if they think that in order to avoid Lashon Hara, it is best not to speak at all. Dvar Torah The Torah tells us that the one of the ways in which a person who had tzaraat would purify himself would be to have the take two live, clean birds . One of the birds shall be slaughtered and the other shall be dipped into the blood of the bird that was slaughtered and sprinkled over the person who was being purified from tzaraat. The bird should then be set free. (, 14:2-7) explains that the reason birds were used was because birds chirp and twitter just like a person who speaks Lashon Hara and is afflicted with tzaraat. Ganzfried, the author of the Kitsur Shulchan Aruch; writes that if only one bird was killed we may think that the Jewish way would be to not speak at all in order to avoid Lashon Hara. This is not the case. A second bird was used and kept alive to demonstrate to us it is not the Jewish way to live in silence. We are meant to use our gift of speech but we are meant to use it in a positive way. Discussion nn How can we use our speech in a positive way? nn How far should we go to avoid gossip and negative comments about others? nn Our sages teach that gossip harms not only the one spoken about, but also the speaker and listeners. How do you think that could be?

8 igniting your shabbat services

We hope you find our guide to this week’s Parsha useful. Be sure to look out for exciting Tribe programmes in your shul. Shabbat Shalom! Sharon Radley at the Tribe Education Team T:020 8343 5656 E: [email protected] www.tribeuk.com

Tribe is part of the United Synagogue Registered Charity No. 242552.