From Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) to Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement) to the holiday of Sukkot (or Sukkos) that we are currently well-entrenched in, we have what is essentially just over three weeks of continuous celebrations. We cook, clean, and prepare, all on repeat, over and over again. And as these are some of the holiest days of the year, it is important that our children understand the laws and meanings pertaining to these holidays. But how do we make sure they learn all of this during one of the most chaotic times of the year?
Well, if your children attend a Jewish school, they will learn the laws and customs from their school teachers. But what if your children are homeschooled? What if your children are in a public or secular school? How do you make sure they learn about all of these holidays, when you are so very busy yourself? How do you make sure that during all of the chaos between jobs and cooking and regular responsibilities, those educational needs are met?
I have learned over the years that during the busiest times of the year, including this season and the Pesach (Passover) season, often the best way to show our children what the holidays are really about is through those same preparations we are so busy doing. Here are some of my favorite ways of teaching my homeschooled kids about these Yomim Tovim (holidays), but these are great for anyone:
When Rosh Hashanah is coming, we usually make several batches of the traditional honey cake. Now is the perfect time to ask for some helpers in preparing the batter, all while discussing why we eat sweet foods on Rosh Hashanah. A discussion of why we blow the shofar and what it is supposed to remind us is always a good way to spend the time on our walk to the shul (synagogue) to hear it being blown. Handing your child a real or fake shofar and teaching them the sounds we blow, and of course, having them try to make those sounds, will be fun and educational for them.
As we head into Yom Kippur and we eat our delicious seudah (meal) before the fast, we talk around the table about the laws of what we can and can’t do on Yom Kippur. We also talk about the importance and seriousness of the day. I even like to remind younger kids that good behavior toward each other and helping Mommy who is fasting is the perfect thing to do on Yom Kippur, and reward their good behavior with sweet treats. Plus, when we get the children involved in planning the delicious food we will break the fast on, it helps embed in them the importance of the fast and the joy of celebrating when the day is over.
For Sukkot, there are so many amazing ways to teach your children about the holiday. Include them in building the sukkah (the hut-like structure) and while you are building it, talk with them about how many walls it needs, how tall it must be, what schach (roof material) we can use, etc. Have them make the classic paper chain or other art projects to decorate the sukkah, to teach them that it is important to make that mitzvah as beautiful as we can. Every year, we buy graham crackers, marshmallow fluff and sour sticks so they can build edible sukkahs while I am cooking. What a fun and tasty treat. Invite guests to join you in the sukkah or put out treats for visitors. Take your kids to go see other sukkahs in the neighborhood. Sukkah hopping can be so fun and really instill a love for the holiday in your kids. Take them to a simchat beit hashoeva (sukkah party) and talk to them about the days when we had the Beit Hamikdosh (Holy Temple) and celebrated then as well. And as we head toward Simchat Torah, the final day of these long weeks of celebrations, once again showing your children how happy we are to dance with the Torah and celebrate it is really the most important lesson for that day.
As your children get older, add more details, more laws, more information. Or take them to some extra community events and classes. By teaching them in this way, they will learn all of the laws and customs, everything that they need to understand and love these holidays, all without adding to your busy and chaotic schedule. You will get your preparations done and they will learn and absorb the flavor and meaning of the season.
These are some of my favorite ways to teach my kids about Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah. Do you have any favorite things to do with your kids as you prepare of celebrate?
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