Jewish Holidays Jewish Values Journal

Guide 4-6 grade students in making connections between their Jewish traditions and their day-to-day lives by showing how Jewish values are rooted in the holidays.

Jewish Holidays, Jewish Values invites students to discover Jewish holidays through the lens of Jewish values and character development. Through experiences, discussions, reflective journaling, and activities students will explore essential questions such as:

• How can spending time in a sukkah teach us about the value of humility?
• How does expressing gratitude help us to be better people?
• What role does Torah play in our happiness?
• Why is shalom such an important part of the Shabbat experience?
• What do Hanukkah traditions teach us about different types of courage?
• Engage students in activities like designing an App about simcha (happiness) or drawing a superhero in the chapter about gevurah (courage) while offering students the ability to reflect and make connections between Jewish traditions and values.

CONTENTS:

• Shalom!
• The Jewish Year
• 1: The High Holidays: Returning to Our Best Selves (Teshuvah)
• 2: Sukkot: Humility (Anavah) and Gratitude (Hakarot Hatov)
• 3: Simchat Torah: Rejoicing (Simchah)
• 4: Shabbat: Holy Time and Space (Bein Kodesh L'Chol) and Peace (Shalom)
• 5: Hanukkah: Courage (Gevurah)
• 6: Tu BiShevat: Caring for the Environment (Bal Tashchit)
• 7: Purim: Justice (Tzedek) and Giving (Tzedakah)
• 8: Passover: Loving the Stranger (Ahavat Hager)
• 9: Yom Hashoah and Yom Ha'atzma'ut: Remembrance (Zikaron) and Jewish Community (K'lal Yisrael)
• 10: Shavuot: Learning from the Torah (Talmud Torah)
• Developing an Action Plan