Jewish Holiday Answers

Written By Rochelle Eisenberg
Photographed By Justin Tsucalas

In two weeks, the Jewish New Year will be upon us and we will take time out from our busy lives to reflect on the year that has passed. We will look forward to new starts and fresh beginnings. We will invite our youngest children to participate in this process and think about how they can be better people.

To help us answer questions young families have about the holidays, we spoke with educator Sandee Lever, who is leading an upcoming Holiday Prep Class on Sept. 22, 6-8 p.m. at the Rosenbloom Owings Mills JCC and Rabbi Miriam Burg, director of educational engagement at the Center for Jewish Education. Beth Am Congregation’s Rabbi Daniel Burg also gave us advice on how to blow the shofar.

How do you blow a shofar?

As Beth Am Congregation’s Rabbi Daniel Burg says, it’s like giving a raspberry sound. Only when you make that sound, a beautiful note comes out instead.” He adds that the sound is meant to be like an alarm clock. “Thousands of years ago, you didn’t have a clock. This was a way to wake us up … to say sorry to people we’ve hurt and to improve our behavior in the future.”

Where does the shofar come from?

The shofar is a ram’s horn. “Sometimes,” says Lever, “children get upset about the fact that we take the horn out of the ram. But I tell them it doesn’t hurt the ram. It’s the same thing as if we lost a fingernail or a hair.”

What should you do if your young child says they want to fast all day?

Lever recommends that youngsters skip treats or junk food for the day. “That could be their way of fasting. You can withhold food items that might make them happy and cut down on their caloric intake,” she says.Miriam Burg also suggests refraining from desserts or sweets, or even refraining from breakfast. “But most important, talk about why we fast. It’s not just about denying, it’s an opportunity to focus on things that are really important, mistakes made and how we can do better.” She adds that it’s important to discuss with youngsters those people they should forgive. “We don’t do a good enough job teaching kids to forgive,” she says.

What activities make the holidays interesting for youngsters?

Miriam Burg suggests an at-home project. “Paint your mistakes in watercolors. Put it in the bathtub and watch the watercolors disappear.” The important part, she says is the conversation around what it means to make mistakes. To do better, things don’t just get erased.

Lever adds that you may want to make a birthday cake in celebration of the birth of the world. Then says Miriam Burg, talk about the presents you can give to the world.

How do we make Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur meaningful to young children?

Lever explains, “Parents may want to ask their children to think about what they might feel sorry about … such as being mean to a sister or a brother, not listening to a teacher, or cleaning up. Talk about how they might correct it.

Another thing you may want to do is ask them how this year is different than last year.

For example, maybe last year they couldn’t tie their shoes and now they can; or last year they couldn’t read or write. You are showing them how from one Rosh Hashanah to the next, things change and the year changes.”

Here’s a craft adapted from “Crafting Jewish” by Rivky Koenig (Artscroll, 2008)

Felt Torah For Simchat Torah

What You’ll Need:
2 (12” x 18”) sheets of felt
Pen or marker
Scissors
Felt pen
Straight pins
Glue gun or fabric glue or yarn
Fiberfill

1. Draw the outline of a Torah on paper and cut out two times.

2. Place Torah cut-out on the backs of the felt. Cut out the felt shapes.

3. Decorate with fabric paint.

4. Glue the edges of the felt together keeping one side open or sew up three sides of the Torah. Stuff open side with polyester fiberfill. Glue or sew it shut.