The High Holidays are a time of renewal, reflection, and recharging. To make these holidays more engaging and memorable for children, educational activities can set the stage for a purposeful year ahead.
Educators from the community shared their favorite activities that are sure to add extra sweetness to the new year. Cheers to 5785!
Punny
simanim
Simanim
are foods that symbolize the blessings we pray for. Rabbi Michael Friedman, Middle School Judaic Studies Teacher at Hillel Torah, shares an exciting twist on this custom: "There are many traditional
simanim
, but did you know you are encouraged to create your own in any language you like?"
Alongside the classic apples and honey, try using your favorite foods to create personalized blessings. The more puns, the better! Friedman's favorites include:
Teshuva check up
Teshuva, or returning to our best selves, is another significant aspect of the High Holidays. Begin by gathering your family to discuss what teshuva means to each of you and identify areas where you want to grow.
Next, ask each family member to write a letter to their future self, outlining their goals and aspirations for the coming year. Seal the letters in envelopes and set a date-ideally a year or more from now-to open them. When that day arrives, come together as a family to read the letters and reflect on your progress and growth.
Sense the Days
The High Holy Days are rich with sensory experiences that often go unnoticed. Among these, "the sound of the shofar, the taste of our favorite Yom Tov foods, the look of the beautifully decorated Sukkah, and the feel of the four species," Friedman highlighted.
To capture these sensory moments, consider this Jewish calendar project. Design a scrapbook or banner that showcases your favorite sensory experiences. Arrange the months of the year with elements that represent the customs or sensations of each special occasion. This project not only deepens engagement with the holidays, but also builds excitement for the year ahead.
Festive photo frame
Rena Grosser-Judaic Atelierista and Early Childhood Educator at Bernard Zell-suggests repurposing an old picture frame as a festive prop for family photos during the High Holidays. Decorate a large frame with holiday symbols and textures-such as drawings, cutouts of traditional holiday foods, ribbons, or greenery. Then, have your family hold up the decorated frame in photos to capture memorable moments throughout the holidays.
A Sukkot sensory experience
Transform pinecones into etrogs with this hands-on Sukkot activity from Grosser. You'll need a large bin with warm soapy water, pinecones, sticks, yellow wool, and green paint. Start by wetting the yellow wool and wrapping it around the pinecone to create your etrog. Then, paint sticks green to represent the lulav.
Nature-inspired wall hanging
Decorate your sukkah this season with a beautiful, nature-inspired wall hanging. Begin by gathering items representative of nature, such as sticks, colorful leaves, dried citrus slices, and wooden beads.
Once you have all of your materials, string them together to create a unique and eye-catching wall hanging that adds a special touch to your space.
Singing
Rabbi Jonathan Bubis, School Rabbi at Soloman Schechter, suggests a musical activity to help families reconnect with the Jewish holidays at the start of the new year.
"We sing a song by Billy Jonas called 'Toot the Horn' that does just that," he said. "Our kids at Schechter love singing this, and it's a great refresher on all the holidays, as well."
Noa Shimovich is a 2024 Lewis Summer Intern and junior at the Fashion Institute of Technology studying marketing communications.
