Page 36 - Jewish News_June-July-2021
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36A June/July 2021 FOCUS ON YOUTH
Family summer fun with a Jewish twist
Go canoeing on a local lake. the mezuzah blessing: “Blessed are popular games have Jewish ver-
Education Volunteer at a nature center. you, Lord, our God, sovereign of sions. Jewish Apples to Apples is
a favorite!
Visit a farmers’ market.
the universe who has sanctified us
Corner Pick berries. with His commandments and com- Make a family yearbook with pho-
By Sabrina Have a picnic at a state park. manded us to affix a mezuzah.” tos you’ve taken during the year,
Silverberg, Go for a walk and make a collage Kiss the mezuzah when you enter reminisce and give it as a gift to
from nature’s objects you find
Bubbe or Zayde.
or leave a room.
MARE along the way. Create a mizrach, a beautiful Jew- Send your child to spend a few
Go to a lake or pond to watch the ish symbol to mark the eastern wall days with an aunt, uncle, cousin
y the time you read this article, ducks and birds. Use a bird guide of your home. The mizrach directs or other relative. Have them take a
we will have slipped into the or app to identify the various spe- us to face Jerusalem when we pray. photo diary of their trip.
Bhazy, lazy long days of sum- cies. Make Shabbat objects such as can- Interview Bubbe or Zayde and re-
mer. The school year is over, or soon to Go biking on a nature trail. dlesticks, a Kiddush cup or a chal- cord it for posterity.
be over, and time presents itself as an Plant a garden of herbs and veg- lah cover and use them to celebrate Write and record a song as a fam-
open canvas of opportunities. Summer gies. Shabbat every week. ily.
might sound like a great time to relax, Go stargazing and try to identify as Listen to Jewish music, read Jew- These are just a few examples of
but if you do not plan thoughtfully, many planets as you can. ish children’s books and watch fun things to do this summer to encour-
you may soon hear those two dreaded The Torah tells us that humans are Jewish videos or films together. age Jewish spirituality, social respon-
words: “I’m bored.” Do not despair! granted stewardship of the world. The Cook Jewish recipes and bake sibility and family bonding. Have a
With some planning and exploration, book of Genesis commands that we are challah together. happy kayitz (summer)!
summer can be a great time to incor- to enjoy nature and its bounty, but we Make a tzedakah box and use it Sabrina Silverberg, MARE, has served Summer camp returns for
porate fun and meaningful activities are expected to take care of it, and of often. as the Educational Director for Temple
into your family’s schedule. Adding each other. Here are some meaningful Have a board game night. Many Emanu-El since 2001. Temple Beth Sholom youths
a Jewish component to your pastime activities that will affirm the Jewish
will also serve to enhance your child’s value of Tikkun Olam: The joys of Jewish Day
Jewish identity. Draw pictures or make a collage of
Jewish educators often joke that issues that your child would like
everything can be made Jewish and, in to work on. Discuss ways to make Camp for preschoolers
a way, it is true! After all, who created them happen.
the birds and the bees? Who introduced Bake cookies and take them to a parts of building this community.
the ideas of Tzedakah (righteousness) local fire station. Teaching the care and preservation
and Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) Volunteer at an animal shelter. of our Earth is another value devel-
to the rest of humanity? Who proposed Foster a dog or cat. oped in this Jewish setting. It can be
the concept of home as a Mikdash Volunteer to pack food at a food taught through immersion in the great
Me’at (a small sanctuary)? We can go bank. outdoors, such as tending to a garden,
on and on, and indeed opportunities for Volunteer at a senior center or learning the life cycle of plants and
Jewish, engaging learning is all around nursing home. enjoying the feast they have grown on
us. Collect used children’s books from their own. Organic materials that are
The activities below are simple, your neighbors and friends, and de- usually considered waste can be col-
fun and inexpensive. They are ground- liver them to a children’s hospital. lected to decompose into simpler com-
ed in Jewish values in three catego- Collect used clean blankets and pounds creating compost. This is rich
ries: Shechinah (God’s dwelling or donate them to the homeless shel- Education in plant nutrients and can be used in
presence), Tikkun Olam and Mikdash ter or an animal shelter. the gardens, too! Little ones can learn
Me’at, making our homes and families Collect toys and donate them to a Corner about recycling materials to eliminate Temple Sinai Youth Group activities keep teens engaged
Jewishly holy. homeless children’s center. By Laura Freedman waste by creating projects that demon-
The concept of Shechinah is intro- Clean up trash at a local park, strate reducing and reusing the use of
duced in the first chapter of the Torah beach or on your street. s summer approaches, families materials. All of this can be facilitated eb Bryan, Youth Group Advi-
(Genesis 1:2): “…and God’s spirit was Wash cars or walk dogs in your with young children begin to by the use of Teaching Gardens and sor, announced that the Tem-
hovering over the face of the water.” neighborhood and donate the pro- Athink of plans to engage their Outdoor Classrooms that can be found Dple Sinai Youth Group Grades
Judaism tells us that God created the ceeds to your favorite charity. children throughout the season once at quality Jewish Day Camps. 6-12 held a Mitzvah Project on March
world and that God is everywhere. Summer affords us a greater op- the school year concludes. Day camps Camp-wide Shabbat at the culmi- 28 followed by SAFETY (Sarasota
Nature speaks of God loudly. You portunity for time spent at home and and all the wonderful experiences that nation of a week is another beautiful Area Federation of Extreme Temple
can explore this truth, take your child for family bonding. You can begin by are included spring to parents’ minds. benefit of Jewish Day Camps. Coming Youth) board elections. She reported,
outdoors, enjoy and discuss the many making your home a Mikdash Me’at, These experiences and special activi- together as one big community fami- “Our SAFETY Board is in place for
wonders that surround us every day. a little sanctuary, and by investing ties include sports, water play, creative ly after a busy week brings a sense of 2021-22, and we could not be more de-
Here are some fun Shechinah activi- greater efforts in connecting with your art projects, dress-up, story time, sci- peace to all in attendance. This shared lighted to announce the new SAFETY
ties: extended family. Here are some sug- ence discovery and dramatic play to ritual of joyous singing of familiar board members.”
Visit the beach and collect shells, gested activities: name a few. A special option for young tunes, dancing, reciting of blessings Executive Board:
and try to identify the many vari- Make mezuzot, affix them on every campers that includes all these activi- and listening to stories prepares the President – Maxwell Fletcher
eties. door (not the bathrooms) and recite ties and so much more is Jewish Day children to head home to begin a Shab- Programming Vice President –
Camp. When selecting your child’s bat Shalom with their own families. Katherine Carnes
summer experience, consider some of We teach that before Shabbat we Social Action Vice President –
these extraordinary experiences and give tzedakah (monies for charity). Phoebe Winters
benefits incorporated in Jewish Day Children bring their coins to excitedly Religious and Cultural Vice
Camp programs. drop into the tzedakah box. Collecting President – Lucy Thomas
One of the many benefits of select- to help others is a beautiful yearlong Membership Vice President –
ing a Jewish Day Camp is to become a mitzvah (good deed). Children learn Noah Leinweber
part of a community with shared val- that helping others and thinking of oth-
ues. That sense of community is devel- ers is what we ought to do.
oped through activities that help build Together, these shared experiences
relationships between and among the amongst campers can build the sense
campers and counselors. A teachable of belonging to a community and foster
value is learning kindness and con- lifelong bonds.
sideration for friends and welcoming As the school year comes to a close
new friends. This begins from the very and you make your family’s plans for
first greeting of campers from their the summer months, investigate the
new counselors. And, in turn, counsel- true treasure of a Jewish Day Camp
ors encouraging interaction and social experience for your children.
development among the campers by Laura Freedman is the Director of
helping them to find similarities, as Early Childhood Education at The
well as understanding and accepting Gan at Temple Sinai.
differences in each other, are important Temple Sinai Youth Group members with the ceiling tiles they painted for their Mitzvah Project
