חג הבכורים
FESTIVAL OF THE FIRST FRUITS - CHAG HABIKURIM
The holiday of Shavuot originally focused on our gratefulness for the first fruits of the harvest when the farmers in the land of Israel gathered their first fruits and brought them to the Temple in Jerusalem.
If you garden or have flowers or feel a connection to the earth, perhaps you can put some first fruits on a table to reflect on the miracle of life and the earth that sustains us.
If you garden or have flowers or feel a connection to the earth, perhaps you can put some first fruits on a table to reflect on the miracle of life and the earth that sustains us.
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Shira
Sing with Rabbi Molly |
Beeshul
Cooking with Rabbi Lisa |
Activities
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Create flower and leaf rubbings -
You will need some leaves, flower, or other nature items that are relatively flat, some crayons, and paper. Find something outside that is relatively flat. Lay your paper on top and rub the side of your crayon on the paper. Be sure to hold your paper steady or use a little bit of tape to help secure your items. Observe the texture of the items from your rubbings. Are some rubbings easier or more detailed than others? Why might that be? |
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Matching Game with the Seven Species -
The “Seven Species of Israel” are identified in the description of Israel in Deuteronomy 8:8, “a land of wheat, barley, grapevines, figs, and pomegranates; a land of oil olives and date honey.” These fruits and grains were the staple foods of biblical times, and still maintain a presence across modern Israel’s landscape. Click here for an on-line matching game with the Seven Species of Israel. The matching game starts with a four pair challenge. Click on the rectangular "number of cards" box to change the number of pairs offered for a bigger challenge. |
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Observational Drawing -
Gather some paper and crayons, markers, or colored pencils. A clipboard is wonderful for this activity if you have one. Go outside and find something that is just starting to bloom or grow that interests you - a tree, flower, interesting bushes... Look at the colors and decide which colors you will need to capture the picture you see. What shapes are the objects? Do you see lines? Are they straight or curved? What other shapes do you see? What textures? Draw what you see. |
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Learning: observation, memory, cultural lessons, critical thinking, fine motor, self-expression