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Birthday of the World | Sweet New Year | Forgiveness | Shofar Sounds
Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur: Asking for Forgiveness
Motivational Tools:
A colorful plastic small bowl filled with a few small plastic gem like objects is placed on a small display table to the right or left of the teacher.
Lesson Plan: (20 minutes)
1. Have students seated in a half circle, facing the small display table that is to the left or right of the seated teacher. In this way, the students eyes will be focused in one direction, facing the teacher.
Begin the lesson by telling the following story, the more animated the better! Remember children loved to be told stories and often will believe that a story is really happening. Young children are great audiences for storytelling.
The Candy Jar
A Story About Forgiveness
Sarah loved candy! Sarah would do almost anything to eat candy. It was sweet and fun to eat. One Friday afternoon, Sarah’s father returned home carrying yummy new candy treats for Shabbat. “Sarah”, said her father, these are special treats for Shabbat, I am going to keep them safe on top of the refrigerator, we will eat them tomorrow. (Place the candy bowl up high in the classroom, that will serve as the make believe top of the refrigerator.) “Sarah” said her father, “I must go out to buy some things for Shabbat, your favorite sitter will be coming over to play. ( at that very moment there was a knock at the door,) make a knocking sound on the edge of a table,” Oh that must be Shoshana!” and the father opened the door to let her in (motion opening a door, and motion to Shoshana to take Sarah in the playroom to entertain her). The father then leaves for his errands. Have the father announce that he is leaving so it is obvious no one is in the kitchen.
While Sarah and Shoshana are in the playroom, Sarah finds an excuse to leave the room and uses the opportunity to go in the kitchen.
“Oh how I want candy!” said Sarah (at this point the storyteller is Sarah acting out a young girl). “How am I going to get it? I can move a chair to stand on” (move a small chair over to the area where you placed the candy) Sarah climbs up, reaches on tiptoes, and just about has the bowl, (motion this, the children so enjoy seeing a story in action!) when it falls down on the floor. When Sarah picks it up, she notices that there is a crack on the bowl. She decides to place the bowl back up on the top of the refrigerator with the cracked side not showing. Sarah then returns to where the sitter was in the playroom.
At this point, become the teacher, and ask the children what they think could happen when the father returns home. The answers you receive could surprise you, but don’t be judgemental, let the children have fun giving their thoughts.
After a few ideas have been suggested, the story can continue.
Father returns home, and while putting food away, he notices a piece of plastic on the floor. The father looks up, and wonders if it is from the candy dish. he takes it off the top of the refrigerator and realizes it is indeed from the bowl. “Sarah” calls the father, and Sarah comes in the kitchen, “were you in the candy bowl?” At this point Sarah gets fidgety and tries to hide her guilt. The father can see she is troubled and asks again, at which point Sarah bursts out crying and retells the whole story to her father.
At this point, become the teacher and ask the children what special word should Sarah use?
What are ways your parents help you feel better when you’ve done something you shouldn’t?
- Give me a hug
- Give me a kiss
- Tell me it’s ok
Let the children answer, sharing their experiences.
Ask the children how this story should end. Allow them to be contributors.
I have often allowed the children to retell the story using the children as actors in the story. It is delightful. Children often love to act and role play.
The point of the story is to illustrate on their level of understanding that we sometimes make the wrong decision, but by using “I’m sorry” (Selichah) helps us to be forgiven and not feel so bad inside.
On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we are told to think about the things we have done this year. Some have been things that could have made others feel bad. Since Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of a new year, we tell ourselves to try harder for the new year to do the right thing and make good choices.
Song:
When We Say We’re Sorry
When we say we’re sorry we say selicha (clap while saying seli-cha =2 times)
When we say we’re sorry we say selicha (clap while saying seli-cha =2 times)
Selicha l’chaver
Selicha l’chavarah
I didn’t mean to hurt you selicha, selicha, selicha. (clap on each selicha=3 times)
Reinforcement Activities:
- Have children stand in a circle, hands at their sides. Have one child start by turning to her/his neighbor and shaking their hand while saying “Selicha”, until the whole circle has had a turn. The Hebrew phrase, Shana Tova U’mituka could also be used to reinforce the previous lesson. If Hebrew is unfamiliar, English words can be substituted. (5 minute activity)
- Pre-slice small pieces of lemon, arrange on small paper plates in the center of work tables. While students are seated have each student choose a piece of lemon, (say the appropriate bracha if your class tradition requires it) have each student taste their piece.
How does the lemon taste? Sour, bitter,
Is this a good feeling while eating a lemon?
We are learning about Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur and saying Selichah,
What do we do sometimes that makes feel bitter or unhappy inside?
If answers are slow to come, give an example like not sharing a toy with a friend, not following your parents rules or misbehaving at a friends house. Let the children give their examples.
Collect the paper plates, and replace them with plates holding sugar cubes.
Have each child choose a sugar cube and eat it. Ask the same questions how it makes you feel, why would we want to eat sweet things on Rosh Hashanah?
What do we do to others that makes us feel sweet and happy inside?
Of course these answers will be far easier to recall! Recognizing our short comings is always more challenging.
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