The United Synagogue

Key Stage Middah/Jewish Value Activity
Foundation Learning about the foods we eat on Shavuot - Celebrating the Festival of Shavuot This activity is about the foods that we eat on different festivals. On Shavuot we traditionally eat dairy foods. The reason for this is that the Bnei Yisrael had not yet learned all the laws for the preparation of kosher meat.
Cut out lots of pictures of different dairy foods from magazines, but also add some pictures of foods that we eat on other festivals. Ask the children to pick out the foods that we traditionally eat on Shavuot, whilst at the same time reinforcing their knowledge of foods for other festivals.
Foundation The story is told that all the mountains boasted about their attributes and thought that they were the best choice for the giving of the Torah. Har Sinai (Mt. Sinai) did not join in and was sure that it was too plain to be chosen - Being modest is best The following is a well known song about the mountains. The children may know the tune, but if not it also works to the tune of Rock-a-bye Baby. The children should do actions to show the tall and wide mountains and small and humble Har Sinai.

I am a mountain so very high
I can reach way up to the sky
The Torah should be given on me
For I am as tall as can be

Oh no, I'm much taller than you
And there are so many things I can do
The Torah should be given on me
For I am as great as can be

But little Har Sinai just stood there and sighed
I know I'm not tall, I know I'm not wide
The Torah can't be given on me
For I am so plain, you see

But from all the mountains Hashem chose Sinai
Because it did not hold itself high
It had such simple and humble ways
So we learn that humbleness pays

Or sing

Hashem gave us the 10 commandments
10 commandments, 10 commandments,
Hashem gave us the 10 commandments
And this is what they say

Listen to your Mum and Dad, do what they say Have a nice rest on the Shabbat day
Never take other people's things away
It's all in the 10 commandments
Key Stage 1 Learning about food customs for Shavuot - Celebrating the festival of Shavuot Each festival is associated with special foods. What are the special foods for Shavuot and why?
Can the children say which foods are associated with other festivals?
Which foods are their favourites?
Find out whether families that originate from different parts of the world have different festival food customs.
Key Stage 1 One of the names of Shavuot is 'Chag Matan Torah' the Festival of the Giving of the Torah - Living by Jewish rules Print the flashcards of the Ten Commandments. Cut them up, ten children, holding the cards, should form themselves into a line in the correct order.
Discuss why rules are important. Make up some new 'commandments' or rules for children.
The children could make 'rules' for different circumstances e.g. at school, in the countryside, at home.

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