Goal:To use senses of sight to explore the natural world in new ways. To foster an increased sense of trust between students.
Duration: 20 minutes
Materials: Blindfolds
Audience: All Ages
Procedure:
The name of this exercise is taken from Birchot HaShachar, a morning prayer in which we thank God for the restoration of our senses upon waking. These senses include bodily mobility as we wake, stretch, dress and begin our day. One bracha (blessing) ends in, Pokeiach Ivrim, which means, “who opens our eyes”, thanking God for the gift of sight. ...
Read More
Based on an activity by Joseph Cornell
Goals:To develop tactile senses, to introduce the symbol of the tree as a Jewish metaphor, to foster the development of a personal relationship with a tree, and ability to see a tree’s uniqueness.
Duration: 15 - 30 minutes
Materials: Blindfolds; Trees
Audience:All Ages
Procedure:
1) Ask students: What is the forest filled with?
Answer: trees! (and much more) Trees are all over the place, but has anybody here ever really gotten to know a tree? Just like people, trees look alike, but are actually ...
Read More
Materials: 4 Fold Song by Rav Kook; Paper; Pencils/pens, Markers, colored pencils, or pastels
Goals:
* To explore relationships and responsibility between self, community, humanity and the world.
* To focus participants on personal practices and beliefs.
* To create an ethical framework of integration of all levels of creation.
Audience: Teens or adults
Program Details:
A) Distribute paper, pencils and markers to all participants
Have participants divide paper in 4 sections (do not need to be square quarters) Write one of the following ...
(has
1 attachments)
Read More
By: Rabbi Akiva Gersh
Purim comes at an auspicious time in the Hebrew calendar. Falling on the full moon in the month of Adar, it occurs exactly one month, one cycle of the moon, after Tu B'Shvat, and one month, one cycle of the moon, before Pesach. Three holidays falling on three consecutive full moons, each one offering their own commentary on our relationship with the natural world. On Tu B'Shvat we enjoy the fruits of Eretz Yisrael and reflect upon the divine beauty and wisdom that Hashem placed into all of creation. On Purim we are reminded of the ...
Read More
Ideas for Eco-Friendly Mishloach Manos
Green Purim Sameach! Canfei Nesharim has developed a selection of five eco-friendly and fun Mishloach Manot themed package ideas for you or your group to prepare and distribute to your constituents on Purim. Our aim was to create healthy, earth-friendly, and economical Mishloach Manot without the waste. To make this as easy as possible, we found many of the products on the web. You can order them directly by clicking the links below!
New! You can also include a simple printable message in your mishloach ...
Read More
Tu b'Shevat 5773 falls on January 25-26, 2013. Canfei Nesharim offers a range of great resources for your community:
Learning Resources for your Tu b'Shevat Seder
I want to run a program, but a Tu b'Shevat Seder is not right for my community.
What do you have for kids? (additional activities can be found on the full list of Tu b'Shevat resources)
Learn Torah with our Full Library of Articles on Tu b'Shevat
Explore our full list of Tu b'Shevat Resources
“Using Canfei Nesharim’s Materials this Tu ...
Read More
This is a fun activity that could be done to make spice at a Tu B'shevat seder. This spice could then be used for smelling in world four.
Materials (one bag for each person)
3x4” Ivory-colored, iridescent, mesh, with ribbon pull-string, Wedding favor bags (12/pkg) (can find these at craft stores)
Iridescent fabric paints (a multiple-colored set or multiple-colored singles)
Cardboard pieces (1 per bag) cut out from facial tissue boxes (sizes of cardboard pieces should be slightly smaller than the dimensions of the favor bag, so that ...
Read More
Follow this link to Canfei Nesharim's website to find Recipes for Tu B'Shevat!
Read More
Learn Torah!
A Full Library of Articles for Tu B'Shevat is available at Canfei Nesharim.org.
These articles are meant to be shared, and should be reprinted with the note "Reprinted with permission from Canfei Nesharim, as part of their Annual Tu b'Shevat Learning Campaign in 5773/2013.
“Using Canfei Nesharim’s Materials this Tu b'Shevat? Please fill out a simple form to tell us about your participation, and (if you choose) your community will be listed on our partners list.”
Read More
The Trees Sang with Joy: Action Suggestions
The actions suggestions below follow on from Jonathan Neril's article: The Trees Sang with Joy.
Using Wood Toward a Higher Goal
Here are some suggestions for using our wood resources responsibly:
· Commit to being in nature one day a month, and for ten minutes of that day, try to listen to the song of the trees..
· Buy wood exclusively from producers certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Information is available at www.fsc.org
· Receive only the ...
Read More
Looking to organize a community Tu b’Shevat Seder? Canfei Nesharim has the resources for you!
Order a colorful, eco-printed one-page haggadah from Canfei Nesharim to use at your community seder!
Order eco-reminders to hand out at your seder
Tips and Instructions for running an effective Tu b’Shevat Seder
Timeline and instructions for running a Tu b'Shevat Seder on a timeline
Great learning resources to enhance your seder.
If you would rather print out your own haggadah, download our haggadot which have ...
(has
1 attachments)
Read More
Plan a Tu B'Shevat Kiddush
Organizing a Tu b’Shevat Kiddush can be a lovely way to engage your community in Torah-environmental awareness for the first time. Here are some steps to take to make this happen.
1. Contact your shul administrator to arrange for the Tu b’Shevat Kiddush. Ask if funds are available for additional fruits and nuts, or if some of the traditional Kiddush fare could be offset by your Tu b’Shevat fruits and nuts. (Note that if this is not a possibility, someone may need to sponsor the purchase of fruits ...
Read More
by Evonne Marzouk
In the story of Cain and Abel, when Cain murders Abel and G-d questions him, Cain responds with the answer, "Am I my brother's keeper?" This often-quoted rhetorical question has come to represent an ethical responsibility that all human beings have toward each other, also reflected in Hillel's famous characterization of Judaism: "What is hateful to you, do not do to your brother."
Today, in a time when the car I choose to drive can have dramatic consequences for people on a small island thousands of miles away, ...
Read More
Materials developed by Noam Dolgin and the Teva Learning Center.
All content is subject to the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. (Ie. Tell other where you got it from and don't sell it)
(has
1 attachments)
Read More
Materials developed by Noam Dolgin, www.noamdolgin.com.
All content is subject to the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. (Ie. Tell other where you got it from and don't sell it)
(has
1 attachments)
Read More
Waste Minimization, Bal Tashchit and Beyond
By: Risa Alyson Strauss
Kavanah Organic Community Teaching Garden, Program Coordinator
Waste Minimization
Canadians produce more than 31 million tons of waste annually – that’s 2.7 kilograms per person per day! Over 75% of that waste is sent to landfills where it collects and slowly breaks down, producing greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide, and leeching potentially dangerous substances into our groundwater system.[1]
REDUCING the amount of waste produced in the first place is the ...
Read More
Goals: To learn about energy, how it is produced and its sources; To understand the concept of energy efficiency and explore what each of us can personally do to reduce your energy consumption.
Duration: 30 minutes
Materials: 1 - 13 Watt Compact Fluorescent Light bulb (CFL)
1 - 60 Watt Incandescent light bulb
2 Table Lamps
Cookies or other packaged food
Audience: Grades 4+
Procedure: Part 1
1) Start with a 2 minute eating meditation over a cookie (or something else packaged)
Elements to include in the eating meditation:
...
Read More
Goal: To introduce students to a wide variety of Jewish environmental teachings related to the climate crisis in an interactive program.
Duration: 30 minutes
Materials: Discussion sheets; Props
Audience: Grades 4+
Introduction:
If shema says listen to the commandments and to avoid global problems, let’s see what the commandments say?
Procedure:
1) Divide students into five groups, and have them sit in small circles.
2) Distribute discussion sheets to each group. Each group should receive a different discussion sheet. ...
(has
1 attachments)
Read More
Goal: Explore climate as God’s expression of cause and effect
Duration: 30 minutes
Materials: Siddurim (Prayer books)
Audience: Grades 5+
Procedure:
1) Divide students into groups of 3 students each. Distribute a siddur and a worksheet
2) Have students read the Shema 2nd paragraph and fill out the worksheet
3) At the midpoint read the alternative translation aloud, then pass out a copy to each group
4) have them finish the worksheet.
5) Return together and share
Discussion:
1) Causes of problem in 2nd ...
(has
1 attachments)
Read More
