Festivals | Tishrei
Simhat Torah: Activity Ideas for Class and Group
by Dov Goldflam & Gila Ansell Brauner
Acknowledgments
The activities below were adapted and extended from a monthly
series on Teaching Israel, produced and edited by Mr. Yitzhak
Zucher at the former Pedagogic Center of the Department for Torah
Education and Culture in the Diaspora.
For everyone:
Community Experience
Simchat Torah is a festival which impacts with involvement: if
your students know the popular songs and take part in the Hakafot
with the Sefer Torah [encircling the synagogue
interior with the Holy Scrolls of the Law], then they will be
participants in the festivities. It is not a spectator sport!
To help the students make the most of this opportunity, prepare
song sheets and teach as many songs as you can; also make sure
they all have somewhere to go for the event. If at all possible,
have the students lead one of the hakafot at the synagogue or
community centre.
For older students:
Hatikvah
The 24th of Tishrei - Simchat Torah - is the date when the poet,
Naftali Zvi Imber, passed away. He is remembered most for the
Hatikvah, Israel's national anthem.
- Explore the meaning of Hatikvah and its sources [incl. Yehudah
HaLevi].
- Now compare how it is written with the somewhat longer [!]
Ma'oz Tzur. To whom is each written? Is there any similarity
of message or style?
- Review how relevant - or otherwise - the messages seem today,
both in Israel and the Diaspora.
- Would you change or supplement the wording of HATIKVAH - and
how -, in view of:
- - any particular event in modern Jewish or Israeli
history;
- - the existence of ethnic minorities [large and small]
in the modern State of Israel?
Discuss.
For older and intermediate students:
School Bible Quiz
The period allotted for the initial to the final rounds of the
International Bible Quiz can run from the Rejoicing of the Law
[Simchat Torah] to the Giving of the Law [Shavuot].
Make the run-up to Simchat Torah the time for contests to form
school teams for the different levels of the quiz and hold your
school quiz during the month of Heshvan.
For intermediate and younger children:
Flags, Food and Fun
Older children can make Simchat Torah for younger children; competitions
can be held for interesting and elaborate flags; "treat" packets
can be made up for children under bar/bat mitzvah age; small,
individual scrolls can be made as presents for younger children.
Make sure no-one misses the children's Aliya
[call-up to the Torah] in the morning service!
As it is difficult to keep children interested throughout seven
hakafot and the Torah readings, organize a separate programme
for part of the time, with team games to finish off [Simchat Torah
flag relay race, pass the apple from the flag, break the circle,
fastest song, fastest run round the "bima" (a small chair or table),
food tasting blindfold...]: ensure all other furniture is removed
so that no-one can fall or knock themselves inadvertently.
Back to the High Holy Days Index
[Tishrei Holidays] [Top
Homepage]