Category Archives: Crafts

Seder Plates by Target

Posted on 01/23/2011 | 1 comment

Seder plate at Target: cheap and cute

At Target yesterday I found an endcap full of seder dishes. This discrepant event was so discrepant I almost didn’t believe it. Five bucks for a large, melamine seder plate with shallow depressions for each symbol, and with the English and Hebrew name for each.

Hebrew at Target?

And for $1.99 you can get a coordinating square matzah plate with just the three little Hebrew letters that spell matzah.

So very surprised and happy.  Maybe melamine isn’t the earth’s friendliest material, but I am overlooking this fact in favor of the bigger fact that Target is selling dishes for my holiday.

Maybe this is a yearly occurrence where you come from, but not around here.

Todah rabah, Target.

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Posted in Jewish parenting, Passover

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Matchbox Mezuzah

Posted on 01/23/2011 | 1 comment

Matchbox Mezuzah

Here’s another easy mezuzah for kids to make, but this one is genuinely pretty. We used a photocopied klaf (parchment) inside the matchbox and mounted it low enough for a preschooler to actually reach.

My three-year old made this with his dad’s help, which would not have been much help, so I believe any kid can create a sweet mezuzah with these materials. The kicker is the lovely, golden Shaddai sticker (the shin with the crown), which makes the whole thing look and feel legit. The stickers come in a sheet of 48 from Benny’s Educational Toys, and the blank matchbooks come from Oriental Trading.

I must mention that playing with matchboxes is irresistible for any age, so this is a particularly hands-on craft. I organized a Matchbox Mezuzah group project for a Shema workshop last weekend at our synagogue and the parents were just as pleased to open and close and open and close the boxes….

Need:
Tape (I used blue painter’s tape)
Blank white matchbox (or used ones if you’ve got them)
Craft sticks (I used the broad, tongue-depressor size that comes in colors)
Tissue paper squares (cut from gift wrap)
Liquid starch (or white glue) in a small bowl or jar lid
Small brush
Shema scroll (see previous post: Glue Stick Mezuzah for ideas about this)

  • First, tape the stick to the back of the matchbox. It doesn’t matter what kind of tape because you will cover it with starch and tissue in a moment.
  • Brush thin layer of starch or glue on matchbox—including over the tape—and then place individual layers of the tiny tissue paper squares everywhere except the open ends.
    Keep brushing starch and affixing layers until you or your child needs to be done…
  • Top with a crowned shin sticker if you have it, or any shin sticker. Or, wait until the box is dry and write a shin with permanent marker or rubber stamp.

The only trick is to make sure you don’t starch the matchbox shut. If you do, you can run a sharp knife through the seams after all is dry.

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Posted in Crafts, Jewish parenting, Mezuzah

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Glue Stick Mezuzah: or, Make a Green Mezuzah for Free

Posted on 01/10/2011 | 2 comments

A Glue Stick Mezuzah

Here’s a new use for an empty glue stick tube: a mezuzah case. If you collect a bunch, you have a cost-free craft for a whole class.

Glue Sticks don’t last very long. Manufacturers seem to keep shrinking the volume of glue without shrinking the actual container, and the glue has a fairly short shelf life (about two years).  Thus, empty glue stick containers multiply, especially at a school.

A mezuzah is really the scroll inside of a mezuzah case: a klaf, or piece of kosher parchment upon which a sofer—scribe—has written (special ink, special quill) the first two passages of the Shema, Judaism’s central prayer.* The Shema is comprised of key verses from Deuteronomy (6:9 and 11:13-21), and begins, “Hear, Oh Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.”

Mezuzah literally means “doorpost,” and it is on our doorposts that Jews are obliged to mount a mezuzah. Doing so is a mitzvah—a commandment—and, what a coincidence, it is a biblical commandment found in the Shema itself: “you shall inscribe them [these words] on the doorposts of your home.”

So, every Jewish home, or to be more inclusive, every home in which someone identifies as Jewish, needs a mezuzah on the doorposts. Home in Hebew is bayit, and the home of a mezuzah—the case—is called a beit mezuzah, or mezuzah home.  A beit mezuzah can be made out of just about any material that protects the scroll, and in every price range. This one comes in sticky plastic and is free.

Making a mezuzah case as pretty as you are able can actually Continue reading →

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Posted in Crafts, Jewish parenting, Mezuzah

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Origami Dreidels

Posted on 12/13/2010 | 4 comments
Origami Dreidel station at a Hanukkah carnival

Origami Dreidel station at a Hanukkah carnival

This is a classic design, and fairly easy to teach to little kids. It comes from Florence Temko’s book Jewish Origami (still in print). Continue reading →

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Posted in Crafts, Jewish parenting

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Hanukkah Parent Guidelines: Politically Correct info card

Posted on 12/13/2010 | Comments Off on Hanukkah Parent Guidelines: Politically Correct info card
click the pdf link below to print

click the pdf link below to print

In the Dreidel Cookies post, I mentioned a little card attached to the cookies dressed for a bake sale. I couldn’t bear the thought that the cookies, created with such intent, might get scarfed down without the scarfer understanding what they were scarfing. The card explained the name and meaning of each letter.

Same with the little dreidel/candy gifts we brought for my son’s class. (I did cave and add one piece of gelt to the dreidel, but I’m not sure I’ll do this next year. See “Hanukkah Parent Guidelines” post about such things.) I made a slightly different card for the dreidels: Continue reading →

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Posted in Hanukkah, Jewish kids in nonJewish school

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Dreidel Cookies

Posted on 12/11/2010 | 4 comments
Dreidel cookies, chocolate letters

Dreidel cookies, chocolate letters

If I’d known royal icing was so easy, I’d have made it long before now. Two ingredients (plus color) make a gloppy paste easily scooped and squirted onto the baked good of choice, and later, after it dries, it becomes a beautifully smooth concrete. The perfect medium with which to anchor these little Hebrew letters made from a candy mold. Continue reading →

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Posted in Edible Craft, Hanukkah, Jewish parenting

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7-branched Lego menorahs for toy Temple

Posted on 12/07/2010 | 8 comments
Duplo and Lego 7-branch menorahs

Duplo and Lego 7-branch menorahs: upside-down construction

We made “The Temple” out of Duplos and needed a menorah.  Not a hanukkiyah, but a 7-branched menorah as per Exodus and as per the Story of Hanukkah.  (A hanukkiyah has 9 branches, including a higher shammash.)

My kid and I experimented, which is half the fun. We are never to old to learn by play.  Building upside-down was a pleasant change and challenge. Continue reading →

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Posted in Hanukkah, Jewish kids in nonJewish school

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I made it out of clay

Posted on 12/06/2010 | Comments Off on I made it out of clay

we made them out of clay

We sing the song every year:

Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay, and when it’s dry and ready, then dreidel I shall play.

But I’ve never actually made a dreidel out of clay, nor of anything else.  Neither had my 3 year-old. So this year we got busy. Continue reading →

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Posted in Crafts, Hanukkah

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Hanukkah Parent guidelines

Posted on 12/05/2010 | 4 comments

A Duplo Temple and a jar of olives.

Guidelines for Hanukkah Parent visits: where are they?

All over the country, volunteer parents are visiting their child’s classrooms and representing the entire Jewish people in 15 minutes or less.

In the spirit of “sharing traditions,” we bring a book, maybe some dreidels, some gelt (its never too early to jump-start a child’s association of Jews and money…see below), and a menorah. Hands-on parents bring all this stuff, and we check if we are allowed to actually light the menorah (and if we are allowed to keep the candles burning or blow them out far, far from the smoke detector).

Out of the dozens of books I’ve accumulated the last 16 years, plus the books I see at shul and in the library and in the bookstore (that just closed forever), why is it I can’t find a single one I LIKE? Continue reading →

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Posted in Hanukkah, Jewish kids in nonJewish school, Jewish parenting

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“Make a Kosher Edible Sukkah” for the obsessively organized

Posted on 10/05/2009 | 11 comments
instant edible sukkah with cereal "fruit"

instant edible sukkah with cereal “fruit”

(EDIT: if you are NOT in charge of a group project, see my newer post: Instant Edible Sukkah, Step-by-Step Photos.  If you ARE in charge of a group project which will be held on the holiday in a “kosher” building, read on.)

In the interest of those who are in charge of a “Make Your Own Edible Sukkah” project, I offer this record.  Learn from my experience, and add to it, if you can.

If your project is not conducted in a kosher building, you needn’t pay so much attention.  For you awaits a world of candy, a universe of sugary confection in endless variety.

For the rest of us, alas, a ghetto of fruit gums.  And it is for the rest of us that I type my notes; for the folks creating edible sukkahs in a kosher building and, even more restrictive, in a kosher building during the first two days of Sukkot, when “work” is not permitted.

Building a kosher sukkah on a holiday is easy and not so easy.

Finding kosher graham crackers is easy.  Just keep in mind that some still come in perforated rectangles Continue reading →

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Posted in Edible Craft, Jewish parenting, Sukkot

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Scheduling Shavuot

Posted on 05/27/2009 | Comments Off on Scheduling Shavuot

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For weeks I’ve had two flyers up on the fridge. The Toddler keeps rearranging them with antique wooden fruit magnets, so I’ve had many opportunities to notice them and actually read what they say. But what I failed to see until yesterday was that they advertise Must Attend Events scheduled for the same day, same time: the beginning of Shavuot.

One is an advertisement for Shavuot services at our synagogue—a Tikkun Leil, or all-night study session—which includes my husband in the lineup. He is giving a lecture called “A Mountain Held Over Our Heads: On the Joyful Difficulty of Revelation?” The question mark is courtesy of the nice man who printed the flyer, and who probably didn’t understand the title, thought he needed confirmation, and forgot to get it. Continue reading →

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Posted in Jewish kids in nonJewish school, Shavuot

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Jewish Mommy Meme

Posted on 05/26/2009 | Comments Off on Jewish Mommy Meme

On May 23rd, blogger HomeShuling tagged me for her meme: a word I had to look up and still don’t know what it means.  Basically, HomeShuling sent six Shabbat-related questions out to several Jewish Mom Bloggers and the world at large, with a view to the construction of a virtual Shabbat.  To me, the method constitutes an online chain letter, which I normally shun (having been raised to think they are always suspect) but this time happily answered.  No secret agenda here, just community.
 Continue reading →

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Posted in Jewish parenting, Shabbat

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Shavuot links for families

Posted on 05/19/2009 | Comments Off on Shavuot links for families

Shavuot starts the evening of May 28. It’s a two-dayer here in the Diaspora, for those of us who do the extended versions of holidays. (Now is the time I start combing the web for gluten-free blintz recipes…..)

Today, I offer the start of the Shavuot link list on http://www.JewishEveryday.com. If you have any links to add, please leave a comment and I’ll wedge them in.

Again, I cannot help but notice that my own denomination, Conservative Judaism, is a bit under-represented. Why is it that other folks have better graphics and sites, generally speaking? I know the USCJ, the mother ship of us Conservos, is having its own tsouris at the moment, but I do wish they’d hire somebody web savvy to redesign everything and give us more PDFs of how-tos. Chabad, for example (with whom I have severe moshiach issues) leave us in the digital dust. I am hoping someone will prove me wrong by sharing some kicking conservative links.

Shavuot Resources:

• My Jewish Learning.com,

Shavuot

•  A Shavuot Primer (UJC)

•  URJ (Union for Reform Judaism) Shavuot Parent Pages

  1. •  “Best of the Web” Shavuot Links from the Jewish Agency for Israel

  2. •  Women’s League for Conservative Judaism, Shavuot

  3. •  Ima on and off the Bimah: last year’s blog entry about Shavuot

Sites for kids and parents together:

My Jewish Learning.com: Shavuot resources for kids

NSW Board of Jewish Education: BJE Academy

What is Shavuot, The 3 Pilgrim Festivals, Cool Things to Do for Shavuot, Shavuot Links

Akhlah.com: Traditions, Commandments, Vocabulary, Crafts

Torah Tots: All About Shavuot, the Story of Rurth, Fun & Games, Coloring Pages, Greeting Cards, Holiday Recipes

Chabad.org: Shavuot resources for children

Teacher Planet: Shavuot Resources (activities, crafts, links)

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Posted in Jewish parenting, Shavuot

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After Passover: Balabusta busted

Posted on 05/12/2009 | Comments Off on After Passover: Balabusta busted
Plague. How many frogs does one girl need?

Plague. How many frogs does one girl need?

I never actually claimed to be a balabusta. I said it was a title to which I aspired. So I can admit the following:
Until yesterday, all the Passover stuff was STILL OUT. We’ve been stepping over frogs and matzah trays and Miriam cups and place cards every day for weeks. I did put the Passover dishes away on time, but the decorations Continue reading →

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Posted in Jewish Toys, Passover

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Seder by skype

Posted on 04/15/2009 | Comments Off on Seder by skype
Bubbe in action. So much so, even the camera shook. A blurry shot of Bubbe singing Chad Gadya.

Bubbe in action. So much so, even the camera shook. A blurry shot of Bubbe singing Chad Gadya.

We live in Nashville.  Our families do not.  At Passover, we vie with all sorts of other events and obligations and complications to get family here for seder.  Usually, we must place our order for Bubbe at least a year in advance.  Bubbe, now a widow and free agent, triangulates amongst Nashville, Philly, and New York for her seders.  Although we placed our order for Pesach 2009 early enough, health issues cropped up that made this much-anticipated visit impractical.  So, we had to go another year without Bubbe’s famous Yemenite rendition of the Hallel, and without Bubbe’s table-slapping, wine-glass-spilling gusto throughout the whole, never-long-enough-for-Bubbe evening.

She spent seder #1 with the Philly mishpacha, just a short drive away from her Center City high-rise.  For seder #2, we figured she would settle Continue reading →

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Afikomen Treasure Hunt

Posted on 04/08/2009 | 4 comments
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Moses and the Pyramids

The last time I won a contest was when I was six.  I colored something, Mom sent it in, and months later, long after I’d forgotten about any contest, I got a box of 64 crayons in the mail; the kind of box with the built-in sharpener and the staggered stadium-seating for all 64 crisp, fragrant, pointy, Continue reading →

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Posted in Activity, Passover

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Baking with Dead Nana

Posted on 04/07/2009 | Comments Off on Baking with Dead Nana

from generation to generation: Passover bagels

from generation to generation: Passover bagels

    Passover bagels?  Isn’t that an oxymoron?  Nope.  And believe me, they are so unlike real bagels, they will not induce any guilt or doubt about the Spirit of the Law in those who may be prone to such feelings about fluffy kosher for Passover baked goods.  These bagels are heavy, sweet lumps devoid of all fluffiness, and are in every respect, kosher.

     When Dead Nana was very much alive, she contributed Pesach bagels to every seder.  They take the place of yeast rolls on the table, and are lovely at soaking up the juice from Aunt Bobbie’s brisket.  At dairy breakfasts, straight from the oven, Continue reading →

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Posted in Jewish Identity, Passover

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Big Decision for a Small Seder

Posted on 03/31/2009 | 1 comment
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darkness and boils

Passover is a huge deal at our house. Part of the hugeness comes from years of seder memories… family and friends squeezed into our tiny dining room, knocking our knees against the fold-up table legs, spilling wine on the once-a-year starched linen tablecloths, throwing fake plagues at each other, eating till we nearly spew. Ah, memories.

Actually, ALL of the hugeness comes from the seders. Our seders. When we have elected, for one reason or another, to go to someone else’s house for seder, we always regret it later. It just isn’t the same. We love the freedom Continue reading →

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Posted in Passover

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We Have Tam Tams

Posted on 03/31/2009 | Comments Off on We Have Tam Tams

Here in the Buckle, I expect to have trouble getting all the Passover groceries I want. The grocery stores, bless their hearts, seem to forget Jewish holidays change dates every year, and sometimes wait too late to put stuff on display. They hardly ever order the same things year to year, and I might just have to do without Bazooka bubble gum and mini-marshmallows. And the matzah: they don’t know from Passover vs. regular, so I always doublecheck the hecksher on the box.

Last year we had one box of matzah to last the whole week. I was calling friends to borrow a sheet of matzah just to eke out a second seder. But it wasn’t just me: Continue reading →

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Purim shortcuts

Posted on 03/09/2009 | 1 comment

tot-made. I love the blob in the foreground.

Happy Purim, everyone.  If you’ve waited until the last minute to think about costumes, see my emergency kid costume ideas at JewishEveryday com. White paper plates and even a lunch sack can become a crown in seconds, and a bathrobe or towel can be royal garb and cape. If your kid is young enough, this is good enough. If your kid is old enough to use the word “lame,” this is not good enough. Continue reading →

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