model closed
I told the story of Jonah and the Dag Gadol (a.k.a. the Whale) today using one simple origami prop: the paper boat that, with a sleight of hand, becomes a giant pair of jaws (the Whale). Jonah was a pompom, which the sailors tossed into the sea (the floor), and which was then swallowed by the whale, only to be spewed later onto Dry Land. I had SO much fun with this. Continue reading
This can be Jonah getting swallowed OR spewed
I made more Jewish tangrams—this time for Yom Kippur. You supply the story of Jonah and the Whale, and kids can mess around with tangrams to represent the Dag Gadol (big fish), Jonah’s boat, and Jonah. Do them in order and you’ve got the whole story.
Narrative play!
I dare you to make the withered vine, too.
These patterns will get you started: puzzles and solutions. Continue reading
Posted in Activity, Crafts, Jewish Toys, Rosh Hashanah / Yom Kippur
pull tail to launch Jonah
“Spewed.” This is my favorite word in the Jonah story, and it’s legit: “The Lord commanded the fish, and it spewed Jonah out upon dry land (JPS).” Other translations say “vomited,” which is almost as amusing. So, naturally, my Yom Kippur craft must be a whale that spews.
You know the popular coffee cup/balloon marshmallow popper? Simple, brilliant, irresistible. I’ve repurposed it as a whale, a.k.a. “dag gadol” (big fish).* The cup is the whale, the balloon is the tail and launcher. The ammo is Jonah, and Jonah is . . . a pompom.
These whales can launch a pompom 15 feet easy and hit ceilings with a satisfying smack. I dare anyone not to like launching Jonah. Continue reading
yonah and the dag gadol
Yes, I know we don’t eat during Yom Kippur, but kids do, and my kid will be eating these. As will all the children at my syagogue’s young family service, right after they crawl through the Belly of the Whale (a play tunnel).
Kveller.com just published my post about repurposing a store-bought snack into an instant, Jewish holiday food.
I invite you to read it at Kveller: “A Whale of a Snack for Yom Kippur.” And, if it passes muster (or mustard), can you “like” it there, please, so that Kveller will know someone is reading it?
Meanwhile, there is still time to buy a bag of Bugles for another “Jewish” snack: edible shofars. Continue reading
Posted in Activity, Edible Craft, Rosh Hashanah / Yom Kippur
Tagged edible shofar, Jonah, shofar, whale
use old toys to dramatize Jonah and the Whale
Looking for crafty things to do with kids to prepare for Yom Kippur?
One theme is Jonah and the Whale. It’s the story we’re all going to hear on the afternoon of Yom Kippur, whether we are in the big sanctuary or in the kids’ service. Jonah’s tale is supposed to make us think about all sorts of Jewish values/middot: obedience, faith, repentance and forgiveness, to name the biggees. Yom Kippur is one heavy-duty holiday.
For little kids, I’m keeping the holiday simple. My ideal Jonah and the Whale take-home message is: Jonah screwed up, said he was sorry, and then did what he was supposed to do in the first place. Loosely, this is teshuvah, or repentance. But, still, the story is tricky. Far easier to extrapolate is the scary take-home message: if you screw up, God lets a whale eat you. Pretty creepy. To nip that in the bud, Continue reading
Posted in Activity, Crafts, Jewish Toys, Rosh Hashanah / Yom Kippur
Tagged Jonah, whale, Yom Kippur
Swim Noodle Menorah
LEGO Gragger
Altoids tin travel menorah
Spin it, Eat it: The Caramel Dreidel
Edible dreidels, regular and mini
Jonah and the Whale Cracker
DIY Lego Mezuzah
PEZ + Mezuzah = PEZuzah
Menurkey (repurposed figurine)
DIY LEGO dreidel
LEGO minifig Passover seder table
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Bible Belt Balabusta 
