Jewish Holidays are a golden opportunity for us to instill life lessons in our students...
and at the same time help the students realize that our Jewish history is not a bunch of stories that remain in the books- they are stories that come to life- with relevant, living lessons!
We pride ourselves in taking a step back, visualizing the story through the eyes of a two, three or four year old...and only then- choosing how to tell the story, so that the lesson we want them to gain- is bright and clear!
Traditionally the Purim story goes....
There's a big king who got rid of his pimply wife vashti... chooses a new Jewish queen named Esther.... and she is a key factor in saving the Jewish people from the wicked Haman who wanted to kill us all.
At Gan Camarillo...
(The story illuminated by Chassidus- click here for "What is Chassidus?")
We wanted ESTHER & MORDECHAI to receive as much of the lime-light as possible! We wanted the children to emulate and want to be like Mordechai & Esther.
According to Chassidus, it was Mordechai's teaching Torah to the Jewish Children, in the face of Haman's decree not to- that tipped the scale for the savior of the Jewish people.
Mordechai was a PRESCHOOL TEACHER! There was nothing more important to him, than giving every Jewish child a Jewish education, to ensure the continuation of our people. He did this holy work and it was from this merit that we are celebrating today!
So...this is how the story played out at Gan...
Before introducing the palace with kings and queens... we wanted to ensure our students recognized WHO Mordechai and Esther were.
We spent this week focusing on:
ESTHER AND MORDECHAI'S JEWISH HOME.
It was amazing to watch what unfolded this past week as we lay the foundations for the Purim story.
The children were welcomed by Esther and Mordechai on either side of the 'hall way'.
Our dramatic play center turned into "Mordechai & Esther's Jewish home."
We filled their home with items that might have been found if we went back in time and were invited by Mordechai and Esther themselves.
Lots of Judaica, Shabbat supplies: candles, challah, flowers...
We put out stuffed stocking challah's for the children to practice braiding Challah!
Torah scroll, tzedaka.
Aron observing Jacob practicing his three braid technique
Chani lighting the Shabbat candle. We used wording like "you are lighting just like Esther" to really make them feel connected to the characters of the Purim Story.
Shua giving Tzedakah which is also a great fine motor skill!
In the 'hall way' we placed pictures of the children doing mitzvahs to make that connection that just like Mordechai and Esther-- we are doing such beautiful mitzvahs!!
(The pictures included;:A picture of when we went to a lady in Leisure
village to give her a pumpkin pie, Shabbos party, hugging a friend etc)
'Mini Mini Gan'
Being that Mordechai taught the Jewish Children Torah....we made a miniature "Gan" classroom, as an extension of Mordechai & Esther's Jewish home!
It included a circle time center- (similar to our circle time area) for the children to role play teaching children Torah.
It was also quite funny watching them mimic us Morah's! :)
We placed a miniature 'mitzvah tree' for all the mitzvah notes that they can write for one of the dolls or a friend. Alef beis chart with a siddur to daven at circle time, Torah's to hug. All very real to them and now had a new meaning---> Mordechai did this too!!
Watch this one minute video we caught, of the little ones "role-playing" in Mordechai's Mini Mini Gan!
Levi offers shua to help him find the place, and the overflowing atmosphere of love and kindness is so sweet to watch !
To give them some memories of our circle time we placed pictures on the wall of the miniature classroom of past circle times.
This was also a great discussion starter amongst the children.
Menucha and Mendel being co- teachers ;)
It was also great to see the cooperation amongst them taking turns, picking what songs they will sing and some of them made up new rules for their class!
Yitzi role playing Mordechai. He had a great turn out!
Rochel being a multi tasking teacher singing Alef beis, giving out stickers and managed to write mitzvah notes (notice the tree) for her whole class.
Reena saying word for word of the Shema prayer
Aron was so proud of his doll that he received a sticker !
Yehudis got many stickers from Morah Rochel! :)
What was so beautiful to see was the children connecting to Mordechai and Esther through out the day!
Here we were in middle of davening and the tzedakah helper by mistake dropped the tzedakah box and they all rushed to help "just like mordechai and esther would do!".
Aron dressing up as Mordechai. After being asked where he was headed ;
"To chabad" :)
Menucha said she was Esther making salad for poor people.
Our circle times took place in Mordechai and Esthers home and we had many discussions about all the beautiful mitzvah's they would do just like them! So empowering!
Turned into a challah class, one day these boys will be amazing husbands G-d willing ;)!
Levi was very proud of the mitzvah sticker he received at the end of the day.
Rochel enjoying some sensory fun creating designs with the paint inside a bag.
