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Make your seder fun with one of these ideas

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Make your seder fun with one of these ideas

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Pick your favorite idea from the list and incorporate it into your family Seder. Take a picture and add into the comments -- check out the pictures from other students!

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As religious holidays go, Passover is pretty user-friendly. It can even be a great holiday for inviting non-Jewish friends to join in, since the primary activities are eating, storytelling, and playing with food-all universally appealing. From a kid perspective, though, it can sometimes feel like a whole lot of sitting around waiting for something better to eat than parsley. Extra verses of Grandpa singing Dayenu may have been enough to keep the party entertaining when we were kids, but let's face it, the bar has risen a little since then. To keep the retelling of the slaves' delivery out of Egypt lively for the next generation, we've collected 10 creative ways to make a Passover seder a little more fun for kids. This is not your mama's seder, but it should help to hold everyone's attention until the matzo balls arrive.

Most of the ideas below even work for a virtual seder; if you're gathering the tribe by conference call, leave room for a few giggles!

1. Plague Gift Bags

A seder is a party, right? So it only makes sense to have gift bags. The 10 plagues can be the most entertaining part of the meal with the right props; there is so much more potential in frogs and locusts than the traditional removal of a drop of wine for each. Fill everyone's bags with tchotchkes like plastic cows for the cattle disease, sunglasses or sleeping masks for darkness, maybe bandages for boils, or ketchup packets for blood-get creative! Put a bag o' plagues at each plate, and don't let anyone open them until the right part of the service!

2. Haggadah Scripts

The best part of a seder is participation, and there is a lot more that kids can read than just the Four Questions (though that bit is generally pretty darn adorable). If your haggadah (the Passover book read at a seder) is a traditional one that involves lots of monologues by Grandpa, why not divide it up into scripts in advance, so everyone has parts to read? The more often the reader changes, the more engaging the story. This is also a great opportunity to find out what a comedian Aunt Kayla can be, as she yucks up the wicked son and the simple son. As an added bonus, new readers can practice their parts in advance.

Smurfs, of course, cross the Blue Sea...

3. Set the table like the Red Sea

This is fun for kids to help out with before the dinner guests arrive: ask them to dig out a selection of LEGO figurines, superheroes, or any other set of small action figures, and set the table with two cloths of the same color to represent the water (blue works well, but so can red for the Red Sea). Lay the table with a gap down the middle, and the figurines can march down the middle to freedom.

4. Costume Party

Why not make it a costume seder? There are plenty of interesting characters, from pharaohs and Egyptian princesses to wandering Bedouins and burning bushes. This keeps the story lively, not to mention the holiday snapshots Instagram-worthy.

5. Passover Bingo

Here is an idea that takes some advance prep, but it guarantees everyone will pay attention. Make Bingo cards ahead of time with boxes to mark for pouring wine (that gets mentioned a lot), plagues, the four sons, Elijah, the Red Sea, Pharaoh, the various items on the seder plate, etc. Here is a link to a simple example, but you can also make the game more challenging by choosing some of the less obvious figures and objects. Don't forget to have prizes for the winners!

6. Hand Washing

This is a little more traditional, and really quite simple, but it's been a hit with the kids at my table every year. I learned when visiting Egypt that there is a mealtime tradition there to this day involving children bringing a pitcher of water around the table for adults to wash their hands before eating. A Passover light bulb switched on over my head, and now every year we bring out a fancy pitcher, bowl, and linen towel that the kids carry around the table to the adults when the hagaddah requires hand washing. The kids pour water for us and then for each other, from biggest to littlest.

Hand washing was never so much fun.

7. Plague Charades

There really is endless fun to be had from those plagues. When it's time to list all the awful things that happened because Pharaoh hesitated to let Moses' people go, everyone can take turns acting out each plague (which the others need to guess) until you've gone through all 10.

8. Elijah Says

If Elijah manages to drain the cup of wine in the center of the table unseen, why shouldn't he also whisper something in someone's ear? Start off with the person who "heard" Elijah sharing the message with the person next to him, and then send it around the table in a game of telephone until it becomes something (presumably) quite different by the end.

9. Red Sea Splitting

By the time the Red Sea opens up, everyone could use an excuse to get on his feet. Take a blanket (preferably red), lay it on the ground, and re-enact the part when the sea engulfs the Egyptians. Did anyone dance like Miriam watching the rest go down? Discuss.

10. Post Afikoman Theater

Obviously the best game-the scavenger hunt for a half piece of matzo-is built right into the service. There are all sorts of ways to draw out the fun of the hiding, finding, and ransoming of the bit of unleavened bread symbolizing dessert, aka the afikoman, but what about the aftermath? When grown-ups are digesting and waiting for the effects of those four glasses of wine to wear off? Suggest that the kids create a play using all of the story elements from the meal. The more kids at the seder, the more entertaining this after-dinner show can be (particularly if you don't shortchange anyone on that fourth glass of Maneschewitz). Enjoy the goofiness, and Happy Passover!

Pharaoh takes his bow.
Originally published in 2017

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Passover with Kids: 10 Ways To Make Seders More Fun for Little Kids | Mommy Poppins - Things to Do with Kids

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As religious holidays go, Passover is pretty user-friendly. It can even be a great holiday for inviting non-Jewish friends to join in, since the primary activities are eating, storytelling, and playing with food-all universally appealing. From a kid perspective, though, it can sometimes feel like a whole lot of sitting around waiting for something better to eat than parsley.

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This fun 8-minute video is a fun introduction to Passover for kids.

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Watch this video and discuss why we hide the Afikomen (link for reference :https://bit.ly/2wlAtM9)

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Read what passover is about and discuss with your child. Post your answers in a comment below.

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Play this game with your family to have an interactive experience of all 10 plagues! Which is your favorite? Take a picture and share below

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Camp JRF produced an activity book for families. Below is a ritual that is fun for the entire family and guaranteed to add fun to your /Passover season!

The goal is to have each team move the "blood" from one bucket to the next by each person running with the spoon and moving one spoon of water from one bucket to the next. Have them repeat until they reach the "fill to" line. Make the race easier by keeping the "fill to" line low or only allowing tribe members to walk.

2. Frogs, Frogs, Frogs, everywhere!

It is time to play leapfrog! Have everyone crouch down in a single file line. Have the player from the back of the line leap over each player and then crouch in the beginning of the line. The race is over when everyone has had a turn. Tight on space? Have tribe members leap frog in pairs to a designated location and back. The race is completed by everyone participating.

There are many types of insects, so there are a few different moves. Feel free to pick one insect and go with it or have people alternate what type of insect they are. The race is completed once the entire tribe passes the finish line.

Camp JRF is a joyful and welcoming Jewish youth community that transforms lives. We provide innovative, creative, and engaging programs for youth from across North America and the world. As an inclusive community, we welcome children from a wide range of family structures, religious practices, and socio-economic backgrounds. At the center of our Reconstructionist philosophy is a deep commitment to building a community in which we all are welcome to grow and thrive.
https://campjrf.org/

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Camp JRF produced an activity book for families. Below is a ritual that is fun for the entire family and guaranteed to add fun to your /Passover season! The goal is to have each team move the "blood" from one bucket to the next by each person running with the spoon and moving one spoon of water from one bucket to the next.

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With this family activity, make an encouragement stone. We'll share together as a class what we've made!

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Think about how you shared passover with your family.  Pick your favorite item from the seder, take a picture, and share with the class what it represents and why it's your favorite. To share, add to the family sharing space for this week.

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Make some fun passover meals at home with the whole family!
Let us know which recipes you chose and share a photo of the finished result to the family sharing space. Bon appetit!

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While there are plenty of gorgeous, kid-approved dinner ideas for Passover available online, and breakfast ideas a-plenty, lunch plans are a little harder to come by. Most of the ones we looked at just read: "leftovers" or "matzah-sandwich" over and over.

We surveyed parents on our staff and who run local PJ Library programs about their tried-and true-Passover lunch ideas and came up with this list of nine crowd-pleasers. You'll find main dish ideas that travel well and can be packed for school or lunch on the go, plus a list of snacks to round out your meal.

Do you have any suggestions to add? Share your ideas on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

CAULIFLOWER PIZZA

Cauliflower pizza crust is a snap to make and the kids can choose their own toppings and help with the creation too. You can also use this "crust" as a base for sandwich toppings or roll ups. If you're pressed for time or want to shake things up, try these Cauliflower Pizza Bites. There are tons of cauliflower pizza crust recipes available online. To start, try this one from Joy of Kosher.

PASSOVER ROLLS / POPOVERS

image via King Arthur

Whether you call them rolls or popovers, these little faux-bread puffs are a treat on their own or stuffed with egg, tuna, or chicken salad. If you need a strictly vegetarian meal, try sending these with a thermos of soup and some cheese slices for a filling, comforting lunch. There are many variations on this recipe, here's one to start you off.

SOUPS

Hearty soups travel well when packed in a thermos. During Passover week you can experiment with one of our favorite recipes, Fire Roasted Tomato Soup. You can also send in leftover matzah ball soup from your seder, always a hit.

MINI KUGELS

DELI ROLLUPS

CHEESY POTATO PANCAKES

image via Just a Taste

LETTUCE-WRAPPED BURGERS

CUCUMBER CUPS

RATATOUILLE & CASSEROLES

image via Tori Avey

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While there are plenty of gorgeous, kid-approved dinner ideas for Passover available online, and breakfast ideas a-plenty, lunch plans are a little harder to come by. Most of the ones we looked at just read: "leftovers" or "matzah-sandwich" over and over.

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Click the + icon below and upload your photos and videos!

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Experience the sights, smells, and tastes of Jerusalem!

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Experience the sights, smells, and tastes of Jerusalem!

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Grover takes us through the streets of Jerusalem in this 4.5 minute video.

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Learn about Israel's Independence Day in this fun 3 minute video.

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4 principles for talking about Israel with children

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4 principles for talking about Israel with children

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This article has some interesting ideas to help with discussions about Israel with your children.

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We no longer know how to talk to our children and grandchildren about Israel.

At one time, we did. In the early days of the Jewish State, we were overwhelmed by the miracle of Israel. This was Israel's heroic period, and we viewed her in transcendental terms-more as a faith than as a place. In our eyes, every Israeli was a soldier-philosopher, a swamp-drainer, or a Zionist dreamer.

But this couldn't last, of course. Not every Israeli is a hero; in fact, Israelis turn out to be pretty much like the rest of us. More important, with the Jewish State firmly established, the tasks of her citizenry have shifted from state building to state maintenance-a very difficult and far less glamorous task.

American Jews have made the adjustment, up to a point. They can now look upon Israel lovingly but realistically and not expect Israel to be some kind of Jewish Disneyland. They can understand that unconditional love is not uncritical love. They can care deeply about Israel while seeing her for what she is: A country of people at war with her neighbors, and unsure, after millennia of dependence on others, of how to conduct her own affairs.

Still, there are many very difficult and complicated educational challenges that remain. Perhaps the most obvious example is the question of the territories occupied by Israel in 1967. On the one hand, Israel is a small, vulnerable country surrounded by enemies, many of whom are dedicated to her destruction. At the same time, Israel has occupied the West Bank, populated by 2.5 million Palestinians, since 1967. This occupation came about because of Arab threats to exterminate the Jewish State, threats that are still heard today.

Among Israeli political leaders, there are significant differences about what should be done to hasten the end of the occupation. Some Israeli politicians say that Israel is doing all that she can in view of Arab and Palestinian rejection of Israel's right to exist. Other Israeli leaders say that Israel should be doing more to limit Jewish settlement in the territories and to encourage moderation in Palestinian ranks; in this view, peace may not be possible now but Israel could be doing a better job of keeping options for peace open. And precisely because we North American Jews are so involved with Israel, there is no way that Israel could be engaged in this heated debate without Jews here taking sides. And we have taken sides. Differences on these issues, and other issues, exist in every synagogue and in most Jewish families.

The problem becomes: How do we deal with such difficult matters when talking to our children and grandchildren? How do we respond to the media coverage of Israel, some of which is accurate but much of which is outrageously slanted and distorted? How do we deal with our own confusions about Israel when trying to talk to our kids? The following are four principles to consider, recognizing that adjustments will be made depending upon the age of the child:

Principle #1: Tell your kids that we Jews are a family and that the Jews of Israel are a big and important part of that family.

Kids understand families. They know that they have families that they live with and family members - aunts, uncles, cousins - that live elsewhere. They know that families stay in touch with each other and care about each other. They know that families are tied together by the things they share: experiences, memories, and happy and sad occasions. They also know that family members don't always agree on things and sometimes get mad at each other, but they are still family and they still love each other.

The idea of family is the starting point for talking about Israel. We must avoid the temptation to spend too much time on current affairs and the morning's headline. A child of five or six cannot understand issues of war and peace or borders and human rights. And as children grow older, all that we teach them about Israel must be built on a foundation of connection, attachment, caring, and love, which are best presented as aspects of our Jewish family ties.

And why are Jews a family? Because we have the same ancestors, of course. And because we celebrate the same holidays, observe the same rituals, have many of the same values, study the same books, and share the same history. Our kids and grandkids should have a sense of this, of course, from the lives that we live at home and from the synagogues where we spend time with other Jews. There are plenty of differences among Jews, to be sure, but there are many, many things that tie us together and create connections that we may not have with other people.

Principle #2: Tell your kids that Israel is a very special place because it is the only Jewish country in the world.

Israel is a Jewish country because most of the people who live there - more than 3 out of 4 - are Jewish. As a Jewish country, Israel is different from any other country. It is the one place where the national holidays are Jewish holidays, where Hebrew - the language of the Jewish people - is the language of everyday, where the national anthem is Jewish, and where a Jewish army not only protects the citizens of Israel but is concerned about the safety of Jews everywhere.

As the world's only Jewish country, Israel is a place where any Jew can go at any time, no questions asked. When Russian Jews and Ethiopian Jews were oppressed in their homelands and needed a place where they could be safe and openly Jewish, Israel was the country that let them in and embraced them.

It is certainly true that Judaism can be practiced anywhere, and that North American Jews have created a vibrant Jewish life that is in no way inferior to the Judaism of Israel. Nonetheless, Israel offers a kind of Jewish experience that is not available elsewhere, and if Judaism is to thrive, both communities must constantly learn from each other.

Principle #3: Tell your children again and again that Israel is a vibrant democracy in a desert of dictatorships.

By stressing Israel's democratic character, we are emphasizing those shared values that are the basis of the alliance between Israel and the United States and Canada. We are also teaching them that Israel is a country capable of orderly change, and that we need not always agree with the policies of her government, just as Democrats and Republicans need not agree on their policies. We can be certain that those policies will be subject to the intense debate characteristic of all democracies, and that, in time, they will give way to new policies fashioned by new leaders.

Principle #4: Always tell the truth when talking to your children about Israel.

This is painfully obvious, yet there is often pressure not to tell the truth about Israel. I know many people who simply can never admit that Israel is wrong.

I understand this. Israel is a tiny country still not secure about her future or very existence. Who would not be reluctant to criticize, lest our criticisms be misused or misunderstood?

Still, my experience is that our children will forgive us most things, but they will not forgive us if we lose our objectivity or fail to tell the truth. And the subject of Israel is no exception to this rule.

But we have no reason at all to fear the truth as long we are telling the whole story. Because the story is heroic and inspiring. It is the story of a country where so many have chosen, in large ways and small, to preserve those ideals of social justice, Jewish unity, and universal values that were the dreams of Israel's founders. It is a story that cannot help but make us proud. And if Israel is not all that we would like her to be, then we will struggle with her, argue with her, and love her all the more, working as partners to assure the Jewish future.

This is the story that we must tell our children and grandchildren, and if we do, they will understand Israel's importance to them and to Jews everywhere.
Rabbi Eric Yoffie is the president emeritus of the Union for Reform Judaism, the congregational arm of the Reform Jewish Movement in North America that represents 1.5 million Reform Jews in 900 synagogues across the United States and Canada; he served as president from 1996 to 2012. He lectures and writes about Israel and the Middle East, interfaith relations, social justice, ethics, American Jewish life, and American religious life. Read his writings at ericyoffie.com.

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How to Talk to Our Children and Grandchildren about Israel

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How do we respond to the media coverage of Israel, some of which is accurate but much of which is outrageously slanted and distorted? How do we deal with our own confusions about Israel when trying to talk to our kids? Here are four principles to consider for guiding your discussion with children.

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Can also make them as gifts and send to family!

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Ages 4 - 10

It is traditional to place a decorative cover over the challah or bread on your Shabbat table until you are ready to say thanks and eat it. Young kids will be so proud to see their own challah cover occupy a place of honor. This also makes an excellent grandparent gift!

Materials

a piece of fabric approximately 11"x17" or a new handkerchief

stencils or printouts of images or words to trace

fabric paint or fabric markers

tacky glue or hot glue gun

beads, jewels, or other craft embellishments

Directions

Tape down the four corners of the fabric. Trace and/or color in lettering, draw freehand, glue on decorations, or whatever feels festive. Let your kids go wild! Lay your challah cover flat to dry, then place it atop your challah on Shabbat.

All Jewish holidays begin with the lighting of candles at sundown (or, whenever you eat dinner.) This craft for children ages 5 - 10 results in great candlestick holders for your family to use, or to offer your Shabbat guests to use, and to create a festive ambiance at your Shabbat table.

Materials

Glass tea light holders (round or flower-shaped)
glass paints
assorted jewels/rhinestones
white glue or hot glue gun
tea lights (use tea lights pre-loaded in metal cups - the glass holders can break if heated directly by flame)

Directions

1. Use a combination of glass paints and jewels/rhinestones to decorate each glass candleholder.

2. Leave time to make sure the paints are dry and the jewels are firmly affixed.

3. Put tea lights in.

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Ages 4 - 10 It is traditional to place a decorative cover over the challah or bread on your Shabbat table until you are ready to say thanks and eat it. Young kids will be so proud to see their own challah cover occupy a place of honor.

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Enjoy a Friday evening as a family. Take a picture and share it in the comments!

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For any family wanting to occupy a few hours before bedtime, a game night is a great way to get the whole family involved in something engaging and active. Plus, playing games together helps kids develop their communication and critical thinking skills and gives budding readers a chance to hone their close reading as well. And unplugging doesn't mean you're completely winding down. The family game night ideas in this post will keep your family giggling all the way through Havdalah.

Planning a Shabbat family game night that's fun for all ages may feel like a major operation, especially when you don't have a clue about what the whole family can enjoy together. How do you connect four people when it seems like personal devices have a monopoly on life? And if you run into trouble, or the dreaded "I'm bored"s, is it worth the hassle to start over and try another game? Luckily, there are TONS of options out there for family game night, and for those families who are Shabbat observant, there are plenty of Shabbat-friendly games that don't require writing or other tools and instruments. And if your kids don't love what you play at first, encourage them to work together and use their creativity to come up with a game of their own.

Check out the categories below to find a bunch of different suggestions to try with your family.

Timed Games

You can create just about any fun challenge based on the "Minute to Win It" format, in which each player has 60 seconds to complete one task as many times as possible. Examples include:

Knock It

Also called "The Elephant Game" or "Elephant Bowling," this hilarious game is a hit with players of all ages. Place a tennis ball in a tube sock or stocking, and then put the stocking on your head (you should be able to gently swing the ball by moving your head around). Then set up several full water bottles like bowling pins, and, without using your hands, try to swing the ball and knock over as many bottles as possible.

Fill It

Move water (or blocks or cotton balls) from one container to another using just a spoon held in your mouth (or behind your back or blindfolded).

Card Games

Card games don't need to be the focus of the evening, but it's helpful to be able to just pull out a deck and start. Bridge and poker can be a little complicated for younger kids, but there are plenty of card games that most ages can enjoy.
Want a good laugh? Ask your kids to make up a card game on the spot. Chances are that your older children have an arsenal of games learned at summer camp. Toddlers and preschoolers will likely create some variation of a game where the outcome is that they win no matter what.
Go Fish

It's a classic, and not too complicated. Take turns trying to complete sets of four of the same number by asking other players if they have a particular card. If the person you ask does have that card, they have to give it to you, and you get to ask again. If you ask someone and they don't have that card, you have to "go fish" by picking up a new card from the deck.

Spoons

This game is similar to Go Fish, in that the goal is to acquire sets of four, but it has an added musical chairs element. Start off with four cards in each player's hand and a pile of spoons in the middle. There should be one less spoon than the number of players. The dealer takes a fifth card and discards one, passing the discarded card to the left, then that player discards a card, and so on until it gets back to the dealer, who draws a new card. When a player collects four of a kind, she discreetly takes a spoon from the spoon pile. As others notice that a spoon has been taken, everyone else rushes to grab a spoon, and the person left without a spoon is out for that round.
Looking for more ideas? Visit the Bicycle Cards website for the card maker's three favorite family-time card games. Is that play tunnel collecting dust? Not anymore!
Active Games

During summer, family game night usually means starting while the sun's still out. Need to get outside for a change of scenery? Or do you just need to get up and move? You can exert some energy and get out the wiggles even if you don't have traditional sports equipment on hand.

Obstacle Course

If you have room in the backyard or can safely make room in the house, put together a simple obstacle course with things to jump over, walk along, or traverse around. For a single-event variation, try "hot lava" in which you try to get across the yard or living room without touching the floor. Of course you'll have to be okay with taking a few pillows off the couch.

Sardines

This twist on hide and seek means that one person is the hider, and everyone else is a seeker. Seekers then join the hider(s) in their hiding spot when they discover them, until the last person finds all the sardines cramped together, which usually isn't too difficult because of the giggling that ensues.

Need more ideas? Try these 7 Outdoor Activities that Build Reading Skills

No-Prep Games

If you need a last-minute game and don't have immediate access to supplies (or would prefer not to have to dig through the closet), you can always pull out an improvisation game.

The whole family getting in on the charades action.

Charades

The tried and true pantomime game can be played multiple ways. You can work in pairs, in small teams, or just act out titles of books, movies, and TV shows for the whole family or group.

Telephone

The simple game of whispering a phrase from one person to another and seeing if the phrase remains intact by the end is easy and hysterical, especially for kids. For something a little different, another easy speaking game is the one-word-at-a-time story, in which each person in turn adds the next word to the story.

More:

5 Super Easy No-Prep Activities for Toddlers
Indoor Game: The Imagination Vacation
15 Boredom Busters for Days You're Stuck Inside
Family Activity: Make a Question Jar

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9 Fun and Easy Ideas for a Shabbat Family Game Night

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For any family wanting to occupy a few hours before bedtime, a game night is a great way to get the whole family involved in something engaging and active. Plus, playing games together helps kids develop their communication and critical thinking skills and gives budding readers a chance to hone their close reading as well.

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Try these science experiments with from Jewish Summer Camp

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Try these science experiments with from Jewish Summer Camp

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At URJ 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy, a Reform Jewish summer camp with locations in Byfield, MA, and Thousand Oaks, CA, every summer morning starts with a "Boker Big Bang" - a brief prayer followed by a (contained) explosion. Here are a few of the camp's favorite experiments.
Safety First:

Always have an adult present when doing experiments

Always wear protective eyewear and pull hair back

Wear protective gloves when needed

1. Soda Geyser / Mentos in Coke
This experiment produces a physical reaction, rather than a chemical reaction: Carbon dioxide in the coke makes it fizzy, and when the Mentos are added the carbon dioxide molecules attach to the Mentos. This makes a lot of bubbles that rise and push the soda out of the bottle with a whoooooosh! This experiment comes from the American Chemical Society.
Procedure:

Cut a piece of paper so that it is as wide as a roll of Mentos.

Wrap the paper around the pack of Mentos to make a tube. Use masking tape to tape the tube closed.

Remove the pack of Mentos from the tube.

Close off one end of the tube by cutting a little circle or square of paper and taping it to one end of the tube.

Open the pack of Mentos and place all of them in the tube. Slowly and carefully open a new bottle of Diet Coke.

Place it on a flat area outside where it's OK to get wet with soda.

Put the open end of your tube of Mentos on the card and place it directly over the opening of the soda bottle.

When you are ready, remove the card and let all the Mentos drop into the soda at once and quickly move out of the way.

2. Homemade Ice Cream in a Bag
The key to making delicious creamy ice cream is for the frozen crystals to be as small as possible, which happens when the mixture freezes extremely quickly. If we just put the mixture in the freezer, we'd come out with a solid block of frozen cream. Instead, by adding salt to the bag of ice, we lower the temperature at which water freezes.

Salt and other substances that dissolve in water interfere with the molecular bonding that allows water to freeze and form a solid. This is called freezing point depression, artificially lowering the freezing point of ice causing water to freeze and melt below 0 degrees Celsius.

Melting is an endothermic reaction, meaning that it requires heat. Therefore, by lowering the freezing point of the ice, it will absorb more heat from its surrounding (mostly the ice cream mixture) in order to melt. This will cause the ice cream mixture to freeze more quickly than if the ice melted at 0 degrees Celsius and therefore produce delicious and creamy ice cream.

This experiment comes from Rabbi Rebecca Rosenthal, who shared three ways to make ice cream for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot.

Materials:
Quart-sized Ziploc bag
Gallon-sized Ziploc bag
Ice (about 30 cubes)
¾ cup kosher salt
1 pint (2 cups) half and half
2 tablespoons of sugar
¾ tsp vanilla and/or any other flavorings you want to try
Oven mitts or a towel
Procedure:

Pour half and half into the smaller bag, and add sugar, vanilla, and any other flavorings.

Push out extra air and seal carefully.

Fill larger bag with ice and salt, place smaller bag inside, and seal well. (Be careful to seal the bags well so they don't leak!)

Using oven mitts or a towel, shake bag gently for 10 minutes, until contents of smaller bag are frozen.

Open the smaller bag and enjoy your ice cream!

Newton's Third Law of Motion teaches that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. As air leaves the balloon in one direction, the car is propelled in the opposite direction.

Materials:
Cardboard, foam, or Styrofoam trays (typically about 8″ x 6″; ask the butcher at your supermarket for them)
Template: click here to download
Permanent marker
Scissors and tape
Balloon (any size, but the bigger it is, the farther the car will travel)
Bendy straw (any size)
Straight pins (about 1 ¼″ long)
Procedure:

Use the template to trace and cut out one rectangle, four wheels, and four smaller hubcaps from the cardboard, Styrofoam, or foam.

Blow up the balloon, then let the air out to make it easier to blow up later.

Tape the opening of the balloon around the short end of the flexible straw so that no air can escape. You'll still be able to inflate it by blowing into the straw.

Tape the long end of the straw down the middle of the rectangle with the open tip hanging off the back.

Push the pins through the center of the hubcaps, then into the center of the wheels, and then into the edges of the rectangle. Leave a tiny bit of space between each to be sure the wheels can rotate.

Blow up the balloon through the straw and then pinch the end of the straw closed.

Place the car on the floor and let it go!

If you try any of these experiments, don't forget to show us on social media! You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and you can always use the hashtag #ReformJudaism.

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3 Fun At-Home Science Experiments from Jewish Summer Camp

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At URJ 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy, a Reform Jewish summer camp with locations in Byfield, MA, and Thousand Oaks, CA, every summer morning starts with a "Boker Big Bang" - a brief prayer followed by a (contained) explosion. Here are a few of the camp's favorite experiments.

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This is a fun and simple activity to get creative. You could post them in your window and do a tour of your classmate's home to see them all!

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This simple craft is perfect for kids ages 3 - 6 to celebrate Yom HaAtzmaut (Israeli Independence Day). Wave them at a Yom HaAtzmaut parade or display them in your windows at home to show people you're celebrating the State of Israel's independence.

Materials

Blue construction paper

White construction paper

Glue stick

Gold glitter glue

Directions

1. Instead of using scissors, have kids tear blue paper strips.

2. Paste the strips to the top and bottom of a sheet of white construction paper.

3. Cut six smaller strips and set them up in the shape of a Star of David in the center of the white paper. Glue them down.

4. Use the glitter glue to enhance the flag by glittering the blue stripes and the Star of David.

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This simple craft is perfect for kids ages 3 - 6 to celebrate Yom HaAtzmaut (Israeli Independence Day). Wave them at a Yom HaAtzmaut parade or display them in your windows at home to show people you're celebrating the State of Israel's independence.

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Except during passover ;)

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This is a Jewish egg bread, often braided for a beautiful presentation. Top it with sesame or poppy seeds or try adding raisins to the batter for a special touch.

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Making your own matzah breads is a wonderful way to prepare for Passover.

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YouTube playlist for hebrew blessings and Passover songs

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YouTube playlist for hebrew blessings and Passover songs

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https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHRc-phLwOCpFXxtE5wf7FDdR7EYmAlLi

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We baked challah and made fun shapes, like Hamsa and grapes 🍇. We hiked and played tennis and took walks and played games at home. We made mobiles with driftwood and beads. We watched movies and played video games.

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Pjlibrary.org has great Passover ideas:)

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Hummus Recipe...mmmm

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Hummus is a staple of Israeli cuisine and a favorite snack of many PJ Library characters. Looking for an easy family activity? Try making some hummus! Once you've made your own, you may never go back to the store-bought kind.

This Activity Works With These Books:

INGREDIENTS

5 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons water
6 tablespoons lemon juice
16 ounces/450g canned chickpeas,
drained
½ teaspoon salt
1 or 2 cloves garlic

DIRECTIONS

1. Blend tahini, water, and lemon juice in a food processor or blender.

2. Add chickpeas, salt, and garlic, and pulse ingredients until incorporated, then blend until smooth.

3. Dip veggies, bread, or whatever you like.

TIP: Don't have a blender? Use a whisk to mix your tahini, water and lemon juice. You can smash your chickpeas with a fork or potato masher.
MORE

Tour Israel with These Picture Books
Yom Ha'atzmaut Holiday Page

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Hummus is a staple of Israeli cuisine and a favorite snack of many PJ Library characters. Looking for an easy family activity? Try making some hummus! Once you've made your own, you may never go back to the store-bought kind.