3-Spiritual

= THE S PIRITUAL = (ideas that elevate us)

**Introducing Oneself to God **
﻿1) Have students imagine that they are going with their parents to a Bar/Bat Mitzvah party at the synagogue. Use the following script with them: There are hundreds of people at the Bar/Bat Mitzvah party. You are seated with your friends at one table and your parents are seated at another table. During the meal you decide to take a walk around the lobby. Just as you reach the lobby, you notice a guest about to leave. To your shock and amazement, you realize that the departing guest is (have class insert name of a famous person). Your parents have mentioned on a number of occasions that they know (famous person) personally. They grew up in the same area of town and even went to school together. Occasionally, they still see one another at parties and school reunions. In fact, one time they brought you an autographed picture of (famous person). You want to meet (famous person), but unfortunately there won't be enough time for you to rush back in and get your parents to make a formal introduction. (Famous person) has just taken his/her coat from the coat room. Without a moment's delay, you rush over to (famous person) and introduce yourself by saying the following: (Have students come up to the front and introduce themselves.)

After the role play, use the following to help you debrief:
 * How many students introduced themselves by saying: I'm so and so's son/daughter?
 * Why do we sometimes introduce ourselves by first stating our relatives? [Answers might include: making connections with family, or, if the person has fond memories of/feelings toward your relatives, maybe s/he will see you in the same light]
 * Why does the אָבוֹת-אִמָהוֹת  have us “introduce” ourselves to God using the names of these Jewish ancestors?

2) When Jacob prays to God in בְּרֵאשִׁית/  Genesis 32:10 begins his prayer, “God of my (grand)father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac.” As Jacob prays, he reminds God who //he// is in relationship to the ancestors who came before him. Ask the class why they think he felt the need to do this? [You may find it interesting to read the rest of Jacob’s prayer with the class, too, through 32:13.]

** Thinking about and Experiencing God **
NOTE: This blessing says, אֱלֹהֵי ** נוּ ** - our God. As we pray, besides connecting to the God of others (God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, etc), we are reminded that on a personal level we connect to Our God. Also, when we say אַתָּה (We praise YOU), we make God more personal.

3) Give students a file card and ask them to write on it some words that they would use to describe God, as they understand God. Then, using an English version, ask students to find the words that describe God in the אָבוֹת-אִמָהוֹת . To do this they might:  <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As a class, make a list of all these words and then compare them to the words the students put on their cards. How are they the same? How are they different? How do the words of the rabbis who wrote this blessing (at least 2000 years ago) help us think about God?
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; tabstops: list .25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">Use highlighter on the resource sheet
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; tabstops: list .25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">Cut apart the resource sheet so that they can manipulate each line of the blessing; in this case, they would sort into one pile all the words that describe God

<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">4) Have students sort the English words for God (in this blessing) into piles (they could sort and re-sort multiple times, with conversation in between, either in small groups or the whole class)
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; tabstops: list .25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">What ideas seem to go together?
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; tabstops: list .25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">Which words fit their understanding of God? (and which do not)
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; tabstops: list .25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">How might they sort the words so that the piles show two very different ideas of God? [There are words that describe God as great, mighty and awesome … and others that are softer like “doing acts of loving kindness.”] How do they react to this difference? Can they think of examples with people who are strict and powerful, but also soft and kind? [One might be a parent who is strict about the child doing homework, but also loving and supportive when helping with it.]

<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">5) Ask students to think of 5 words or phrases that come to mind when they hear the name of their synagogue/temple. Then have them make a short list on scrap paper. Ask each student to choose two of these words/phrases and write them on the board, with their name above them: <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Sarah Joan Michael <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Happy Part of my family big <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Where my friends are Busy Rabbi Jacobson <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">For each student’s responses, say a sentence aloud that shows their perspective on the synagogue/temple. For example, “The synagogue of Sarah is happy and where her friends are.” And “The synagogue of Joan is part of her family and busy.” And “The synagogue of Michael is big and has Rabbi Jacobson.” Make the point that the synagogue is the same, but that each person has a different way of relating to it. See how they react to this idea.

<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Then, have students look at the lines: <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">OUR God and the God of our Ancestors, <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">the God of Abraham, <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">etc. (through to the end of all the names in your version). <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Ask students why they think it says both Our God and then the God of each of these people? How does this relate to what they just did with the name of the synagogue/temple?

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">6) Recite אָבוֹת-אִמָהוֹת <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">in English or Hebrew, adding in the students names after completing the list of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs. For example, “….”God of Leah, God of Rachel, God of Annie, God of Jon, God of ….” Ask students how they felt hearing their name listed? What does it mean to be connected into this list of names that connects us to our Jewish past? Make sure that the conversation includes an understanding that as God was with our ancestors, God is with us. Consider making a chain with one link for each of the אָבוֹת-אִמָהוֹת, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and links for each of the children and every family member they know. When they write names on the links, they should be in the form of “God of _”

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">7) The textbook, //S’fatai Tiftah//, volume 2 ( ה ) , <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">offers thoughts on each of the ancestors listed in the  אָבוֹת-אִמָהוֹת <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and provides a sense of each of their connections to God (page 26-27). Consider using the activity on page 25, in conjunction with these descriptions. In the text, students are asked to read about one of these ancestors and to find the answers to four questions: What was an important moment in the life of this person? What was most special about this person’s relationship with God? What moment in my own life is similar to my ancestor’s important moment? What lesson can I take from my ancestor, into my own life? If theater and drama are “your thing,” consider a way that students could do skits or role plays related to the patriarchs/matriarchs and this exercise.

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">8) In the אָבוֹת-אִמָהוֹת, <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">we praise God for being great ( גָּדוֹל <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">), mighty ( גִּבּוּר ), <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">awesome ( נוֹרָא <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">) and supreme ( עֶלְיוֹן ). The <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">line is:  הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא אֵל עֶלְיוֹן

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">__OPTION ONE__: Tell students that the Torah says that we are created in God’s image – which means that we have the same qualities as God. When we pray, we can reach for the part inside us that is god-like and remember to do our best. Ask students to think of when they have demonstrated these four qualities from the אָבוֹת-אִמָהוֹת <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">by having them fill in the end of the sentences below (perhaps in writing, or silently to themselves, or sharing with another person in the class): [From //A Bridge to Prayer//, URJ, page 13]
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When I praise God for being גָּדוֹל <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I remember the time when people said I was great because I __.__
 * When I praise God for being גִּבּוּר I remember the time that I needed all my might to _.
 * When I praise God for being נוֹרָא I remember the time when I felt awesome because _.
 * When I praise God for being עֶלְיוֹן I remember when I did my supreme best to _.

OPTION TWO: While we can talk of what or who is God, sometimes it’s more helpful to consider “when is God.” This can be in terms of “when God is גָּדוֹל, I see ” or the opposite, “when I see , I know God is גָּדוֹל .” Students could create artwork showing either the personal (When I praise God for having the qualities of גִּבּוּר, I remember the time that I needed all my might to ) or the temporal (when I see , I know that God is has the quality of גִּבּוּר.

9) The very last line of this blessing praises God for being מָגֵן אַבְרָהָם who shields or protects Abraham (traditional)  עֶזְרַת שָרָה who helps Sarah (Reform)  פּוֹקֵד שָרָה who remembers Sarah (Conservative; the biblical word means to remember, but the movement’s new //siddur// uses the translation “Guardian of Sarah”)

Talk about these images – what do students think of when they hear these words? Which of these do students find help //them// connect with God: God as a shield? God as a helper? God who remembers? What would they want God to protect, to help with, or to remember?

Offer each student some black construction paper (this will become the background for their artwork), a variety of colored construction paper and glue sticks. Provide no scissors, markers or other art supplies, though a print out of the words of Hebrew for the last line of the blessing could be appropriate (see below). First, ask students to think about God as a protector, helper or remember-er of themselves. How would they like to describe God as the of themselves? Have students think about how they would illustrate this and then to tear (not cut) the colored paper into the shapes they need for their illustration and then glue it down. Share when done.

//These may be duplicated for student use in their artwork:// מָגֵן who shields or protects _ עֶזְרַת who helps _

פּוֹקֵד who remembers _