Learning Intentions

• To know how Jewish people celebrate the beginning of Shabbat
• To reflect upon their own feelings concerning Friday nights

Introduction

Lead the children in a visualization of coming home from school on a Friday. What do they do? Do they have any weekly rituals? How do they feel after school on Friday?

Remind children of what was taught in the previous lesson about preparing for Shabbat. Shabbat begins at sunset on Friday evening. It is welcomed into Jewish homes like a visiting queen.

Main Activity

Use artefacts, images and the presentation to inform children about the Friday night meal.
(The presentation is also available for download in MS PowerPoint format - file size approx 6Mb.)

Following discussion, groups of children could:

• write about their own Friday night ritual
• interview a Jewish visitor about the Friday night meal
• create a sunset picture and stick on top their own pictures of items from the Friday night meal
• write their own prayer, thanking G-d for the end of the school week
• learn and perform a Shabbat song
• explore the symbolism of the candles and the bread

Plenary

Try some challah bread and red grape juice or share the prepared Shabbat meal.

Shabbat: In the beginning

The Shabbat Queen

The Friday Night Meal

Shabbat: A Day of No Work

Shabbat: A Day for Study

Saying Goodbye to Shabbat