Archive: April 2020

New Bikkur Cholim Lesson

New Bikkur Cholim Lesson

Bikkur cholim בִּיקוּר חִוֹלים (visiting the sick) is a tangible and easy mitzvah מצְוָה for your students to learn about and practice.  It is more relevant than ever as we continue to struggle with the effects of Covid-19. Everyone has been sick at one time or another and appreciated the extra attention and love of someone close to them during that time. 

We, at ShalomLearning, created a free lesson for teachers to use in a virtual classroom with students ages 5-8 and their parents to explore this Jewish value. Together, the class will learn and share ways to help others feel better even when we are not able to visit in person.

The lesson begins with a social and emotional check in. It is important to connect with families and provide an opportunity for everyone to share feelings.  Through observations and personalization, this lesson helps students explore their thoughts and emotions about visiting and helping those who are not feeling well and encourages empathy. We conclude that the ways we help will lead toward healing. Healing does not always mean that there is a cure; it can also be a healing of the spirit.

Throughout the lesson, students actively share things that help them feel better and create a Get Well Card Video to share with others to support their healing.  The post lesson extensions are full of great ideas that families can do together to perform the mitzvah of bikkur cholim, even when we can’t visit in person.

ShalomLearning has created a version of this stand alone lesson for our Jewish families in the military.  Distributed through our partnership with the JWB Jewish Chaplains Council, families on military bases throughout the world will receive this lesson to do together at home.  

Refuah Shleima.  May we all be blessed with healing and kind helpers.

Access this free lesson here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/19xG-IlRNQNZlh4uaMDc_gi-dpj274WCMODEchwDcUFk/edit?usp=sharing

 

A New Program to Connect Family During Social Distancing

A New Program to Connect Family During Social Distancing

I am glad so many families in grades K-2 are enjoying the games and activities-based curriculum shared by ShalomLearning earlier this month called, “The Tribe.” I originally created this program for “tribe-size” gatherings of families before joining ShalomLearning’s Board of Directors. With the current pandemic, I  modified the activities for individual family use at home.

COVID-19 has created an urgent need for physical distancing, making it more important than ever to connect socially with family and friends. I’m excited to share a new program for K-2 families to use at home: Living Jewish Values. This program creates an additional opportunity for families to “check-in” for virtual, intergenerational values exploration and storytelling visits regularly with grandparents, aunts, and uncles, cousins, and anyone else you care about who may be feeling isolated.

Research by Emory psychologists, Dr. Marshall Duke and Dr. Robyn Fivush, has shown that children raised with family stories that give them a sense of being part of something bigger–an “intergenerational sense of self”-show increased resilience, less anxiety, fewer behavior problems, higher self-esteem, greater family cohesiveness, and improved chances of good educational outcomes.  

As my Grandma Rose used to say: “Use it in good health!”

 

Five Easy Steps to Get Started

  1. Let your family/friends know you want them to join you in “Living Jewish Values.” Contact a family member/friend to let them know about the program and the first value “Welcoming Guests.”  Ask your relative/friend to think of a 2-3 minute family story to share about the value.
  2.  Watch the video about the value with your child(ren) about an hour before the scheduled call with the storyteller.
  3. Discuss the video with your child(ren). Please follow your natural curiosity or use our provided prompts.
  4. Have the scheduled call with your family or friend and child(ren).
  5. Process the video call with your child(ren). Answer questions, provide additional background or reframing and discuss connections between family stories on the call and the video.

 

Get started today with this lesson about Welcoming Guests: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Od-P4b4TjEj3M7LdJRFDCFgAIKNXmGCzRABVZvEWmmE/edit?usp=sharing 

If you have questions or suggestions about this program, please be in touch with me at: Arinne@ToStrength.com.