Learn by doing.
Hands On Jewish Holidays
When I was a new mother I needed to step up to the challenge of transmitting Judaism to my kids. Much of what I found around me was not very inspiring. I needed to come up with creative ways to engage them. Here is a compilation of how we immersed ourselves in the Jewish holidays. We are all children at heart. I hope these recipes and activities inspires you to engage with the Jewish holidays in a creative and meaningful way.
The important thing is the process, not the end product.
Recipes
Moroccan Sephardic Haroset
Claudia Roden was the first author to record Sephardic recipes in a cookbook. They had always been passed orally from mother to daughter before.
Activities
Be A Cartographer
Make Your Own Map of the Exodus from Egypt
Recipes
Queen Esther's Ice Cream
One of the most fun Purim desserts is Bastani, or saffron ice cream. You start with a basic vanilla ice cream and mix in some Persian flavorings to your taste. I call it Queen Esther’s Ice Cream.
Activities
Queen Esther & King Ahasuerus' Henna Party
There is a special type of bush that grows throughout the area that comprised Ancient Persia. It has elongated green leaves and fragrant, pinkish white flowers. This plant is called a henna bush.
Activities
Creative Purim Puppets and Shpiels (plays)
After dinner, have fun retelling the Purim story by putting on a Purim play, known in Yiddish as a Purim Shpiel.
Recipes
Judeo-Spanish Dates Stuffed With Marzipan
The following recipe is from Jewish Spain. It is a celebration of the almond, the first tree that blooms in Israel in the springtime.
Recipes
North African Date-Walnut Balls
There are several Sephardic treats that are fun and easy to prepare for Tu Bishvat. You can obtain the ingredients no matter where you live since they are made from dried fruits and nuts.
Activities
Fight Like a Maccabee
You and your family can pretend to be Maccabee warriors. Fight the Seleucids with homemade swords and shields.
Recipes
Israeli Hanukkah Levivot (Potato Pancakes)
It is traditional to celebrate the miracle of the cruse of oil by eating foods fried in olive oil. One of the most familiar Hanukkah foods is the latke, or potato pancake.
Activities
Build Your Own Olive Oil Hanukkiah
A hanukkiah is a candelabra that holds nine candles. With the right materials, you can make your own!
Recipes
Aleph-Bet Cookies
It is traditional to prepare sweets shaped like a Torah scroll. Strudels, cannolis, rolled cakes, and blintzes are some examples of Simchat Torah treats. Another lovely custom is to bake cookies shaped like the Hebrew letters of the first word of the Torah.
Activities
Make A Simchat Torah Flag
In many communities around the world, children bring a Simchat Torah flag to the synagogue. They wave it while they dance around the Torah.