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Young participants will learn what it means to be humble, how they can define freedom for themselves, and the importance of ensuring the dignity of every single human being.

DETAILED OUTLINE

BIG IDEA

Freedom is the ability for every person to realize their unique potential.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• Is slavery external or internal?

• What truly makes someone free or enslaved?

• How do I define freedom for myself?

OVERVIEW

​ Participants step into a time machine and travel back to the sand dunes of Egypt. They encounter the Hebrews as slaves to Pharaoh, experience the ten plagues, and join together with Moses as he stands up to the first recorded dictator and demands, “Let my people go!”.

Some historians believe that the Egyptians were the first to make leavened bread, having discovered a way to make it puff or rise. Participants learn that the only provision the Hebrews took with them when leaving Egypt was unbaked bread, still in dough form. When the hour of their liberation finally came, they left in a hurry and had no time to let the dough ferment. This unleavened bread, or ‘Matzah,’ baked as the hot desert sun scorched their backs, and was their source of survival for the next thirty days.

Participants roll up their sleeves and employ the same techniques for making unleavened bread that have been practiced for thousands of years. They explore the significance of bread and how this staple is viewed and valued in different cultures, while they uncover the central role that unleavened bread plays in the Hebrews’ liberation from Egypt. This leads to an appreciation for the unique place that the Passover meal holds in Jewish tradition today and provides a springboard for group discussion as well as a personal reflection on what being free truly means.

Customized according to the age group.

Participants will:

BE FAMILIAR with the main characters and storyline of the Exodus narrative.

​ DIFFERENTIATE between external forces that inhibit our freedoms and our own internal feelings and attitudes that can be a source of self-imposed limitations.

DESCRIBE what society looks like when every single person is equally valued.

KNOW how Matzah looks and tastes and how handmade Matzahs are made.

APPRECIATE what Matzah symbolizes and why it is such an important part of Jewish tradition.

DEFINE what freedom means to them. ​

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Participants will start by pitting olives, then get hands-on with a century-old iron press, feeling the excitement as the oil is extracted.

Next, they’ll purify the oil using a hand-driven centrifuge, carefully completing each step of the process. Finally, they’ll craft a cotton wick and test their handmade oil in a Menorah, experiencing the thrill of creating something from start to finish.

This interactive workshop is designed to captivate and educate, making the story of Chanukah tangible and engaging for all ages.

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The Shofar Factory offers an interactive, engaging, and sensory experience that guides participants through the various steps of making a shofar while explaining its deep significance. The workshop begins with a fascinating display of horns from different animals, encouraging participants to identify which horn belongs to each. Antiques and rare trumpets are also presented, giving the group a chance to see and even blow these unique instruments. As the horns are passed around, participants are encouraged to examine them closely, gaining a tactile sense of their structure and uniqueness.

Once the correct horn is identified, the group embarks on the process of creating a shofar from scratch. The first step involves determining how deep the opening in the horn is, which helps guide where to cut the shofar. Volunteers assist the facilitator in curing the horn, cutting off part of the un-hollowed horn, and drilling the connection hole. After widening the hole to achieve the right sound, participants help smooth the horn using an electric sander, making the mouthpiece comfortable for blowing. Throughout the process, the program provides tips on how to best blow this ancient instrument, while also emphasizing the shofar’s importance and relevance, especially during the High Holidays.

At the conclusion, the rabbi offers a crash course on the meaning behind the various shofar sounds and demonstrates with the freshly-made shofar. The workshop also delves into the cognitive aspect by focusing on science-based takeaways, and emphasizes that the mitzvah is not only to blow the horn but to listen attentively to its sound. Participants will come away with a deeper understanding of the shofar’s message and how it can be applied throughout the year.

When booking this program for a group, there are two options for the Shofar Workshop:

• Presentation only (Shofar is shared by the group)
• Presentation + each participant finishes their own Shofar (sanding and shellacking)

Please indicate your preferred option in the comment section of the reservation form: jcrafts.org/group-reservations