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Step Into the Story. Shape the Dough. Watch It Come to Life!

The JCrafts Model Matzah Factory isn’t just a workshop, it’s an immersive adventure into the story of the Exodus!

From the moment participants walk in, the room transforms. Moshe confronts Pharaoh. The palace trembles. The Ten Plagues unfold before their eyes. With dramatic visuals and guided interaction, ancient Egypt doesn’t just get described — it comes alive!

Children don’t sit and watch, they experience it.

And then, it’s time to get to work!

Wheat stalks are placed in their hands. Kernels are examined up close. Through the ancient winnowing process, the grain is separated, and then the real transformation begins!

Students pour the kernels into a working mill and grind the wheat themselves, turning whole grain into fresh flour before their eyes. They watch it change. They hear the grinding. They feel the texture shift.

Step by step, students witness how something raw and simple becomes the foundation for matzah — because they made it happen!

Next comes the dough.

Water and flour are mixed. Sleeves are rolled up. The dough is kneaded, rolled, and perforated with focus and excitement.

And then comes the highlight…

The timed bake!

There’s energy in the air as everyone works together to prepare the matzah quickly and carefully. It’s fastand it’s thrilling!

Hands-On. Immersive. Unforgettable.

This experience blends powerful storytelling with full sensory engagement:

• Real wheat

• Real grinding

• Real dough

• Real baking

Participants don’t just learn how matzah is made, they make it themselves, from stalk to oven!

Structured, safe, developmentally engaging — and packed with excitement — the JCrafts Matzah Factory creates an experience your students will be talking about long after the matzah cools.

This isn’t just a program, it's an experience!

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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