Adventures in Mama-Land

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be blind? Picture yourself in a world of darkness, groping around, not knowing where - or what - anything is.  Last month, I got to go to the Dialogue in the Dark exhibit at the Israel Children's Museum in Holon.  You're immersed in a darkness so intense you can't see even the outlines of the other people in the room. Our blind superhero You're lost in a hopeless, unsolvable maze.  Are you near a wall, a door?  Are you about to bump into something?  Your only hope is to trust in the skills of your guide, an all-seeing miracle worker who can somehow navigate her way through total darkness. Our guide was Michal.  Michal is blind, but there, in the dark, she was strong.  She knew her way around better than the back of her hand.  She memorized our names and called them out throughout the tour to make sure we didn't get lost.  She warned us about obstacles and coached us to "look" around ourselves with fingers

Somebody at the homeschool conference (maybe it was Rabbi Dr. Pinchas Hayman ? but I’d hate to misquote somebody) pointed out that learning Parsha with Onkelos ( Onkelos was a well-known convert most famous for his “Targum” or translation of the Torah into Aramaic) makes an excellent introduction to Aramaic, ideal for developing skills and vocabulary that can later be used in Mishna and Gemara (Talmud). To test this theory, I have created a 1-page supplement for my weekly Parsha Skills Worksheets , with the same verse broken down three ways:  in Hebrew, in Aramaic, and in English.  There’s also a little “vocabulary” bubble at the top-right corner, with a few new words introduced each week. I’ve done two of these so far, for this week and next:  Korach and Chukas.  Sneak previews:   These were a bit harder than my usual stuff because my knowledge of Aramaic is hovering right around zilch.  If you spot a mistake, please let me know gently.  :-) To download these and hundreds o

Doing this early because a) we’re going away, and b) it’s not too hard to do these when I’m on a roll.  Next week’s 6-page workbook focuses on the following Hebrew / English words: הִכָּה- hit יָד - hand סֶּלַע - rock רוּם  - raise מַטֵּה – stick, staff פַּעַם - time (but not telling time!) יָצָא - come out שָׁתָה - drink Grammar notes include suffixes for gender and possession (I describe it in a kid-friendly way, I promise!) and the “ayim” plural for twos. Here’s a sneak preview: As always, if you use these and they work, or don’t work, please let me know how I can make them even better.  And since I am not a professional, please let me know if you spot any booboos – I promise I won’t hold it against you. To download these and hundreds of other free Limudei Kodesh (Jewish) printables – including weekly parsha copywork and holiday resources, click here .  (search for “parsha skills”) For General Studies printables, including science, art and music resources in Hebrew and En

בְּמִדְבַּר / Bamidbar / Numbers 19:1-22:1 Click for printable PDF version . Don’t forget to read my Parsha Poem and parsha overview , plus this very easy snake craft project .  Plus… copywork and parsha activities – something for every week of the year! Art credit:  Once again, actual original artwork, specially commissioned from a talented illustrator on fiverr … פָּרָשָׁת חֻקַּת for Parshas Chukas בְּמִדְבַּר / Bamidbar / Numbers 19:1-22:1 [1] The parsha teaches about a red heifer, A word that only rhymes with zephyr; An easier word you can say for it now, ‘Cuz a heifer is really a girl kind of __________! [2] This may be a source of infernal frustration; But please guess the meaning of the word “lustration.” Does it mean envy, purity, festivity, wrath… Or maybe the steam that escaped from your bath? [3] The mitzvos we learn from the Torah so dear, Six-thirteen we read in our shuls each year. But only three different kinds – what a shock; Mishpatim and eidos, and th

This is a basic overview of the parsha story in a format that can be adapted for a wide range of ages. Sources include parsha text, commentaries and midrash.  When introducing midrash or other non-pshat elements, I use the words “some people think” or something similar. Please see the Vayeishev overview for how we use these narratives  in our homeschool.  I also have copywork sheets to go with the weekly parsha… enjoy! בס״ד How were bnei Yisrael like teenagers…? Since they came out of Mitzrayim, they’ve had three strong leaders: Moshe, Aharon and Miriam. Now they’re learning to do things for themselves, for a time when they won’t have those leaders anymore. Do you remember the word tamei ? A few weeks ago, we read that people who were near a dead body couldn’t bring a korban Pesach – they were טָמֵא/ tamei . The opposite of tamei is טָהוֹר/ tahor . Sometimes people explain these words as “clean” or “unclean.” But you could be very, very clean – with soap and everything! – and s

בְּמִדְבַּר / Bamidbar / Numbers 19:1-22:1: Read it ;  colour it . Printable PDF version here . No parsha narrative overview this week. Copywork and parsha activities available at this page – updated weekly. Illustrations created by the Zionist artist E. M. Lilien . Two brothers and a sister were put upon this earth, Destined for greatness from the moment of their birth. They changed the world for better, through their humble ways, Long lives lived by all of them, sustained for many days. Miriam was first, a midwife, truly most faithful and swift, Guarding her brother Moshe, Hashem’s redeeming gift; Speaking to Pharaoh’s daughter, hiding away unseen, Leading the women in dancing, playing her tambourine. Next brother Aharon came along, smooth-spoken even with kings, Accepting his own role and the toil that being kohein brings, Of these three he was best loved, for the peace that he sought, Reuniting brothers and friends if ever anyone fo

Once again, I have to speak at my mother’s shalosh seudos next Shabbos, so for once, I started preparing EARLY – like yesterday, on Shabbos.  I don’t write divrei Torah often and without a formal yeshiva or “seminary” education, even a baal teshuvah yeshiva/sem, fortunately don’t get tagged all that often. But my mother seems to like having me speak, perhaps because it beats making her prepare all the food AND a dvar Torah.  So she picked me and I like to at least try to do a good job.  I think my divrei Torah tend to be on the weird and long side.  And generally, I don’t deliver them well – I just read them, rather than making rough notes and just SAYING them.  Well, we can’t all be gifted orators… Previous summer divrei Torah: Parshas Re’eh Parshas Chukas (two years ago) Shavuos last year And here’s where my wanderings led me this time around.  I have a few days, so feel free to fact-check, proof-read, and tear this thing to pieces if you’d like! There’s a joke about a Je

Welcome to my Limudei Kodesh / Jewish Studies copywork and activity printables page.  As of June 2013, I am slowly but surely moving all my printables over to 4shared because Google Docs / Drive is just too flaky for me. What you’ll find here: Weekly Parsha Copywork More Parsha Activities More Chumash / Tanach Activities Yom Tov Copywork & Activities Tefillah Copywork Pirkei Avos / Pirkei Avot Jewish Preschool Resources Other printables! For General Studies printables and activities, including Hebrew-English science resources and more, click here . For Miscellaneous homeschool helps and printables, click here . If you use any of my worksheets, activities or printables, please leave a comment or email me at Jay3fer “at” gmail “dot” com, to link to your blog, to tell me what you’re doing with it, or just to say hi!  If you want to use them in a school, camp or co-op setting, please email me (remove the X’s) for rates. If you just want to say Thank You, here’s a