This program was prepared by Torah Live for a parent-child learning program in Rabbi Zev & Rebbeca Gubbay's shul in London.

Goal: Getting children excited about the mitzvah of honoring parents.

Structure:

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: Parent-child activity

Part 3: Group discussion

Part 4: Video

Part 5: Follow up discussion

Part 6: End of event activity - the challenge

Part 1: Introduction

Welcome etc...

Goal of the event etc..

Part 2: Parent-Child Activity

(The following are two suggestions, one is reading + discussion and the other is more interactive. Maybe older kids would do better with the reading activity)

The story of Dama ben Netina

It happened once that one of the precious stones fell out of the High Priest's breastplate, and was lost. Seeking a replacement, the sages were referred to a certain Dama ben Netina who purportedly had the exact jewel they required in his possession. They offered him one hundred dinar, and Dama accepted their offer. When he went to fetch the jewel he discovered that he could not access it without waking his father. So he returned and informed his clients that he could not provide them with the item they sought. Assuming that he was trying to renegotiate the price, they increased their offer until they reached a sum of 1000 dinar. When his father finally woke up he brought them the jewel, and they were still willing to pay him their final offer of 1000 dinar. Dama, however, was only willing to accept their initial offer of one hundred, saying: "What? Do you think that I would sell the honor of my fathers for mere coins? I refuse to derive any tangible benefit from the honor of my fathers!" The Jerusalem Talmud goes on to ask what heavenly reward Dama received for such meritorious behavior. The answer given was that on that very night a pure red heifer – essential for attaining ritual purity – was born to Dama's cow, and so the Jews purchased this extremely rare item from him for a small fortune.

Questions for parent-child discussion:

The Candy Test:

Each parent-child ‘group’ receives 8 candies and a bag or small box that has 8 questions.

Parent sits opposite the child, places the candies in the middle and asks the child to choose a question from the bag: Whoever the answer applies to, takes a candy from the pile.

8 questions:

Parents receive all of the candies:)

Follow up discussion between parent and child (topic for discussion to be determined by the event facilitator)

Part 3: Group Discussion

Event facilitator to kids: You have all read 8 questions on a range of amazing things that your parents have done for you. However, I have a 9th question - What is the greatest gift that your parents have given you?

Encourage the kids to answer the question, the goal is to get them to say what the Sefer Hachinuch says.

This could also be a great opportunity to ask additional questions for the kids to participate.

Now that we learned a little about the mitzvah of honoring parents. It’s time to go to the movies! This short film is all about the mitzvah of honoring parents!

Part 4: The Video

Torah Live “Honoring Parents”

Part 5: Follow up questions

Part 6: The Challenge

Hand out the “Rabbi Siddur” honoring parent chart:

Parent-child discusses what 4 actions for honoring parents the child is choosing for the coming week.

Encourage creativity - if for example, the child says he/she will take out the garbage, they should make a dramatic video about it and submit it for review before the next event (most creative ideas win prizes!). It will be very cool for kids to see each other's creative projects on the mitzvah of honoring parents.

At the end of the event you can hand out certificates to the kids/students! They are now officially certified in honoring parents🙂

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