Parent-child learning event
(Rabbi Zev & Rebecca Gubbay from London started this program.)
(Parents and children learning together)
Goal: Each participant develops a stronger connection to and appreciation for the Sefer Torah.
Idea #1: The last mitzvah
Here's a learning guide for parents.
What is the last mitzvah in the Torah?
Leading questions for kids:
How many mitzvahs are there in the Torah?
What is the first mitzvah in the Torah?
The last mitzvah is…
וְעַתָּה כִּתְבוּ לָכֶם אֶת הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת
And now, write for yourselves this song
The last mitzvah is to write for yourself a Sefer Torah!
Why do you think the Torah is called a song?
This is a great chance to get kids talking about why the Torah is called a song.
Parents can explain this idea through Rabbi Yissachar Frand’s explanation:
“When Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is played – regardless of whether one is a concertmaster or a plain simple person – there is something one can get out of it. Music is something that everyone on his or her own level can enjoy. Everyone can relate to music.”
The goal is for kids to come up with ideas on what makes music unique, and that each person can connect to music on his or her own level.
How can we apply what we learned about music to Torah?
Answer: Each and every one of us can connect to Torah on his or her own level!
Watch the Torah Live series "Sefer Torah." You don't need to show the whole series in one program. We recommend reviewing the series beforehand and choosing which sections to use.
Idea #2: Our Torah song
The participants write a song about Torah.
Each parent-child team gets a Torah-related word, like:
Har Sinai
Torah
Mitzvah
Hashem
Learning
Dedicate
Growing
How it works:
Each team writes a stanza.
Set up a big billboard or empty wall with the header “Our Torah Song.”
When each team completes their stanza, they add it to the billboard or wall.
The wall slowly fills up with one big song about Torah!
The message for the kids: each child has a place in Torah, and the song is only complete when we work together.
Have the kids decorate their own stanza, take pictures, and more.
(Kids love receiving the Torah Live certificate at the end of the event!)