From Matza To Cheesecake

 

 

Welcome to the Journey from Israel to Har Sinai:

 

Divide the entire snif into Shevatim (Reuven, Levi… à They can be divided by grades or they can be mixed). You will need one or two madrichim with each group, as well as one madrich/a running each station. In order to avoid back log, give each group a different order of stations to go through but remember to keep all the A’s and B’s together (ie 1a must come before 1b).

 

Each group must travel on a journey from Egypt to Israel. To get there they must go through a number of “shearim” (gates). During the Journey the entire group must remain together. (Remember: Bnei Yisrael could only receive the Torah when they were united-k’ish echad b’lev echad.)

 

Sha’ar 1A: Counting Games:

 

Sefirat ha’Omer is an integral part of our journey from Pesach to Shavuot—to pass this sha’ar the group must successfully:

A) Sit in a circle and count to 25 going around the circle. At each multiple of 3 the person whose turn it is must say “Bizz.” At each multiple of 5 the person whose turn it is must say “Buzz” and the count switches directions around the circle (ie. From clockwise to counter-clockwise).

B) Sit in a circle and count to 10. Here’s the catchàThey can’t go in order around the circle and they can’t say anything except the numbers—and if any two people call out a number at once the group must start over.

 

When they pass this Sha’ar the group receives a Sefirah Information Sheet (Attached at end of peulah, just detach and photocopy).

 

Sha’ar 1B: Sefirah-Quiz:

 

The group gets a few minutes to study their Sefirah Information Sheet, after which they must hand it in to the stationmaster/Sho’er. The stationmaster/Sho’er then asks the group 3 questions based on the sheet. If the group gets 2/3 right they may continue, if they do not they get their sheet back and must study and try again.

Sha’ar 2A: Trip Games:

 

All the chanichim must sit in a circle to prepare for their “trip”:
They must each name something that they can take on their trip with them, the Sho’er will tell them whether or not they can take it with them—based on the following criteria:

Round #1: It must have a double vowel. (Food but not a sandwich)

Round #2: It must start with the same letter as their first name.

Round #3: It must be a Hebrew word.

Once the group has guessed the “Criteria” for each round they can begin the next, once they have finished all three they receive a Shavuot Information Sheet and can proceed to the next station.

 

Sha’ar 2B: Shavuot Games:

 

The group gets a few minutes to study their Shavuot Information Sheet, after which they must hand it in to the stationmaster/Sho’er. The stationmaster/Sho’er then asks the group 3 questions based on the sheet. If the group gets 2/3 right they may continue, if they do not they get their sheet back and must study and try again.

 

Sha’ar 3A: Obstacle Course:

 

A course is set up on the floor, there are two barriers on either side of the course and the course itself has plates, cups, chairs…etc scattered about it. The group must form pairs. One person in each pair is blindfolded and the other must guide him/her through the obstacle course WITHOUT touching them—they can only give them VERBAL directions.

Once each of the pairs must make it through the course WITHOUT touching any of the objects on the course, the group receives an Aseret HaDibrot Information sheet.

 

Sha’ar 3B: Har Sinai Quiz:

 

The group gets a few minutes to study their Aseret HaDibrot Information Sheet, after which they must hand it in to the stationmaster/Sho’er. The stationmaster/Sho’er then asks the group 3 questions based on the sheet. If the group gets 2/3 right they may continue, if they do not they get their sheet back and must study and try again.

 

Sikum:

 

Bring the entire group together for a special Har Sinai seudah shlishit.

 

Sum up the peulah by pointing out the Journey that we have all been on since Pesach/Egypt and that will culminate in Shavuot/Israel.

In order to complete our journey we must grow in many ways—two specific ways that you can point out are:

1. Unity and Cooperation

2. Torah Knowledge

Sefira Information Sheet

 

 

1. There are 50 full days of sefirah. The first day is the second day of Pesach and the last is Shavuot.

2. If you miss one day of Sefirah you can no longer count with a beracha.

3. If you count during the day (if you forgot at night) you can still count the following night with a beracha.

4. Lag Ba’Omer is the 33^rd day of the omer.

5. Two customs prevail regarding the minhagei aveilut during sefirah. One extends the mourning from pesach till lag ba’omer; the other extends from rosh chodesh iyar till shavuot.

 

 

Shavuot Information Sheet

 

1. Shavuot is the only one of the shalosh regalim without it’s own unique mitzvah.

2. We have a custom to learn all night the first night of shavuot to be metaken the fact that Bnei Yisrael fell asleep the night of matan Torah and had to be woken to receive the Torah.

3. There is a minhag to eat dairy foods on shavuot. (Can you guess why?)

4. There is a minhag to place plants and trees in shul on shavuot. (Can you guess why?)

 

 

Har Sinai Information Sheet

 

1. I am the Lord your God

2. Thou shalt not have other Gods

3. Thou shalt not take God’s name in vain

4. Keep the Sabbath

5. Honor they father and they mother

6. Thou shalt not murder

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery

8. Thou shalt not steal

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness

10. Thou shalt not covet