This week we delved into the second paragraph of the amidah called gevurot. Gevurot lists some of the ways God’s powers and presence manifest in our world. We unpacked what some of those powers are, what they look like, and how we can do them too! One thing that stuck with me was when a kindergartener said that we could be godlike by protecting our bodies. It is a powerful idea that taking care of ourselves is a righteous and spiritual act that can make waves beyond ourselves. When kids say things like that, I feel hopeful for the future. Read on to see what else your powerful kiddos have to say!
- By always being with you.
- God tells people when they’re going to have a baby.
- God can make someone pregnant.
- God can plant a seed.
- God creates all the seeds.
- God created everything.
- God creates every day.
- Because God can do anything.
- God is half dead and half alive, so God can talk to both the dead and live people.
- Also because God is half dead and half alive, God can use some of the live part on the dead part and that’s healing.
- God created stuff that keeps us alive.
- Does God really give life? People are born, but I’m not sure if maybe God creates us before we’re born.
- What if God forgets how to give life?
- Maybe everyone dies.
- Maybe just no new life can happen.
- Maybe time changes.
How does God help?
- God helps with all the wind, and water, and fire, and aaaall the treasures from Forbidden Island (a board game).
- God gives life.
- God gives death.
- God gave Moshe a staff that could turn into a snake and eat the magicians’ snakes.
- God make miracles.
- God helps by letting people help.
How is God powerful/present?
- God can do anything!
- No one tells God what to do.
- By always being there.
- God is strong.
How is God kind?
- Listening to us.
- Meeting our needs.
- Helping out with things we want to have happen.
How can we be like God in the way God is described in gevurot?
- We can feed people. Even bad people. No matter who they are.
- We can pray.
- We can be like superman.
- We can help people.
- We can protect our bodies.
We are wrapping up our unit on tefilah (prayerful conversations). In the coming week we will be working through our understanding of prayer as the language of the Jewish community, on a personal and communal level. Tune in next week to look back on the whole unit with us!
