Community and Holiness

Makom @ Home started off our Fall session exploring what community means and what is holiness. We read a text from Leviticus about Bnei Yisrael (the Jewish People) being a community and being holy because God is holy.

We started off our questions thinking about who is part of the Bnei Yisrael community while they were wandering in the desert after leaving Egypt, and what they brought with them:

  • Kids and grown ups
  • People and animals too
  • Food 🍕
  • Water 🚰
  • Toys
  • Bags to put stuff in 🛍
  • books
  • Blankets
  • Clothes 👚

Then we thought about community, what it is, why be part of one, and how to build community by welcoming people. 

What makes something a community?

  • We share things
  • We ask how they are doing
  • We live close by
  • We need to meet each other to know we are a community

Why might someone want to be part of a community?

  • They can make friends
  • They can learn new stuff
  • Helping each other

When was a time you welcomed someone into your community?

  • I was friendly to a new kid at school
  • In kindergarten, I was nervous because there were different people I didn’t know. I saw a girl who I thought would be scary because she was taller and faster than me. Now in 2nd grade, we’re best friends. There’s a new girl at my school this year too. Everyone welcomed her.
  • I welcomed a new kid in my school who spoke another language. So first I didn’t talk, we gestured. Then on the playground, she asked if I spoke Russian and I do! So we talked in Russian.

On Thursday, we thought a lot about noticing what is holy. We also added a new Tefilah that has the word kadosh (holy) in it 3 times!

What makes something holy/special?

  • God is special because Adonai Echad
  • Birthdays are special to me 😄 🍰
  • Anything is special. today is special
  • Tomorrow is special at school. because it’s fall fest. There’s games.

How can we notice holiness in our daily lives?

  • Reminders from other people – if someone says, “your bar Mitzvah is coming up” and that’s special.
  • Shofar
  • If we’re having fun 

Wow! Makom @ Home kiddos have such a variety of insights about Torah. Looking forward to learning more with them about loving our neighbors.

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