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Leading Idea: Our Relationship to Animals
A related issue to that of eating meat concerns our relationship with animals overall. What does Judaism say about our treatment of animals; how we should relate to them and care for them? Secondary source materials relate to this question of our care for animals. These are particularly well suited to LPS (as well as being relevant to older students).
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PDF
Discussion Plan: Being Blessed
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Discussion Plan: Giving and Receiving Blessings
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Discussion Plan: Giving and Receiving Curses
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Discussion Plan: Leavings
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Exercise: Different Journeys
Use the images below to answer the following questions:
Images are provided through open domain or license from Shutterstock
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Discussion Plan: Leavings
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Exercise: Different Meaning of “Lech L’cha”
Read the sentence on the left – which kind of “Go Forth!” do you think is invoked here? You can mark more than one, but make sure you can explain what you mean in each case. If you mark more than one, explain what it would mean to ‘go’ for each one you marked (eg: going camping might be ‘go forth’ because going to camp means you are moving geographically, but it also may be ‘go to yourself’ because when you are camping you discover you are now capable of doing things that you never would have thought you could do).
| Go! Leave where you are for somewhere else |
Go for yourself! For your own benefit — (eg: financial or physical benefit) |
Go to yourself! Getting to know yourself better |
Go to the person you will become! Growing up, becoming a better person |
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| Kate, age 6: “I’m excited about starting a new school, I’m going to learn so many new things.” | ||||
| Eli, age 5: “we went to the lake for the first time I thought I would be scared to go in the water but I learned that I really liked it!” | ||||
| Zaitlan, age 8: “Going to summer camp last year was my first time away from home – I really became more confident and independent. | ||||
| Ronnie, age 7: “We are going to visit our grandparents in Texas – I am really excited” | ||||
| Kate: “I’m going to miss you when you leave, but I know the job in Boston pays a higher salary.” | ||||
| David, age 9: “Once a week after school I go with my mum to the home where my grandparents live. I help them to go down to the dining room and sometimes I sing for them because they like that. |
Go back to the Biblical text – if we view Avram’s journey through each of these lenses, how might we understand the meaning and significance of his journey?
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Exercise: Circles of Attachment
What in your life are you most attached to? Think of your home – if you were to leave home, what would be most difficult to leave behind? What not as difficult? Draw three circles. In the center put the thing it would be most difficult to leave, then move out in the circles with things that would be less difficult to leave (from hardest to less hard). Pick a different community you are part of (school? sports team?) – what would be hardest to leave behind if you were leaving that community?
Download the exercise here: Word PDF
Discussion Plan: Different Meanings of “Lech L’cha”
Read the sentence on the left – which kind of “Go Forth!” do you think is invoked here? You can mark more than one, but make sure you can explain what you mean in each case. If you mark more than one, explain what it would mean to ‘go’ for each one you marked (eg: going camping might be ‘go forth’ because going to camp means you are moving geographically, but it also may be ‘go to yourself’ because when you are camping you discover you are now capable of doing things that you never would have thought you could do).
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Go! Leave where you are for somewhere else |
Go for yourself! For your own benefit — (eg: financial or physical benefit) |
Go to yourself! Go to greater self-understanding (to understand who you are now better) |
Go to the person you will become! The person you will one day be — fulfilling your destiny, or becoming a better person |
| Kate: “I’m going to miss you when you leave, but I know the job in Boston pays a higher salary.” | ||||
| Eli: “I went on this retreat to get in touch with the ‘real me’ – it was very cool. I learned lots about myself.” | ||||
| Zaitlan: “Going to summer camp last year was really important – I really became more self-confident and independent.” | ||||
| Esti: “We are moving to Israel – I don’t want to go, but my parents say it is the only place we can truly grow up to be ourselves. But I think I am my best self right here.” | ||||
| David: “Getting up early for basketball training is not fun, but I know that I’ll appreciate the fact that I made this effort when I make it to the championships.” | ||||
| Sam: “Once a week after school I go with my mum to the home where my grandparents live. I help them to go down to the dining room and sometimes I sing for them because they like that.” |
Go back to the Biblical text – if we view Avram’s journey through each of these lenses, how might we understand the meaning and significance of his journey?