Gateways: Access to Jewish Education, a Boston-area organization dedicated to ensuring a Jewish education for students with special needs, is providing resources to creatively engage kids with the lessons and perspectives of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
A variety of High Holy Day materials and activities useful for children across the learning spectrum are posted at JGateways.org.
PDF guides provide step-by-step instructions, visual supports and suggested adaptations to make fun, multisensory activities accessible to children of all ages and abilities.
“These are good early-childhood and child-friendly activities to keep the kids engaged and interested and involved, and to get them excited about the holidays and the lessons they impart,” said Nancy Mager, director of Jewish education programs at Gateways.
“And more than that, they are geared for children along the range of abilities and limitations. Any child can use these and learn from them. They include visual and tactile elements that are critical for any student.”
One resource, for example, describes making Rosh Hashanah greeting cards with original apple prints. Making these cards helps children associate the holiday with the apple and its symbolism, and provides the sensory experience of working with freshly cut apples that is necessary for some children to understand this connection. The guide suggests ways of adapting this activity for very young children whose hands are too small to grip the apple, and for children with fine motor challenges.
In addition, a collection of social stories helps to familiarize youngsters with the symbols and rituals of the High Holy Days and understand what to expect. Stories including “What to Think and Do if the Shofar Sounds Too Loud,” “How People Behave in Temple” and “Things I Can Do During a Long Service” make the reality less daunting and more manageable for many children.
Gateways provides similar resources for other major Jewish holidays. “Ultimately, we are about raising educated Jewish children and strengthening our Jewish community for the next generation,” said Arlene Remz, Gateways executive director. “Whether you have a child with special learning needs or not, these resources will help parents and educators engage and grow children into aware, knowledgeable and active members of the Jewish community.”
To download materials for the High Holy Days, visit www.jgateways.org.