Chazara B’tshuva - חזרה בתשובה

Subject- נושא

A different way to look at “Chazara b’tshuva”

goal- מטרה

To show that “Chazara b’tshuva” is not just to regret the things that you did, but it is to return to yourself and see if you are fulfilling your purpose in life.

The process of the activity –מהלך הפעילות

1)      The game of association: We say a word and the kid we point to has to say the first thing that comes up to his mind. Example: dog, cloud, TV, school, Mom… and bring up the level to more thoughtful words like: peace, Judaism… The last words should be: “Chazara b’tshuva”.

{The meaning of this game is to show them later in the activity that sometimes we are not being ourselves and we are affected by other things around us, but eventually, everyone has their own thoughts and ides, and we have to learn to make them come forward.}

2)      Ask the question: What is “Chazara b’tshuva”? What is the definition of it in Hebrew?

Show them that the word “Tshuva” in the Hebrew dictionary comes from the word “Lashuv”- to return.

3)      Ask them: What is the connection between Rosh Hashana – Yom Kipur – Teshuva and to return? What are we supposed to return to?

4)      The story about Zusha coming to heaven and being asked not why he wasn’t Moses, but why wasn’t he Zusha?

You can tell the story any way you want- as a story/ as a question / as a play / to make them do a play about it…

5)      Ask them what do they think is the meaning of the story- why is a person asked why he wasn’t himself?

6)      Connect everything together: at the first game we saw that sometimes we are not thinking for ourselves and we are influenced by our surroundings. On this time – Rosh Hashana and Yom Kipur we are talking about Chazara b’tshuva- we want to start a new year as ourselves. We have to remember that “Chazara b’tshuva” is not only to say we’re sorry, but also to find out who we are and what are we able to do for the next year.

7)      Play the game of  motions – the kids are standing in a circle- each kid has to say his name and do a motion that he recognize with. Then everyone has to remember the other motions. The game is that a kid is starting to do his motion and then somebody else’s motion. The kid that his motion was shown has to do it and continue with another kid’s motion and so on… To make it harder after a while the kids will have to do the motions and call the name of the kid that the motion belongs to him at the same time.

{The kids see that each and every one of them has a different motion- a different personality and different way of life. They shouldn’t be afraid to find it and to express it!!!}