How a Rare Jewish Ritual Added Meaning to Our Family
BY CANTOR LAUREN PHILLIPS for ReformJudaism.org
Pidyon haben (Redemption of the Firstborn) is an unusual Jewish ritual that commemorates the birth of a family's firstborn child, when that baby is a son. Originally, firstborn sons were inducted into God's service because they had been spared from the Egyptian plague of the firstborn.
However, when the Jews – firstborns included – built the Golden Calf, the firstborns forfeited their status as servants of God. The priesthood was transferred to the only tribe that did not participate in the construction of the Golden Calf: the Levites, and particularly to the descendants of Aaron.
An Encyclopaedia of Mythical Creatures in Judaism
From bimbam
This animated short film was produced at Camp Ramah in New England by our 2014 Animation Kishroniyah participants in Magshimim & Bogrim. This program was the result of campers working with a visiting animation specialist.
All the Respect
From Shaboom!
Papa Plony is obsessed with beating the Baloney family in the annual relay race. But when Yasmin flakes out on practice, and a new team member shows up with an unexpected physical difference – he panics. SHABOOM! The Sparks come to the rescue with incredible upsie-downie magic, including an upside-down rainbow ramp, a giant stuffie and a lesson in showing kavod, or respect. Tune in and find out who wins the race. Kol hakavod!
Matzo House
From marthastewart.com
Are you looking for something to do with the kids with all that matzo you thought you needed? Make a matzo house! It's fun, and yummy, and helps get rid of all that matzo.
KRIAS YAM SUF (THE SPLITTING OF THE RED SEA) DIORAMA!!
From CreativeJewishMom.com
This article is featured in Jvillage Network's Passover Guide.
Yippee! The Red Sea has split and were going through! Phew, that was a close call with those Egyptians right on our tails! But who can think about that now, this is amazing!
We're so happy, what a miracle! We're on our way to freedom from slavery in Egypt, that's one of the reasons we're smiling, the other is that we're thrilled to be here on creativejewishmom.com! And though we don't need to know how to swim to cross the Red Sea, it just might help that we're made from wine corks!
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