Water Play in the 9 Days

Observing the nine days is always hard. Obviously, it is meant to be challenging and meaningful. But it is hard to keep kids at home and camp cool during the summer, without swimming. At camp there was always efforts at 'instructional only' swim to take away from the leisure component, but it was a stretch. 

But this year, I have a real plan!!!

I saw 'water blobs' on pinterest and everyone promised they were easy to make. Not true. It was a pain. But mostly worth it. Here is how waterless water play works.

Steps one
Cut a large sheet of very heavy duty painter's plastic. Large, like 10 feet X 5 feet. 
Grab a roll of parchment paper, and set up your iron/ironing board.

Fold the plastic in half, making one large square (now we are at 5 X 5). Around the edges of the plastic, fold half an inch, twice. Place this folded edge under the parchment paper and iron on medium low heat. It takes some effort to get the hang of it, but in no time you will be fusing the edges. 

Go all the way around, leaving about a two inch hole. This took me a long time, but I am not adept at ironing. 


Step 2:
 This is optional, but I gave the ironed plastic sheet to children and let them decorate it with permanent markers. I planned to let them fill it with glitter and pompoms, but there wasn't time. 

Step 3: Find an open spot in the yard and set out the plastic sheet. Make sure the hose reaches the bag and that you have duct tape ready.





Step 4: Fill it up!
Place the hose in your two inch gap. Have someone else working the hose. When it is full, slide the hose out (after the other person turned it off) and quickly duct tape the hole closed.

 Step 5:
Invite kids to play on it!
The girls were absolutely thrilled. They cheered, insisting it was the most incredible thing they had ever experienced. Seriously. Over and over. Each new girl to come out and test it was awed and gushed with enthusiasm.

 100% Kosher 'Water' Play in the 9 Days!

Pinchas-- Make a Difference!

Parashat Pinchas. Last year for this parasha I marveled at the similarities between international headlines and the themes of the Parasha. I compared all the major themes to news stories of that week. Everything but Pinchas himself, as his act of killing Zimri ben Kozbi actually occurs in parashat Balak.
This year, every news article I read is about the death of young Jewish men or death at the hands of young Jewish men. The pain is overwhelming. Explaining how Pinchas was right in his actions, when killing another never seems right is challenging for me at this time. 

Two years ago we skipped most of the narrative of the parasha and made a fun game based on the mussaf offerings described at the end of the parasha. Here. 

This year we did it all. When I got to the census part I asked if they knew what the word meant. 
"No," Gabi replied, surprising me that for once she wasn't all-knowing.
"Yes, it umm, checks if you are there," Cohava explained. I was about to praise her accuracy and clarify the meaning, when she continued. "That is how the water turns on in the sink and the toilet flushes itself at some stores." 
I explained the difference between census and sensors, but there must be some similarities in the Latin origins. It made more sense than obstacle/popsicle. 

When we finished learning the parasha together, I asked the girls which part they found most interesting/meaningful. 
"I like Moshe standing on the mountain, looking into Israel. I want to make a model of it," Cohava replied. We talked about how he must have felt. Then I figured we would do the closest thing to Moshe's experience. We went on the Kotel Cam and watched the Kotel. It was early morning in Yerushalayim and felt very sureal to watch.

"I like B'not Tzelofchad, the daughters who stood up to Moshe and asked for a piece of Israel," Gabi shared. We discussed how they might have felt. I explained how truly groundbreaking their action was, perhaps the first fight for women's rights in history. We talked about how people and women specifically can make a difference in the world. For fun we looked at this: 10 Photos of Jewish Women Being Awesome. We analyzed each woman photographed and her impact on the world. They argued that prayer can have a bigger impact than biking around the world. They were shocked that soldiers can wear skirts. The conversation was enlightening (although Gush Katif and the Holocaust were too overwhelming to really explore). And then we thought about how they can make an impact on the world. 

 I decided we would make shirts with an inspirational logo. With a pack of ribbed undershirts and permanent markers, the girls got to work. As a note, ribbed undershirts are really hard to write on. Still they each wrote a version of "I Can Make a Difference" Then they drew pictures of how they make a difference in the world. 

Cohava's involved teaching people about sharing and praying. Gabi's involved loved and smiles. Ruti's was highly abstract. 

Tomorrow I will get a picture of them in their finished gear. 

Balak's Obstacles

Parashat Balak! Two years ago the girls learned the story well and acted it out (here). Last year (here), I shared Torah thoughts and the girls made a town of tiny tents. This year, as I read the story to myself and with the girls I was really struck by Bilam's ahtone [donkey] as she is being blocked by the angel. 

Obviously the miraculous parts of this encounter is the presence of the angel and the speaking donkey. One of my favorite mishnayot in Pirke Avot states, "Ten things were created on the eve of Shabbat, at twilight. They are: The mouth of the earth; the mouth of the well; the mouth of the donkey; the rainbow; the Manna; the staff; the Shamir; the alphabet; the inscription; and the Tablets." The talking donkey (not Shrek's) was created during the last moments of creation, waiting for this most important moment. But that still isn't what really struck me this year. 

• How often am I 'riding a donkey' that won't go the way I want it to?
• How often do I encounter obstacles which prevent me every step of the way?
• It happens with some frequency. 
• How often do I realize, without waiting for a talking animal, that the obstacle is being purposefully placed their by Hashem?
• Not nearly enough!!!

There might not be a physical angel in front of us, but God's hand is there to guide, and if we push It away, and walk away from It, we are less intelligent than a donkey. 

The negative caused by ignoring obstacles versus the value in trying to overcome them (or the reversal) is a major theme in the Parasha. 

1. Balak considers his first obstacle to be the Jewish people and tried to employ Bilam to overcome them.
2. Hashem denies Bilam's request to curse, an answer Bilam considers merely an obstacle.
3. Balak sends many messengers to overcome Bilam's refusal.
4. The angel obstructs Bilam's journey.
5. Balak tries various means to change Bilam's blessings into curses. 

It is interesting to note that in the Parasha the Jewish people are only observed and do not actively do anything. All of the obstacles here are relating to non-Jews. Sometimes you completely have to step outside of a situation to be able to learn from it. I believe that is one purpose of Parashat Balak.

"Do you know what an obstacle is?" I asked the girls.

"Something you have to get around," Gabi replied.

"I want a popsicle!" Ruti yelled.

"Like an obstacle course," Cohava added.

"Exactly. Should we always try to get around an obstacle?"

"I want a popsicle!" Ruti yelled again. 

"Ruti, popsicle sounds like obstacle, but they are not the same word! Now stop asking for one," Gabi explained sternly. I snickered.

"We should always try, like if it is an important obstacle to get around," Cohava explained.

"I want a popsicle!!!!" Ruti hollered. 

We discussed types of obstacles, things which may or may not be worth fighting for. We talked about asking someone for something as an obstacle, versus doing something on our own to overcome it. We talked about if it was always worth it when you finally got it. Comparing this to grit is interesting, when to keep trying and when to graciously accept that something is not meant to be.

And then we played games. First we made a version of 'Mother May I'. We called it "Bilam Will You", based on Balak's repeated efforts to enlist Bilam in the cursing job. I was Bilam. This was a fun game and would be good to play in "Shabbat Groups".

Then we had an obstacle course. I set up the original one. The girls took turns checking each other's accuracy and speed. 

Then Tova woke up and became a moving obstacle. 

 Being overly tired is another challenging obstacle for the course.

 Then the girls changed it up and made it trickier. 

I went upstairs and used their obstacle time to work on one of my own on-going challenges, trying to keep the house in order. 

May you be able to identify the obstacles that are angels in your way and overcome the others with ease. 

Shabbat Shalom!