By: Cindy Coons
Director of Family Engagement & Jewish Explorers
I was recently talking with a community member, and they were curious about what age children can really start to connect to and understand the lessons from the Torah. I shared that children as young as the 2–5-year-olds in our Jewish Explorers Family Program can connect to and be guided by Torah when we create learning and engagement opportunities that are developmentally age-appropriate for these young learners.
As Director of Family Engagement & Jewish Explorers at JEWISHcolorado, I love every opportunity to explore Jewish values, culture, traditions, and holidays with our young learners and their families. I am always moved and inspired by how they connect and relate to more complex learning, even Torah. This year, Jewish Explorers turned 13 and, to recognize this special simcha, we created opportunities to celebrate our B’Mitzvah. Recently, in our East K-5 program, we talked about and experienced some of the rituals connected to the B’Mitzvah journey. Our students were excited to look at an actual Torah scroll for the first time and listen to a D’var Torah based on the parsha, Kedoshim, the second of this week’s double Torah portion, Achrei Mot-Kedoshim. We shared that Kedoshim focuses on the command to “be holy,” and how acting kindly and justly towards others and ourselves embodies holiness. We continued with talking about the importance of living a life that reflects our values and beliefs – one guided by the teachings of Torah.
In this week’s parsha, The Torah says, speak to the whole Israelite community and say to them, “You shall be holy, for I, Adonai your God, am holy” (Lev. 19:1-2). This is notably not directed to the priests, but rather it was intended for the entire community of Israel.
But what does it mean to be holy? After sharing a D’var with our K-5th graders, we asked them, “What do you think God means by this and what does it mean to be holy?” Their answers were so moving, shared through their lens of curiosity and the pureness of their hearts. They shared that holiness is making someone, or something, feel special and separate from the ordinary, like Shabbat from the rest of the week. We talked about how each of us has the capacity for holiness, and our students wondered if they were holy. They shared and agreed that feeling seen, heard, celebrated for their authentic selves, and being reminded that they are enough made them feel whole and holy.
As I reflect on this week’s parsha and think about the conversations we had with our young learners, I am in awe of their wisdom and understanding of what it means to be holy and that holiness occurs when we come together and support each other in community. This Shabbat, may you be blessed to be in community with those who make you feel seen, heard, celebrated, feel a true sense of belonging, and whole and holy. Shabbat Shalom from all of us at JEWISHcolorado.
Please email Cindy Coons at ccoons@jewishcolorado.org with questions or comments.