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KID-dush Shabbat

Rabbi Jana leads a service for families with young children. We sing songs and prayers, tell stories, and move around a lot.

During the pandemic Rabbi Jana posted a lot of material online that can still be used by families. The service was designed to be used Shabbat morning, but most of the prayers can be used every day. Each month new material is added - usually fun things and stories. The service is found on YouTube in short videos - one for each prayer, song, story or game. You are welcome to watch them all in order, or choose only a few to watch. This list includes brief explanations for each part:

Click to watch these YouTube videos:

SONG VIDEOS TO GET IN THE MOOD TO PRAY:
Bim Bam Shabbat Shalom  (a fun Shabbat song)
Hinei Mah Tov (The melody is a round, which Rabbi Jana sings and performs with herself doing both parts!)
Chiri Bim (A song in Yiddish and Hebrew that welcomes Shabbat in a fun way)

Mah Yafeh HaYom ("How Beautiful is the Day: Shabbat Shalom!")
La La (Niggun/Melody)

A BRIEF PRAYER SERVICE:
Modeh/Modah Ani (the first prayer to say in the morning thanking G-d for returning our soul to us to start a new day)
What are You Thankful For (Rabbi Jana often has the children say things that they are thankful for at the beginning of our children services. One of the reasons for saying blessings is to thank G-d.)
Bar'chu (the call to worship in a Jewish service)
Yumpadum (after the Bar'chu we think about day or night. This reminds us of the Creation story, "There was Evening, and there was Morning... and we get to learn the days of the week... PLUS do our fun thumb "dance.")
Sh'ma (a fun Rock and Roll melody for the morning version of the Sh'ma)
Sh'ma (a Rock and Roll melody from Israel by Tzvika Pick for a morning version of the Sh'ma)
Mi Chamocha ("Who is Like You, G-d" part of the every day service)
We Praise You (The "Avot and Imahot" blessing in a repeat version in English. The translation was written by Rabbi Chaim Stern z"l, and the melody was written by Rabbi Jana's father, Arnie Lawrence z"l.)

RABBI JANA READS BOOKS:

The Latke Who Wouldn't Stop Screaming by Lemony Snicket. Rabbi Jana reads the book on a YouTube video. 
Old Noah's Elephants (An Israeli Folktale adapted and illustrated by Warren Ludwig. Click on the page to go to the next page. Click on the speaker picture to hear Rabbi Jana read the page.)
I am NOT Going to Get Up Today (by Dr. Suess - Slideshow: Click on the page to go to the next page. Click on the speaker picture to hear Rabbi Jana read the page)
Blue Hat Green Hat (by Sandra Boynton, read in Hebrew by Rabbi Jana)
The Cat in the Hat (Rabbi Jana reads Dr. Seuss' book in English - but also reads from copies from other Jewish languages)
Fins and Scales (During Passover Rabbi Jana reads a book about keeping kosher)

FUN SONGS / GAMES:
Hole that's Kachol (You may recognize the melody that Rabbi Jana uses to teach the colors in Hebrew)
Flying Fingers (Since we count the Omer every day from the second night of Passover until Shavuot, we counted "flying fingers" with Rabbi Jana in June)

Halelu (A fun, energetic Hebrew song that can be a Thanksgiving song of thanks and praise to G-d.)
Hodu (Rabbi Jana calls this Hebrew song the "walk downstairs, run upstairs" song. It is fun to sing at Thanksgiving, because it means that you should give thanks to G-d, but there is a Hebrew pun hidden in the words too.)
The Dreidel Song to a Funky Beat (Rabbi Jana, her sister Marya and Adam sing this version
Mi Y'malel / Who Can Retell  (Rabbi Jana sings a traditional song to very modern accompaniment. Her brothers Erik (saxophone) and Scott (trumpet) and her sister Marya (singing) also perform during the song.
Maoz Tzur / Rock of Ages (Rabbi Jana's sister Marya sings the song as a round.)
B'nai Zion Hanukkiyot (Congregants sent pictures of their Hanukkiyot)

FOOD BLESSINGS:
HaMotzi (The blessing for challah or bread)
Kiddush and Motzi for Matzah (During Passover Rabbi Jana leads Kiddush and uses Matzah for the Motzi)

AT THE END OF SHABBAT:
Shavu'a Tov (This song is traditionally sung during the Havdallah ceremony at the end of Shabbat, but we like to sing it to wish people a good week on Sundays too.)

GOOD-BYE UNTIL NEXT TIME:
Shalom Haverim ("Bye Friends, See You Soon")

OTHER FUN SHABBAT LINKS
Shabbat Interactive (runs on flash)
 

December 2020: It is Hanukkah! We will do some fun Hanukkah challenges, sing some Hanukkah songs and Rabbi Jana will read a Lemony Snicket Book.

November 2020: Being Thankful. Sing the Thanksgiving songs. Listen to a wonderful Noah's Ark story, Old Noah's Elephants Old Noah's Elephants (An Israeli Folktale adapted and illustrated by Warren Ludwig. Click on the page to go to the next page. Click on the speaker picture to hear Rabbi Jana read the page.).

August 2020: What do we do on Shabbat? What don't we do on Shabbat? Listen to Rabbi Jana read the book  I am NOT Going to Get Up Today (by Dr. Suess - It is a Slideshow: Click on the page to go to the next page. Click on the speaker picture to hear Rabbi Jana read the page). Rabbi Jana also added new song videos. Use this playlist plus the book to make a fun Shabbat service. 

July 2020: All About Shabbat  Listen to Rabbi Jana read the book When I Fell Into My Kiddush Cup. It starts out on Shabbat, but winds up with Kiddush Cups from many holidays and occasions. This is a slideshow instead of a video. Rabbi Jana added songs to the playlist for this Shabbat. View the July YouTube playlist HERE

June 2020:  Learn colors in Hebrew - and clothing too. Sing along with "The Hole that's Kachol at the Bottom of the Sea" and listen to the book Blue Hat Green Hat in Hebrew. View the YouTube playlist HERE.

May 2020: We are counting the Omer, and the extra videos are about counting. Rabbi Jana counts flying fingers, and reads The Cat in the Hat - and reads a little bit from very cool versions of the book (one in Hebrew and one in Yiddish). View the YouTube playlist HERE.

April 2020: We are in the middle of Passover, and Rabbi Jana reads a book about kosher foods (and lets you peek into her kitchen cabinet where her dairy and meat dishes are). The Motzi is said for matzah instead of bread. View the YouTube playlist HERE.

There is also a WEEKDAY SERVICE (with many of the same prayers). View the YouTube playlist HERE.

Fri, October 4 2024 2 Tishrei 5785