I Left with Moses
Source: Jewish Education Center of Cleveland
"I left with Moses" is an experimental Pesah seder learning format created by the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland's Curriculum Department with the goal of creating a stronger bridge between Jewish educational programs and the homes of children in grades 4-7. Part of the website is specifically geared to children ("Let's Do" and "Let's Practice") and part of the site brings a big idea from the seder to parents ("Let's Learn").
With the decrease in learning time in our part-time Jewish educational settings from 3 days a week, to 2 days a week and often 1 day a week, holidays don't always get their "due." The hope is that children, along with their parents, will jump in to learn about and practice some core Hebrew segments of the seder outside of their program's learning time. Quite intentionally, Hebrew blessings, rituals and songs are introduced in a way that reinforces sound-to-print. This means that students hear the Hebrew (i.e., the sound) before being asked to try and decode (i.e., the print). And this central event in the history of our People is introduced to parents (and teachers) in a way that many haven't yet considered, via an idea that can help shape their family's experiences with Passover.
So what is this resource-rich website's the big idea? "In every generation, every person must see him or herself as if s/he personally went forth from Egypt." Parents and teachers are encouraged to spend time on the "Let's Learn" webpage, choosing short readings and videos that interest them most. The ideas put forth should enhance the family's Pesah experience, offering the opportunity for enriched conversations between adults and children at the seder, during holiday preparations, and maybe even while carpooling.
If this site proves itself helpful to students and parents during Pesah 2015, it will be revised and expanded in future years. If you're thinking about using this as a complement to classroom learning, we invite you to our Facebook page, "I Left with Moses" to share ideas for using this with your students. Parents are welcome to join in on the discussion!
Thanks for experimenting with us!