ALMA ELECTIVES | CHUGGIM
ALMA Winter Chuggim Descriptions
Chug Shmirat Haguf (Caring for Our Body with Plants!) with Farmer Rebecca
Mondays 4:00-5:00pm on Zoom
Grades 5th-9th
Join this online chug to learn more about Shmirat Haguf and Jewish plant magic! Shmirat Haguf means to care for one's body. We will explore how to make different herbal medicines (like fire cider, syrups, salves, and teas) to care for ourselves and our neighbors, right from our kitchens! Participants will make some for themselves, and some to give away. Abundance Farm has partnered with the People's Medicine Project, who will distribute half of everything we make for free to others in our community.
Diving Into the Stories with Morah Emily
Mondays, 5:00-6:00 on Zoom
Grades 4th-7th
Torah is filled with stories, and for millenia, Jews have read and discussed these stories, figuring out what Torah can teach us about how to live our own lives. In this chug, we will dive into Torah stories, and maybe an occasional folk tale. We'll do this by watching the Bim Bam cartoon adaptation of the weekly parashah, or an alternate story. And then after the story, we'll take some time to explore ideas or themes from the story through writing. Each week, we will work with a different creative writing prompt, and after some writing time (the work doesn't have to be finished), each student will share back some or all of their writing with the group, writing workshop style.
Chug Aish (Fire) with Farmer Rebecca
Wednesdays 4:00-5:00pm on Abundance Farm
Grades 4th-9th
Fire plays a unique role in how we communicate with the divine, dedicate sacred spaces, and mark sacred time in Judaism. Sign up for this chug if you want to learn how to build and respectfully tend a fire on the Farm! We’ll discuss: what is Jewish about Fire? And how do we use fire to practice ritual and build community? Transportation required. Note: if you took Chug Aish last trimester, this elective is a repeat of previous curriculum.
Sheep to Tzitzit with Nili & Elizabeth
Wednesdays 4:00-5:00pm on Zoom
Grades 6th-9th
Are you crafty? Interested in how things are made? This chug will be a special opportunity to try out the entire process of making things out of wool, from the sheep to the end. We'll focus particularly on making our own set of tzitzit (fringes) for our tallit (prayer shawl), and we'll tie them on as the last part of the chug. Along the way, we'll also have a chance to do some other side projects as well, such as making woven art. This chug will be online, with optional opportunities to meet in person on some weeks. It is open to teens 6th - 9th grade, and is a great way to prepare for or continue studies from your bar/bat mitzvah.
Zeydi's Kitchen: Baking with Zeydi
Wednesdays, 5:00-6:00pm on Zoom
Grades 4th-9th
Food is an amazing way to learn about and connect to our Jewish past. Through delicious creations, we will examine the history of Jewish diasporas, looking at how certain ingredients got to our tables, why we eat what we eat, and what has changed over the centuries. We will explore a variety of Jewish cuisines and gain confidence in the kitchen while learning about Jewish foods around the world. Sign up for this chug if you want to chop, cook, bake, and taste your way through Jewish histories, hear salty tales, and spice up your understanding of the past. Some prior experience in the kitchen is helpful, but not required. We will go over kitchen safety and expectations together. Necessary supplies will be provided.
Sign up for our Winter Chuggim by Dec 24!