Crafts for helping your girls learn about Jewish holidays!
Purim celebrates the Jewish people being saved from a plan to have them expelled from their home. Traditions include wearing masks and costumes, eating hamantashen (triangular cookies) and other treats, and using noisemakers. Some treats have goodies hidden inside them. Giving to charity and anonymous gifts to packages of goodies are also traditions.
Passover lasts for 8 days and is the celebration of the Israelites being freed from slavery in Egypt. Traditional foods include matzah (an unleavened bread), gefilte fish and sponge cake. Girls might enjoy trying macaroons. Symbols of the holiday include matzah, lamb, eggs, horseradish root and salt water
Rosh Hashanah is a solemn holiday celebrating the beginning of the new year. The shofar or ram’s horn is sounded at synagogue services. Round foods such as apples and honey, hallah with raisins, honey cake, pomegranates, pumpkins are traditional. Sweet food and foods that are gold-colored, like carrots are also eaten.
Hanukkah is an 8 day holiday to remember the Jewish recapture and dedication of the temple in Jerusalem. Girls may recognize the menorah which is for lighting the candles. Fun traditions including playing with a dreidel. Traditional foods include latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts).
If you are planning a celebration for a Girl Scout holiday take a look at our Scout Holidays page.