Trying to share Hersh’s mom’s words (above) everywhere I can, AND I wrote this list back in October 14, 2015. I think I had written and said different versions of this list many times over the course of many years. Here it is on my blog now.
I can’t believe I have to say this, but here we go:
I can support Israel, call myself a Zionist, and still disagree with things that happen in Israel.
I can love Israel and fear for Israelis’ safety, and still think critically about how they protect themselves from terrorism.
I can love Israel and my Israeli friends and family and simultaneously care about Palestinian people and people who live in Gaza and anyone who HAMAS victimizes anywhere. NB: the fierce women of Iraq: https://www.jpost.com/j-spot/article-765306!
If you are reading this post and you are surprised, please go read more about the situation. Maybe try +972 Magazine or ALBI. Our buddies at NPR and the New York Times don’t always present all sides of the story – partially because the story is 2,000 years old and because there are not only two sides to this story.
If you are surprised that I am posting this, please know that I don’t want to have to, but every once in a while, I am surprised and disappointed by how ignorant/naive/hateful some smart people are. (Sorry for the run-on sentence.)
FYI: If you are inspired to write a comment about how terrible I am or how I’ve “learned the wrong lesson from October 7, 2023,” please save your time/energy. I’m not going to read it. Here’s a quarter. Call someone who wants to hear from you.
We’ve just met so it would be inappropriate for me to discuss politics with you. I think it would be silly, however, for me to pretend that there aren’t a lot of politics swirling around us. Plus, today is September 11th, which brings up moral outrage and political questions for most Americans.
Even before you could vote, each of you already mattered. (If you aren’t 18 yet, please know: No one will card you at a protest or when you call your elected representatives.) Now, here you are now, college students and voters. I have no idea what in particular each of you care about, how your politics animate you. What I do know is that – fighting for justice has been part of Jewish tradition since Abraham.
The Akeda(Genesis 22) – Hillel’s prayer book (machzor) provides the Creation story for our Torah reading today which would be a lovely, carefree way to enjoy the beginning of a new Jewish year, but Jewish guilt won’t let me let you do that. The second choice in our prayer book is the story of the Akeda. Jews all over the world are reading the Akeda – what Jews call “the binding of Isaac” – for Rosh HaShanah. Most of us dislike this text. It’s painful. It’s about suffering, questions, confusion, and terrible parenting. In a few minutes – I promise I’m not going to talk for very long now – we will read a horrible story. God commands Abraham to take his favorite son up to a hill, build a fire, and cut his throat (Gen 22:2).
Abraham stands over Isaac, knife in hand and is interrupted at the last moment by an Angel of God shouting his name – Abraham, Abraham!…Sacrifice this ram instead. (Gen 22:11-13) Phew. Isaac is saved from death. Abraham is saved from committing a heinous crime. God reassures Abraham – or maybe God is reassuring God’s own self – Abraham passed this test. Abraham is a real God-fearer (Gen 22:12). He was willing to kill his favorite son.
Do you think that Abraham should have rejected this command? Do you think that God should have apologized? Do you blame Isaac for never talking to his dad again? How could Abraham have known that this order was “true” or “real” or “holy”? Does this story make you hate Abraham – even just a little? [Are you distracted by the fact that he even had a favorite son?] I have a million of questions about this text for y’all, but I’m trying to just give one short sermon this morning.
Two Different Abrahams – Just 4 chapters ago in Genesis 18, Abraham heard God was going to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham confronts God fearlessly. Abraham condemns God’s plan as unjust. Abraham bravely bargains with God to save the lives of a group of people he doesn’t even know. Where was THAT guy on the morning God commanded Abraham to kill Isaac? Is there something that Abraham knew that WE can’t know that made it possible for him to follow this terrifying order? How can we listen and read critically? How can we evaluate what we hear and see? How can THAT guy from Genesis 18 be the same Abraham we encounter in Genesis 22 ready to murder his son?
*If the order of these texts were flipped, the narrative of Genesis could be teaching us how to become ever more thoughtful and brave in the face of injustice. However, at this point, the Torah is in the order it’s in. (This would be a useful moment to discuss the way Torah became what it is today, but I promised Jessica that services would end before lunch.)
I searched for answers, and, instead of hating Abraham and the Akeda story, I’ve decided that we get to learn this lesson anyway. It is better to stand up than to keep our head down and meekly follow rules. The Torah is telling us to evaluate what we hear and see – to stand against dangerous consequences. It’s about being true to ourselves – while trying to draw near to what we perceive as divine.
Hineni– So, it is each of our responsibility to stand up for whatever WE care about, whatever WE are passionate about. Stand up. Speak up. Embody OUR passions. Collect donations. Make phone calls. Join a campaign. Vote. Volunteer. Read articles critically and share the few that stand up to your criticism. Embody your concerns for the world. Be like the Abraham who doesn’t make us cringe. Be like the Abraham who protested injustice. (Gen 18:23-25) Follow the Abraham who focused on what was right for the most people, even the ones he didn’t know.
A lot of people – when they hear about how I observe Judaism, they say: “Well, obviously, that doesn’t count since you are a rabbi.” I don’t eat bacon. I don’t fly on Shabbat. I do a lot of things that people think of as “inconvenient” or “unrealistic.” But a lot of people think I do this because I am super into Judaism and because I’m a rabbi. The truth is: A lot of the super Jewy things I do, I started doing them by mistake.
Part One: Shabbat – I fell into my observance of Shabbat. When I lived in NYC, I noticed that my money kept disappearing. In an attempt to put a stop to the leak, I quit spending money on Shabbat. I figured – if I could take 25 hours off from spending money, then maybe I could better understand where my money was going. I thought it would force me to plan ahead and to use money more wisely. It did.
To be fair, New York City is alive, awake, and waiting to take your money every minute of every day. I rebelled against the financial expectations of the so-called real world. It’s true that this idea is particularly Jewish. I might have been influenced by the culture of rabbinic school at the time. I still don’t spend money on Shabbat – which means I don’t go to stores or restaurants. It means that I have to plan ahead and I have to get my fun for free. Eating lunch at Hillel is free, and lots of other amazing things are free. Parks are free. Making and eating meals with friends at home is free – if you shop before Shabbat. I consistently plan ahead for Shabbat. Then, whatever I don’t have on Friday afternoon, I just live without.
In this way, just like AJ Heschel promised, Shabbat has become a true island in time for me, an island that welcomes my friends and family. Shabbat has become a healthy break from the cycle of consumerism that occupies the rest of the week, a break in the 24-hour news cycle that raises my blood pressure Sunday through Thursday. [Also, I’m not a jerk about it. If I’m staying at someone else’s house over the weekend, I don’t impose my customs on them, but I do ask in advance what we can plan without inconveniencing them too much.]
Part Two: Kashrut – I backed into observing kashrut, Jewish dietary laws. At the beginning of my studies at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion, I lived in Jerusalem for a year. I ate my last crab in Jerusalem, and it was delicious. I still remember it well. I didn’t decide then that was going to be my last bite of shellfish. (Lev 11:10-12) Rather, I realized at the end of the academic year, that I had been choosing not to order shellfish and not to mix meat and milk. At this point in 2018, my house is kosher. I have four sets of dishes and only kosher meat has entered the house. If I were actually planning my observance of kashrut, I would have planned it this way – that my kitchen is kosher so my friends from all Jewish denominations can come over to eat with me. Though I didn’t plan it – my kashrut and my values developed together in the same direction with a result that feels authentically Jewish and authentic to my values. At this point, kashrut has brought mindfulness and a sacred nuance to my eating habits that I never would have expected.
Part Three: Kippot – I stumbled into wearing a kippah. Actually, my kippah story is the worst example. In this case, REALLY don’t be like me. Once, a long time ago, after a break up, I cut off all my hair (as one does). I started teaching kindergarten shortly after that and I wore a kippah because it was an easy way to get my kindergarteners to think about the difference between prayer and other stuff like arts & crafts and singing, learning and playing. My hair grew out, and kippot started flopping around on my head. They wouldn’t stay still. So I quit wearing them. This floppy ritual practice wasn’t “speaking to me” so I quit.
Twenty years later our new president proposed a way to register Muslim citizens. In response, a lot of Jews ranted about the Holocaust. I ranted about the American internment of Japanese families in California, in 1942. Filled with both anger and hope, I promised my Muslim friends: “Don’t worry. Japanese Americans and Jewish Americans won’t let this happen to you.”
Around then, my friend David wrote an article in a Jewish paper about how he resolved not to be a member of an invisible minority anymore. He started wearing a kippah (yarmulke) every day. The same week his article was published, I was preparing to go to a conference in San Antonio. David and his mother Glenda suggested that I try wearing a kippah. (Basically, I started wearing a kippah because my friends did.)
I wore a kippah to the conference – it was a biblical studies conference, filled with mostly Christians, a few Jews, and even fewer Muslims. My kippah was an amazing conversation starter. Because of that kippah, I met incredible people, I had meaningful conversations. The author of a book I had read and loved introduced herself to me because of my kippah. And after that weekend, when I’m studying or when I’m praying, I wear a kippah. Wearing a kippah has elevated my learning and my prayer – in unexpected and wonderful ways – reminding me to stay connected to the Jewish tradition and to the Divine Source of All.
Part Five: Conclusion – Don’t be like me. Not only are my Jewish observances somewhat half-baked and backwards, they are also based mostly in habit and guilt and moral outrage. I fell into most of my Jewish observances. I stumbled into them without thinking much at all. You don’t have to be like me. You all have the choice to think critically about your Jewish observances. To be proactive, not reactive. A lot of rabbis would not tell you to experiment. They would tell you to learn and then do. But me, I’m the opposite – like it says in Exodus 24:7 נַעֲשֶׂ֥ה וְנִשְׁמָֽע׃ – Na’aseh v’nishma. We will do and then we will understand.
Like many, many aspects of Judaism there are multiple authentically Jewish ways to observe Shabbat, to eat mindfully, to be part of the Jewish community. Another day, I could give a whole sermon about how to make authentically Jewish decisions.But not tonight.Tonight, I’ll simply say this: Neither the Hebrew Bible nor the Jewish prayerbook stand alone. It is our responsibility to reach across space and time – to the Jews of the past, present, and future – to the Jews all over the globe.
To find out how to “do Jewish” in an authentic way, think about the Jews of the past, the Jews of the present, and the Jews of the future. Think about the commandments (Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5) and think about the traditions of Jews around the world. And then look at yourself. Be authentically Jewish AND be your authentic self.
I have only met a few of you so far, and we’ve only spent a short time together, but I already believe in you. You are here tonight, aren’t you? So, I believe in your ability to make conscious, thoughtful, Jewish choices. On behalf of the rabbis and educators, camp directors and cantors, Hillel staff members and Sunday School teachers who love you, THANK YOU for keeping Judaism and the Jewish community authentically Jewish while reflecting the images of all of you.
[We probably won’t get to all of these questions and/or these questions in this particular order. We are looking forward to including participants’ questions as well.]
The main question for this book is – Should Simon have forgiven the Nazi? Would you have forgiven the Nazi? That is the question that concludes the book. It seems essential to our discussion of the book, but it doesn’t have to be our first discussion question. [I would add to Wiesenthal’s question. What do you think it means that he never told the Nazi whether or not he forgave him? Would you have done it differently? Was he waiting for forgiveness or an answer?]
Does everyone deserve to die in peace? Why or why not?
What does it mean to “lose feelings?” What does it mean to “lose feelings for death?” Do you have any experience like this? What do you think they mean? OR: do you think this experience is limited to torture, trauma, and/or an attempted genocide? Why or why not? Related: Do you think the encounter with the dying Nazi re-ignite some feelings in Simon?
Do you believe that the Nazi had truly repented? Why or why not? How would that change what you think about Simon’s response and/or your own response?
Why do you think the Nazi want Simon to have his things? Do you think Simon should have accepted them? Why or why not? Would you have accepted them? Why or why not?
What do you think about collective guilt? Wiesenthal comments on the collective guilt/shame of the Germans. “The question of Germany’s guilt may never be settled. But one thing is certain: no [contemporary] German can shrug off the responsibility. Even if he has no personal guilt, he must share the shame of it. As a member of a guilty nation, he must share the shame of it. As a member of a guilty nation he cannot simply walk away like a passenger leaving a tramcar, whenever he chooses. It is the duty of the Germans to find out who was guilty.” (93) Do you agree with Wiesenthal? Why or why not?
Personal Note: I’m offended by people who ascribe behavior to God in the Holocaust. We have no idea about what God was doing/thinking during the Holocaust. I think that it’s possible God shortened the Holocaust and/or saved a remnant of Jews, but I cannot know because I’m HUMAN. This is why this is not a question for our book discussion.
General Notes:
So many people were affected by the Holocaust – Jewish and non-Jewish people, hetero- and homosexual people, people from all socio-economic classes, and more. We would like to share this topic/discussion with as many people as possible. Please feel free to invite any interested folks among your Jewish and non-Jewish friends and neighbors. Forgiveness is a universal value. Anyone who wishes to learn with us is welcome. Temple B’nai Israel is a welcoming place for people of color, people of any gender and/or sexuality, people with disabilities – for everyone.
We recommend this book for readers ages 13 and up.
Talking about the Holocaust is hard. We strive to make this a calm, respectful, welcoming event focused on learning. However, talking about antisemitism, hate, murder, torture, and other events/ideas related to the Holocaust can bring up challenging emotions for anyone. We will understand if you don’t feel like talking and/or staying in the room for the full hour.
I’ve been holding on to this criticism for a long time – even before October 7, 2023 – criticism for a lot of liberal thinkers who seem new to the issues surrounding the State of Israel and the occupations. I understand that a lot of liberal Americans see this recent war as a war of strong, bully Israel wiping out Palestinians. I want to lay out some nuances of this particular situation in regards to genocide. I know there are people out there
As someone whose family members found refuge in the Land of Israel between 1920 and 1930, I’ve been invested in the history of Israel for a long time. In tenth grade, my American family went to Israel to reunite with our Israeli family members. My father’s mother had not been able to contact her cousin and best friend since 1921, when she boarded a ship to Ellis Island. You can probably understand that my introduction to Israel was about gratitude for this miracle, especially knowing most of their/our family members had died because of terror in Europe. The Nazis and their allies worked hard to wipe out the Jews. Some of us survived.
I’m a big, fat, liberal, loudmouth American Jewish Zionist feminist. Of course most of my Israeli best friends are liberals who protested against Netanyahu long, long before this war. I have Israeli cousins and Israeli friends who are also active progressives like me. When Trump won the first time, one of my Israeli best friends said: “Now you know how I feel.” Of course I have always hated Netanyahu like it’s my job. Of course my heart breaks for ALL people who suffer. Of course I pray for a cease fire and all the hostages home safe.
Some American liberals accuse American Zionists like me of quibbling over the definition of genocide because we don’t want to look closely at the horrible situation. (See below for a useful definition.) To me, that take sounds tone deaf. Many of us don’t use that word casually because we have had to look closely at systematic violence before.
I encourage you to consider the resonance of the word genocide with European Jews who barely escaped Nazi death camps to make it to relative safety in Israel. I think it’s hard for Jewish Israelis and their allies to hear the word genocide applied to Israel while so many Israelis live peacefully next to Israeli Arabs, Israeli Muslims, and Palestinian Israelis – inside the State of Israel.
I know that the Nazi attempt at genocide is not the only example, but it’s the one Americans and Europeans seem to know best. (See below for resources on the attempted genocide in Rwanda and the attempted genocide of Native American peoples.)
The Nazis collected Jews from every country, state, anywhere they could. To liberal Zionists like me and my Israeli friends, what has happened in Israel since October 7, 2023 is a Gaza-specific issue – a war about security. I recognize and mourn and call out the deep suffering of the Gazans – Palestinians, journalists, and other people there. I don’t avoid the word genocide to downplay the horrific tragedies occurring in Gaza. Rather, I avoid the word genocide because words have meaning. Using the word genocide to describe Israel’s war against Hamas is inaccurate, and it feels purposefully divisive.
I know that the Israeli government, the Israeli military, and the various Israeli police forces of Jerusalem and other cities do unethical and tragic violence against people in the name of protecting Israel. I don’t defend the horrific and sometimes genocidal threats some Israeli leaders have made about Palestinians, today and in the past. I would never defend the crimes against humanity committed by Netanyahu and his crew, AND Israel is fighting a war against Hamas. I do not agree with the way Israel treats the people of West Bank and Gaza, AND Israel is not attacking Palestinians outside of Gaza. This is not a genocide attempt.
My friend Avi reminds me that there are people who use the term genocide to describe Israel, knowing full well how it resonates with many Jews. Using the word genocide to describe the violence in Gaza often causes Jews, Israelis, Zionists, and others to shut down dialogue – no matter how empathetic we may feel with the suffering of the Palestinians there. In moments of clarity when I’m writing on this blog, I wonder what their goals are, especially when they paint all Zionists or all Jews with the same brush. I pray for more interactions that open hearts and open dialogue rather than shutting individuals down or shutting groups out. I hope we can all find opportunities for more real conversations to broaden and deepen our understanding; more dialogues to build relationships.
In conclusion, I hope we can all learn to speak and listen so we can build more understanding. I pray and protest for this violence to be over. I pray and march for the safety of all Israelis – not just because some of them are my family and friends. I also pray for the end of all violence against everyone, Palestinians included – for peace and safety in the Middle East. Of course I don’t want any more people to die – not in the West Bank, not in Gaza, not in Israel, not anywhere. I don’t know how we can build that kind of peace – but I hope more and more of us can work together towards peace and safety for ALL. Truly, I pray that more of our allies join the active war against Hamas.
Here are a few relevant readings I can’t stop thinking about:
The NIF Blog is a great way to learn more about progressive forces in Israel. Sokatch writes well-researched, well-nuanced updates about current events in Israel. I also recommend signing up for their emails.
[Note: I’m teaching The Sunflower on April 23, 2025 in observance of Holocaust Memorial Day. Please join us by Zoom, if you can – through Temple B’nai Israel of Oklahoma City.]
Note: No one is Objective. Nothing is Objective. Some journalists are better researchers than others. Some journalists include context better than others. In addition to grammar, I definitely seek out reliable research and context in my reading.
Many friends have asked me for recommendations of resources on current events affecting Israel, Israelis, Zionists, and anti-Zionists. (This post is not about books. That will be a separate post.) I’m sad I have to repeat this: Not all Arabs are Muslim. Not all Muslims are Arab. Not all Palestinians live in Gaza or the West Bank. Some Palestinians are Israeli citizens. Not all Israelis are Jewish. Not all Jewish Israelis are white. Not all Israelis agree with every policy of the Israeli government or the Israeli police force (even if one of my cousins is part of the Jerusalem police force). I can support Israel, call myself a Zionist, and still disagree with the Israeli government. I can love Israel and fear for Israelis’ safety, and still think critically about how the Israeli military and Israeli police forces protect themselves from terrorism. I can love Israel and my Israeli friends and family, and still care about people in Gaza and the West Bank. Also, Israeli is at war with Hamas. If you are surprised that I am posting this, please know – I don’t want to have to, but every once in a while, I am surprised and disappointed by how ignorant/naive/hateful/narrow some smart people are. (Sorry for the run-on sentence.)
I really believe in lifting up Arab-Israeli, Muslim-Israeli, and Palestinian-Israeli voices. I asked friends for more Palestinian Israelis to read/hear. My Israeli friend Or suggested I read more of Lucy Aharish and Suleiman Maswadeh. Also, Or and I love Renny Grinshpan who I mainly watched for comedy until she became an activist on October 7, 2023. Now, I love her even more. My Israeli friend/brother Niv recommends: Idan Nimsto on Insta and on Twitter/X. Idan Nimsto is probably for the young and young at heart, but this hip, musical Israeli (Lin-Manuel-Miranda-style) teacher made this FANTASTIC video – Give Palestine Back?– You don’t have to agree with it to learn from it.
Haaretz is a liberal Israeli paper which has always included journalists from the non-white and non-religious Jewish population of Israel. Yes, Haaretz costs money, but it’s worth it.
My parents strongly recommend the PBS News Hour on every topic for every American. If you can’t be home at the right time to sit still for live news, you can follow them on social media. That’s a fun mash up of traditional news and “new media.” On Instagram and Threads, they are @newshour. On Instagram, you can also get direct reports from the IDF.
I like + 972 Magazine – I don’t agree with everything they say, even though I’m pretty liberal. I think a lot of Americans like it for their authentically Israeli criticism of Israel’s government.
I also like The Times of Israel. My smart, logical professor Dr. Steven Windmueller contributes to that paper frequently. He loves context and history and research. If you are an American Jew who is wrapped up in American politics and concern for Israel/Israelis, he’s a great person for you to read.
I love the emails from the New Israel Fund. You don’t have to donate money to get their emails, but you might want to. I also like the UnXeptable website for updates and press releases. [UnXeptable started as a grassroots protest movement against the Israeli government, but turned into a grassroots community support org on October 7, 2023. Thanks to my activist sister-from-another-mister Hadar Peled for the connection to UnXeptable way back when it was the Kaplan Street protest movement.] I have heard that “mainstream media” organizations don’t address the situation of the hostages in Gaza regularly, so I recommend visiting the Bring Them Home website and/or Instagram account to find out more – even when there isn’t big news.
For very personal takes on current events, I strongly recommend both Parents Circleand Combatants for Peace. I love these organizations who emphasize working together. These aren’t either Israeli or Palestinian. Both of these organizations lift up voices from all sides of the story. Find them both on all the socials. Please share their stories. They are working towards PEACE FOR EVERYONE EVERYWHERE. Please help them get the attention they deserve for doing the challenging work of building real relationships across borders. [Again, we don’t have to agree with their every word to celebrate their values.]
Friends & Neighbors: Many of you are probably wondering why I didn’t recommend the New York Times. I like a lot of stuff about the NYT. Their games are awesome. I love the magazine and the book review section. I really like Emily Bazelon and Tressie McMillian Cottom. Also, I don’t think the New York Times is reliable on deeply controversial issues like Israel. I’m not the only one to recognize that the New York Times is not as open to the wider world context as people say/expect. For example, here is the full letter that over 180 of the NYT’s own contributers signed and sent about the paper’s on-going biased reporting on transgender life in America. By all means, read the NYT – as long as you read it with your critical thinking skills turned up to 11. There is no perfect newspaper, of course. So, please don’t let the NYT be your only or even main source for news on Israel. NPR and the New York Times don’t always present all sides of the story – partially because the story is over 2,000 years old. Partially because there are more than two sides to this story. See above!
I admit that I’m not super loyal in the way I consume news. In the course of any given week, I’ve probably read articles in all of the news outlets I listed above plus a couple extra ones local to the story I’m chasing. Additionally, for world news, I like The Guardian. Paying for The Guardian is definitely worth it. (I get most of my Ukraine news there, for example.) I don’t read the same papers every day which is why I try to tell my friends to send me articles they really love or hate too. Hint. Hint.
Thank you for listening. Feedback welcome.
May peace prevail on earth – for my people, for your people, for all the people everywhere.
I realized by reading and teaching a gardening curriculum for HeadStart that 1. While the curriculum does acknowledge that gardening might be completely new to students, 2. It does not acknowledge that many adults also have no experience with gardening. How can someone teach gardening when it’s completely new to them?
My lesson plans/curricula are not better than anyone else’s. Mine are different because (1) I’m trying to start before even the first step; and (2) I put my contact info below so I can actually work with you! If you are near Austin, Texas, I can even come work in your garden and/or your classroom.
I aim to be a support to anyone teaching gardening – any teacher who is rushed and busy, anyone who is new to gardening, anyone who is new to teaching gardening.
Please let me help your school, your class, and your teachers teach and enjoy gardening. My website is free, of course. If you want/can, I will let you pay me to come help with your lessons – from planning to execution. [Yes, I often volunteer, but I also need to get paid sometimes. To invite me to come help your school, please email me with GARDEN in the subject heading and include your school’s info as well as your own contact info. rabbilippe@gmail.com]
LESSON PLANNING
Here are some sampleGoals, Objectives, Vocabulary Words, and other info to mix and match for your lesson plans. Please pick the ones most suitable for your work.
Sample Goals – The leaders of this lesson/course/curriculum aim to: Introduce basic values of gardening; Introduce students to the origins of our foods – especially fruits and vegetables, but also grains; Introduce the phrase “busy as a bee;” Introduce the life cycle of a tomato or another vegetable (or fruit or flower); Provide opportunities for students to watch a seed grow into a seedling (and hopefully into a plant); Provide opportunities for students to harvest something they helped grow; Explain what wildlife contributes to the garden – including but not limited to butterflies, caterpillars, bees, birds, dragonflies, and more.
Sample Objectives – By the end of this lesson/course/curriculum, participants will be able to: Identify the roots of a plant. Describe what the roots of a plant do; Identify three contributions gardening offers to the earth; Identify the life cycle of a tomato; Identify the life cycle of a butterfly; Taste something straight from the garden; Taste a new vegetable; Identify five vegetables; Describe at least one pollinator; Explain the phrase “busy as a bee.” Identify a bee; Describe how a seed becomes a plant; Identify a worm and what worms eat and excrete; Describe the difference between sun and shade and more.
Many Humans Garden to: connect with the earth; connect with their foods; avoid buying vegetables and fruits that come wrapped in plastics and/or travel many miles; homegrown foods taste better; save money. Additionally, many organizations find that both physical and mental health can be improved by gardening – especially because planting seeds and watching them grow increases our investment in the future and builds our hope and resilience.
Integration with other Skills/Curriculum
In order to garden, you WILL use math and science.
Related Topics: math & measurement; time, schedules, calendars; patience; teamwork; the scientific method; scientific inquiry; and more. Remember: it goes both ways! Once you start gardening, you can always use examples from gardening in other lessons.
Also, all gardens and gardeners include some death and dying. Some plants are annuals so they will absolutely die at the end of their year. My gardening teacher told me – if you have never killed a plant, you’re not really a gardener. I have observed that gardeners of all ages learn to handle death and dying in the garden with perspective. Adding dead plants to your compost* pile is a way of giving them a “new life.” Be Prepared to talk about death and dying – especially with younger students who are associative thinkers and don’t really filter their thoughts/reactions. They might bring up other deaths or their questions about what happens during or after death.
My Basics: (A)When you are growing something in a pot, the pot requires drainage. If it doesn’t have holes in the bottom for drainage, do not put a plant in it. (B) Feeding the soil sounds weird, but soil needs organic material to grow healthy plants. The easiest way to do gardening is to always buy compost.* If you are trying to grow most vegetables and most flowers, you need compost.* [There are different kinds of soil. Potting soil doesn’t contain much nutrition. If you use potting soil outside, it usually gets washed away in the rain or even when you water. Garden soil is heavy and isn’t great for draining. Using old compost is not advisable unless you can mix some fertilizer or something rich into it. Throw that old compost into the compost heap for later] (C) Don’t forget! It is easier to learn and remember what feels interesting and relevant.Everyone eats. Everyone needs to eat. Therefore, growing food is naturally relevant and interesting to human beings. (D) The plants and gardens surrounding us become more interesting and more relevant as soon as a person begins experiencing even a tiny garden, even just one plant! (E) MULCH – Mulch protects plants from heat in the summer and cold in the winter. Mulch helps plants conserve water. You can buy mulch at the store, but sometimes I just use recycled cardboard to cover my empty garden in the summer. (F) Some will tell you that expert advice is not important. Sometimes plants can beat the odds. Once, I grew a few peas in the hot Texas summer. However, relying on the wisdom of gardening experts is valuable. I use these two websites the most: Gardeners World and The Spruce! (G) Ask for help from local gardeners! In Austin, we depend on: https://travis-tx.tamu.edu/about-2/horticulture/get-expert-gardening-advice/ They offer advice and consultation as well as some fantastic, invaluable resources that tell us the best times to plant each vegetable, flower, herb, and more! So much gratitude for them!
Options for inviting family participation: eggshells, banana peels, & coffee grounds.
In case you couldn’t already tell, I am dedicated to organic gardening. I don’t use pesticides, and I don’t feed my garden inorganic materials. Here are some organic ways to feed your soil for free!
Eggshells – Eggshells are organic material that are good for our soil. When I crack eggs for cooking, I rinse the shells and collect them in a metal pan. Then, after I’ve used the oven, I put the tray of collected egg shells back into the oven while it is cooling. They don’t have to be cooked or brown. They just cannot be raw. [Seriously, don’t cook them on a high heat because it makes your whole house stink.] I collect the dried eggshells in an old rice container. Then, I crush them. [Be careful – they can be sharp – please warn your students.] Your students’ families are probably just throwing those eggshells out. They might be willing to collect these for your gardening project. It takes a little bit of time but it doesn’t cost any money. When I see signs of slugs or snails, I spread crushed eggshells on the top of the soil. When I am planting a new plant, I often sprinkle some dried eggshells in the bottom of the hole. It provides drainage! You can always crush these and throw them right into your compost* pile. They do not rot down but they help air circulate which helps your compost develop.
Banana Peels! I don’t know why, but banana peels are really good for our soil. If you bury a banana peel in your soil, it will feed your soil and eventually your plants. When we had bananas for snack or for breakfast in class, I would give the kids an old yogurt container to collect the peels. Then, we would either put them under one of our trees or bury them in our garden bed. I often wished we had our own compost* pile because you can’t use a ton all at once in a little garden – unless you are starting from scratch and you have a ton of compost to layer on top. Again, people at home throw those banana peels out. They are free because people think of them as garbage. There are probably a few families who will remember to bring you their banana peels and/or they might even use them in a plant at home! Either way – your lesson is amplified! [I do not suggest laying banana peels on top of the soil because some critter will come grab it and probably hang out to dig around and eat your tomatoes and carrots.]
Coffee Grounds are another household material that really helps in the garden. Most of your students’ families are probably not reusing their coffee grounds in their gardens/plants or compost heaps. Encourage them to use them at home and/or donate them to your garden. It costs a little bit of time but no money! Note: Worms love coffee grounds, and lots of students love worms. Gardens and compost heaps need worms to help with air circulation and to process the soil.
*ScratchmadeCompost – If you want to make your own compost, there are tons of free resources online. Put your old soil and dead leaves/plants in there. You can even add lawn trimmings. I add trimmings from veggies and fruits. (If you work at a school, I bet you have tons of leftover fruits and vegetables! Bury these in your compost heap with old dirt/soil.) No dairy or meat or fish. No cooked food with seasoning and oils. *The goal is to balance green and brown stuff. [Bonus: adding dead plants to your compost* pile is a way of giving them a “new life,” BUT if they died of a disease, throw those in your city compost. You don’t want disease in your homemade compost.] Note: Not all schools are going to be open to letting you start a compost heap on their grounds. Seriously, I worked at a school where they wouldn’t allow me to use the recycling bin.
Some of my favorite GARDENING BOOKS for students
ABCs of Gardening, by Dylanna Press; ISBN – 9781647902575 – For students ages 2 and up. ABCs of Gardening
ABC Bug Book for Kids, by Jessica Lee Anderson; Rockridge Press, Oakland, CA, 2022; ISBN – 978-1-63878-066-3 – For students ages 3 and up.
Lola Plants a Garden, by Anna McQuinn; Illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw; Charlesbridge, Watertown, MA, 2014. ISBN – 978-1-58089-695-5 – For any age.
The Tiny Seed, by Eric Carle; Little Simon, New York, 1987. ISBN – 978-1-4169-7917-3 – For students ages 5 and up.
I know that many of y’all are trying to be compassionate. When people talk about the rights of Palestinians without discussing how Hamas treats Palestinians and Israelis, my stomach sinks and my heart breaks again and again. There have been Jews in the Land of Israel since the birth of Judaism over two thousand years ago. There are multiple terror organizations attacking Israel – not just since 1948 and not just since October 7, 2023. Their mission statements are to wipe Israel and all the Israelis off the map. Should Israelis be threatened, murdered, raped, kidnapped? Is it okay for Hamas and Hezbollah to constantly try to kill as many Israelis as possible? Hamas has been treating Palestinians worse than garbage since 2006 at least!
When American liberals talk about Palestinian rights, would they be willing to acknowledge that Israel is the only military willing to fight Hamas? I really need American liberals to give context and nuance to the Israel-Hamas war instead of simply raising up Palestinians as victims of Israel. I acknowledge that Netanyahu/Ganz/Smotrich are terrible and that the Israeli government is doing terrible things.
Can American liberals acknowledge that many of us only noticed the plight of Palestinians since October 7, 2023? Hamas’ oppression of Gaza has gone uncommented on by American liberals for many years. Are the rights of Gazans only important when Israelis are in the news?
Where was everyone who supports Palestinians between 2006 and today? Some of us liberal Jewish Americans have been fighting the Israeli government policies about Palestinians for many years.
Imagine how it feels for us Jews to know that – only when Israel is involved, people speak up….
Imagine what it feels like to hear people constantly criticize Israel without being brave enough to criticize terror organizations like Hamas…….
Israel is an easy target, isn’t it? Hamas is rich and huge and scary. Be brave, liberal Americans. Please address the nuance and long, wide context of the situation. There are still Israeli hostages held in Gaza by Hamas.
Why do they hate us? Why do they hate Jewish people?
The real answer to this question is: No one knows, because anti-Semitism is not logical.
History has proven that there is nothing that Jews can do or not do in order to make people unhate us. So, there is no real answer. The hate doesn’t make sense.
I’m so sorry that these questions have to be part of your lives AT ALL, EVER.
On the other hand, here are some explanations that might make sense to you.
One: The Jewish People are the Weeble Wobbles of human history. I mean, not exactly because they were TOYS but still – their song was – Weeble Wobbles wobble but they don’t fall down.
That’s us. Since Judaism began, we have undergone attacks, but we never disappear completely. We always find each other and rebuild. Some people are curious about this. Others are jealous.
Two: We are not like everyone else. Many people fear difference. Sure, we have lungs and blood like everyone else. We need air to breathe and water to drink like everyone else. We are human, and, also – we don’t believe like they do. We have our own religion. We don’t behave like they do. We have our own cultures – Jewish cultures and traditions from Yemen and Poland and Iraq and Spain as well as from the Land of Israel, where Judaism was born. Jews are different, and Jewish texts teach us to be more than okay with that – to be proud.
THAT is why Ph should become bat mitzvah and be part of confirmation, because THAT is your cultural inheritance. Becoming Bat Mitzvah within the Jewish Community is a gift to you from your Jewish ancestors and to them from you. You don’t have to cry about it! We are thrilled you want to become Bat Mitzvah! Later, joining a Confirmation Class will be your honor and privilege as a young adult who participates in Jewish community. We will be honored and blessed to celebrate you.
[And one day, we will walk the streets of Jerusalem and Yaffo/Jaffa and Haifa and enjoy the combinations of Jewish cultures all together in one Israeli neighborhood. You will see and taste and hear that Jewish people don’t all share the exact same cultures, but we still stick together.]
Three: Starting early in Jewish history, different empires and militaries have exiled us from the Land of Israel. In every country, on every continent, Jewish people have made their homes at one time or another. Some people thought that, if Jews went home to the Land of Israel, people would stop attacking us, but that didn’t work. Our ability to adapt to many places, times, and cultures seems to scare people. Some of them actually believe they are protecting themselves from us.
Four: Many non-Jewish people feel heartbroken when Jews die in hate crimes. When we grow strong again, however, it’s harder for them to feel sympathy for us. When there are Jewish generals and Jewish police captains, suddenly, they don’t see Jews as innocent anymore.
Does this make sense? Nope. Because we know that all Jews are not the same. There are Israeli politicians who make me sick. There are Israeli military leaders who have broken my heart over and over. However, Israelis and Jews still deserve safe, healthy lives. People who see one Jewish bad guy and decide to hate all of us, those people don’t think like we do. It’s our job to try to be honest and open – while we defend Israelis and Jews – even if they don’t WANT to understand us.
Five: Lots of people DON’T hate us. I think they probably don’t hate fat people or disabled people or people who don’t speak their language either. When some people get scared or angry, they forget about everyone but their own group. It’s easy for them to ignore the human rights of people who they think are different from them or less than they are – or people they think just might be able to take care of themselves. So, we do. If anyone told my bubbe, “take care of yourself,” she would answer: “If I don’t, who will.” She was quoting Hillel, a famous rabbi whose wisdom has survived many years.
Rabbi Hillel used to say:
If I am not for myself, who [will be] for me?
If I am [only] for myself, what am I?
If not now, when?
(Pirkei Avot 1:14)
We stand for ourselves, and we stand with others. We never wait to work toward justice – for everyone.
Six: Many people LOVE YOU. As your mom wisely said: Let’s focus on the people who love us and who stand by us. We love them back, and we stand with them.
Together, we always work to build a world of peace and safety for everyone – not just for the Jewish People or for Israel – for everyone – even if it takes a long time, even if it takes our lifetimes.
Seven: We always SURVIVE! We always stick together, and we have survived SO MUCH. I’m sorry that you need to learn about our worst times. I look forward to sharing good times with you too.
(and from Susan in Austin, Texas, USA – I’m the English language editor.)
We know that you have been overwhelmed with requests for donations since October 7th. We promise ours is different.
Hadar and her friend Michal have organized a way to house and care for 8 families from Kibbutz Kissufim in the Israeli South. On October 9th, these eight families made it safely to Michal’s house in Caesarea.
Michal, Hadar, and their friends and family have found a way to provide a home for them – to cook for them, do laundry for them, shop for them, whatever they need. Hadar and a group of friends from North of Tel Aviv are helping make a safe, stable, clean home for them.
So far, the eight families combined are raising 5 kids, ages 2-9 years. The school-age children have been enrolled in schools in Caesarea, but their parents cannot work. Their jobs, their homes, their lives are wrapped up in the kibbutz that Hamas attacked.
These families escaped with their lives, but, on October 7th, they lost their jobs, their homes, their community, their clothing, everything. Hadar, Michal, and our wider circle of friends are trying to provide a sense of stability for their children to adjust quickly and to begin to recover from the trauma of the attacks.
To support these families for the next three months will cost $12k. Twelve thousand dollars will pay for utilities, food, and a safe place to stay for 8 families of 5 children and 7 adults. Soon, one of the moms will be ready to give birth. Hopefully, they will also be joined by one injured grandfather when he is released from the hospital. We want to provide a safe, healthy home for everyone to recover together. Twelve thousand dollars will pay for rent, utilities, food, and a safe place to stay until they can get home to Kibbutz Kissufim. No donation is too small. Every dollar will help.
We are grateful to the folks at Kavod: A Tzedakah Collective for agreeing to help us raise and distribute your donations as well. Special thanks to Aunt Judy for her help directing the funds. You can donate through Kavod at kavod.org. Please write “Hadar/Housing” in the notes so your donation gets to these 8 families. Thank you so much!
With gratitude and prayers for peace, Hadar and Susan
Why can’t the Israeli government help them? Israel is very good at absorbing people who need help, but the attacks of October 7th have displaced an unprecedented number of families. Shelters are overfilled, and supplies are running out. The Israeli government is juggling a huge number of priorities including security, and so private Israeli citizens are volunteering to help.
Why can’t we just give to an established organization? Please do. Every dollar helps. For these particular families, funding this home for the next three months will be the most helpful and meaningful thing to do.
How can we know that you are using this money responsibly? If you have met any of us, you know we are honest and responsible. If you have ever met Hadar, you already know she is excellent at spending money efficiently. If you need more details or more reassurances, please contact us! We would love to help you find a way to support these families directly. (If it makes you more comfortable, we can direct you to more established organizations.)
Why Caesarea and this house? People had to flee the kibbutzim in haste. Survivors from the kibbutz attacks are spread out all over Israel – some in Eilat, some in Caesarea – all over.
Why these particular eight families? These are the ones we’ve got, and Kol Yisrael araveem zeh le’zeh – all of Israel is responsible for each other.
Why do they need a whole house? Why can’t they just stay at a shelter? Because what we would want for ourselves, we want for others.
Rambam, Sefer HaMitzvot, Mitzvah #206
היא שצונו לאהוב קצתנו את קצתנו כאשר נאהב עצמנו ושתהיה אהבתו וחמלתו לאחיו כאהבתו וחמלתו לעצמו בממונו ובגופו וכל מה שיהיה ברשותו אם ירצה אותו ארצה אני אותו וכל מה שארצה לעצמי ארצה לו כמוהו. והוא אמרו יתעלה ואהבת לרעך כמוך. (קדושים תהיו, מדע הלכות דעות פ”ז):
We are commanded to love each other as we love ourselves, and one’s love and compassion for another should be like the love and compassion we have for our own possessions – our body and everything else that is in our domain. What the other [person] wants, I want for myself; and WHAT I WANT FOR MYSELF, I WANT THE SAME FOR [EVERYONE]. And that is the meaning of the verse, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Lev 19:18)
שלום מהרצליה וקיסריה, ישראל
(ומסוזן באוסטין, טקסס, ארה”ב – אני העורכת בשפה האנגלית)
.אנחנו יודעים שאתם מוצפים בבקשות לתרומות מאז ה-7 באוקטובר. אנחנו מבטיחים שהבקשה הזו היא שונה
.הדר וחברתה מיכל ארגנו דרך לשכן ולטפל ב-8 משפחות מקיבוץ כיסופים בדרום הארץ. ב-9 באוקטובר הגיעו שמונה המשפחות הללו בשלום לביתה של מיכל בקיסריה
מיכל, הדר וחבריהם ובני משפחתם מצאו דרך לספק להם בית – לבשל להם, לעשות להם כביסה, לקנות להם כל מה שהם צריכים. הדר וקבוצת חברים מצפון תל אביב עוזרים ליצור עבורם בית בטוח, יציב ונקי
שמונה המשפחות יחד מגדלות 5 ילדים, בגילאי 2-9 . הילדים בגילאי בית ספר של המשפחות הללו נרשמו לבתי ספר בקיסריה, אך הוריהם אינם יכולים לעבוד. עבודתם, בתיהם, חייהם נשארו בקיבוץ שחמאס תקף
המשפחות הללו נמלטו בשלום, אך ב-7 באוקטובר הן איבדו את מקום עבודתן, את בתיהם, את הקהילה, את לבושם, הכל. הדר, מיכל ושאר החברים שלנו מנסים להעניק תחושת יציבות לילדיהם ולאפשר להם להסתגל במהירות ולהתחיל להתאושש מהטראומה
על מנת לפרנס את המשפחות הללו בשלושת החודשים הבאים דרושים כ 12 אלף דולר. כסף זה מיועד לשירותים, מזון ומקום בטוח לשהות בו עבור 8 משפחות עם 5 ילדים ו-7 מבוגרים. בקרוב, אחת האמהות צפויה ללדת. יש לקוות, שיצטרף אליהם גם סבא אחד פצוע כשישתחרר מבית החולים. אנחנו רוצים לספק בית בטוח ובריא לכולם כדי להחלים ביחד. שנים-עשר אלף דולר ישלמו עבור שכר דירה, שירותים, מזון ומקום בטוח לשהות בו עד שיוכלו להגיע הביתה לקיבוץ כיסופים. אף תרומה לא קטנה מדי. כל דולר יעזור.
אנו אסירי תודה לאנשי “כבוד: קולקטיב צדקה” על הסכמתם לעזור לנו לגייס ולהפיץ גם את התרומות שלכם. תודה מיוחדת לדודה ג’ודי על עזרתה בהכוונת הכספים
ניתן לתרום דרך “כבוד” בכתובת kavod.org. נא לרשום “הדר\דיור” בהערןת כדי שהתרומה תגיע למשפחות הללו.
בהכרת תודה ובתפילות לשלום, הדר וסוזן
שאלות ותשובות
למה ממשלת ישראל לא יכולה לעזור להם? ישראל טובה מאוד בקליטת אנשים שזקוקים לעזרה, אבל התקפת הטרור ב-7 באוקטובר עקרו מספר חסר תקדים של משפחות. המקלטים מלאים מדי, והאספקה אוזלת. ממשלת ישראל מלהטטת במספר עצום של סדרי עדיפויות כולל ביטחון, ולכן אזרחים ישראלים פרטיים מתנדבים לעזור
למה אנחנו לא יכולים פשוט לתת לארגון מבוסס? אתם יכולים! כל דולר עוזר. עבור המשפחות המסוימות הללו, מימון הבית הזה לשלושת החודשים הבאים יהיה הדבר המועיל והמשמעותי ביותר לעשות.
איך נוכל לדעת שהכסף שנתרום יגיע ליעדו וישתמשו בו בצורה אחראית? אם פגשתם מישהו מאיתנו, אתם שאנחנו כנים ואחראים. אם אי פעם פגשתם את הדר, אתם כבר יודעים שהיא מצוינת בניהול כסף ביעילות. אם אתם מעוניינים בפרטים נוספים, צרו איתנו קשר! נשמח לעזור למצוא דרך לתמוך ישירות במשפחות אלו
למה דווקא קיסריה? למה דווקא הבית הזה? אנשים נאלצו לברוח מהקיבוצים בחיפזון. ניצולים מהפיגועים בקיבוץ פרוסים בכל רחבי ישראל – חלקם באילת, חלקם בקיסריה – בכל רחבי הארץ
למה דווקא שמונה המשפחות האלה? אלה המשפחות שאנחנו קלטנו לנו, כל ישראל ערבים זה לזה – כל ישראל אחראים זה לזה
למה הם צריכים בית שלם?למה הם לא יכולים פשוט להישאר במקלט? כי מה שהיינו רוצים עבור עצמנו, אנחנו רוצים עבור אחרים
רמב”ם, ספר המצוות, מצווה מס’ 206
היא שצוונו לאהוב קצתנו את קצתנו כשנאהב עצמנו ושתהיה אהבתו וחמלתו לאחיו כאהבתו וחמלתו לבד בממונו ובגופו וכל מה שיהיה ברשותו אם ירצה אותו ארצה אני אותו וכל מה שארצה לעצמי ארצה לו כמוהו. והוא אמרו יתעלה ואהבת לרעך כמוך. (קדושים תהיו, מדע הלכות דעות פ”ז)
אנו מצווים לאהוב זה את זה כפי שאנו אוהבים את עצמנו, והאהבה והחמלה של אחד כלפי הזולת צריכות להיות כמו האהבה והחמלה שיש לנו כלפי רכושנו שלנו – הגוף שלנו וכל דבר אחר שנמצא בתחום שלנו. מה שהאחר רוצה, אני רוצה לעצמי; ומה שאני רוצה עבור עצמי, אני רוצה אותו דבר עבור [כולם]. וזהו פירוש הפסוק “ואהבת לרעך כמוך”. (לב י”ט, י”ח)
Learning the Hard Way 