These lesson plans are designed as introductory guides for Teachers and Librarians to expand upon the work in Mark Binder's audio cassette, The Brothers Schlemiel From Birth to Bar Mitzvah.

Please feel free to send us an email if you have questions, suggestions, additions, or successes.
Email to: beth@lightpublications.com

Question for students about Jewish Life-Cycle and Holiday Celebrations:

What Jewish Life-Cycle and Holiday celebrations are mentioned in The Brothers Schlemiel From Birth to Bar Mitzvah?

Answer

• Bris: The ritual circumcision performed by a moel. This ceremony is a symbol of God's covenant with Abraham.
• Passover: Passover celebrates the Exodus from Egypt. The Passover Seder is a multi-course meal that is also a teaching tool, a method of passing history, tradition and values from one generation to the next.
• Bar Mitzvah: At the Bar Mitzvah ceremony, young Jewish boys (and girls at their Bas or Bat Mitzvah) are initiated into adulthood. They are called to stand before the community and read from the Torah, the five books of Moses

Life-Cycle and Holiday Discussion Questions:

How do the events in The Brothers Schlemiel From Birth to Bar Mitzvah differ from events in real life? Has anyone been to a bris? What are some of your family's Passover Seder traditions? What are the Bar and Bat Mitzvahs you've attended like?

Schlemiels and Fools

Chelm is known as a village of fools. What other foolish tales of Chelm have you heard? Do you think that being a fool is a good or a bad thing? What do you like about the Schlemiels and the other people of Chelm? Would you like to live with them?
Make up a "fool" tale and tell it to your class. What is the difference between doing something foolish and doing something stupid? Do you think that foolish people can change? Why would they want to?
Try a role-playing game where one group of students are fools, and the other group are trying to accomplish something important. Perhaps building a bridge or harvesting a crop. Have fun!

Thieves

Abraham and Adam are both lucky and tricky in their encounter with the robbers. How would you handle a group of thieves who came to rob your community? Do you think it would turn out as well? Discuss the difference between the way the villagers of Chelm take care of the robbers and the way it would be done on television or in a movie. Which way would you prefer? Which way is safest?