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Download the free discussion guide at the bottom!
As Jewish educators, our mission is to inspire students to become compassionate, responsible, and engaged members of their communities. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, offers a unique opportunity to teach Jewish values, or Middot. Through meaningful discussions, we can lay a solid moral foundation, nurturing qualities such as empathy, kindness, and community building.
Integrating Jewish values into lesson plans helps students understand the profound impact they can have on their own lives and the world around them. By encouraging students to share their thoughts, experiences, and examples related to each value, they can create deeper connections to these principles.
Remind them that their actions, no matter how small, have the power to make a difference. To make this more tangible, set small, realistic goals that they can achieve.
Discussion Questions
Introduce key Jewish values (middot) that you will be discussing. Here are a couple of examples:
Chesed (Kindness)
Why is kindness important in our daily lives?
Can you think of a time when someone showed you kindness? How did it make you feel?
How can small acts of kindness make a big difference in our communities?
Can you share an example of an act of kindness that impacted someone?
Activity: Ask students to share a story about a moment when they performed an act of kindness and describe how it made them feel afterward.
Slecha (Saying Sorry)
Why do we often find it challenging to apologize when we make mistakes?
How does apologizing help to strengthen our relationships with others?
Compare how you felt before to how it made you feel after you apologized.
How can we make sure our apologies are genuine and sincere?
Activity: Role-play scenarios where students practice giving and receiving apologies.
Hakarat Tova (Gratitude)
What does it mean to have gratitude?
Why is it important to appreciate the blessings in our lives?
Can you think of three things you are grateful for today?
Why are they meaningful to you?
How can we show gratitude to others?
Activity: Create a gratitude tree with your students by writing things they are grateful for on paper leaves and attaching them to a poster of a tree.
Kehillah (Community)
What is a community? Why is it important to have a strong community?
How does being part of a community bring joy and support into our lives?
Can you think of a way you have contributed to your community? How did it make you feel?
How can we support and connect with others in our community?
Activity: Create Rosh Hashanah greeting cards for a local Jewish assisted living facility.
Tzadik (Righteousness)
What does it mean to be righteous?
Why is it important to make choices that align with our values?
Can you share an example of a time when you had to make a difficult decision? How did you choose what was right?
How can we demonstrate integrity and honesty in our everyday actions?
Activity: Discuss real-life scenarios where students had to make ethical choices and what they learned from those experiences.
Tikkun Olam (Repair the World)
What does it mean to repair the world?
Why is it important to take care of our planet and help those in need?
Can you think of a way you can make a positive impact in your community or the environment?
How can small actions contribute to making the world a better place?
Activity: Plan a small class initiative, such as a recycling drive or a brief awareness campaign on a social issue.
Download a Jewish Values-Based Craft
The Jewish Values-Based Activity combines learning with creativity and reflection.
This Jewish Values-Based Rosh Hashanah activity guides students to reflect on and connect their actions to six core Jewish values.
Download a Free Discussion Guide
Wishing you a Shana Tova and a year filled with prosperous learning, and peace.
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