Exploring Jewish Lifecycle: Rituals and Practices
Curated Series
The Jewish Education Project
This collection provides educational resources on the rituals and practices of Jewish life, including birth, B-Mitzvah, the Jewish wedding, divorce, and death and mourning. It also includes resources on exploring Jewish lifecycle events as a deeper exploration of Jewish diversity and the evolution of Jewish practice.
Educators can use these resources with families who are going through these life stages, or use them to teach groups of learners about the lifecycle rituals and traditions.
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Birth and Naming
Animated videos to introduce the rituals of welcoming a baby into the Jewish community.
This is a naming ritual guide that can be used for all children
A PJ Library book-based family program on naming a Jewish child.
B Mitzvah
An animated video on what to expect at a B'nei Mitzvah Celebration
Resources to Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Bat Mitzvah in many settings.
These guides can support students in writing the D’var Torah with guidelines to express and organize their thoughts.
This lesson supports teens in creating a Jewish ritual for the transitoin beyong high school.
Explore one girl's campaign to have the first Saturday morning Bat Mitzvah in her congregation.
Torah blessings developed to honor parents of other faith backgrounds.
Steps for clergy and educators to imagine what is possible for the B-Mitzvah teen with disabilities.
This guide highlights b’nai mitzvah models developed throughout North America that can spark innovation.
Transitions
An animated video on the process of adopting Judaism as a Jew by choice.
A collection of animated videos to support sharing the symbols and rituals of a Jewish wedding and divorce.
Reading guide for the book "Sunrise Sunset" asks "how can we savor each moment?"
A guide for helping kids know what to expect at a Jewish wedding.
Use manuscripts of ketubot from around the world to examine how they reflect the communities and time periods.
Death and Mourning
Collection
Resources on death and dying created as part of the Shomer Collective Educator Fellowship.
An article about how one funeral home's staff engage children in conversation about death.
In this episode, Rabbi Melanie Levav discusses the Jewish views on death and dying.
Animated vidoes that explore the symbols and rituals of Jewish mourning practices.
Rabbi Melanie Levav and David Bryfman discuss talking about death and dying in Jewish education.