Shabbatarama Edot Fair

Yesterday evening, our Edot students had the opportunity to share what they learned this year about the history and cultures of the Ethiopian, Babylonian/Iraqi, Spanish, and Yemenite edot, during May's Shabbatarama event. We performed a skit during the Friday night service, which shared the historical origins of the edot and how different customs evolved within each edah for following the commandments in the Torah. Part of the skit involved unrolling an out-sized Jewish history timeline on the bimah. There was a lot of history to unroll!

Later during the evening, we hung up the timeline in the Social Hall to allow Shabbatarama attendees to get a closer look at it.

Following the service, we all moved into the Social Hall, where the Edot Fair "booths" were set up on the stage and around the perimeter of the room. Each booth allowed people of all ages to play the games or create a craft or taste a dessert which had been brought to Israel by members of the Edot we studied. As attendees ate a pasta and salad dinner at tables set up in the middle of the room, our edot students and parent volunteers, along with Avodah TA's who helped out during the skit and Edot Fair, showed those who came to the "booths" how to make the craft project or play the game.

Playing QILEBLEBOSH, an Ethiopian game similar to "Jacks" but played with stones and without a ball, brought to Israel by the Beta Yisrael (Ethiopian Jewish) community

Playing DOSA, an Iraqi card game involving only luck and no skill. It's played by Iraqi Jews in Israel on Purim.

Playing STOP, a Sephardi game still played in Mexico and Israel, where participants have to write down words for certain categories as quickly as possible - all the words have to begin with the same letter.

Making foamy yarn baskets, a simplified version of the wool and straw baskets that are made by the Beta Yisrael.

Making Yemenite copper wire beaded bracelets, both on the table...

...and on the floor in front of the table.

Making CHAMSAS that Iraqi Jews borrowed from Muslims - you could trace your own hand...

...or use a provided outline of the amulet to decorate with Jewish and other symbols.

And of course, what's a fair without food. Edot parent volunteers baked goodies for our Edot dessert table - orange cake, sesame cookies, sesame bars (a candy), carob cupcakes, tahini cookies, and date patties.

Aside from all the booth activities, there was also a vigorous gaga game going on in the Oneg Room.

A very big thank you goes to all the parent volunteers who baked the desserts and helped to staff the booths. Thanks also to Andrew and Sarah, our TA's, who helped staff the booths and hold up the Jewish history timeline and Israeli flag during the skit. Now, we're all looking forward to the Dan Nichols concert at our final Religious School session tomorrow, to be followed by a barbeque and more games and activities.