Chamsa Family Workshop

We had our final, culminating event yesterday morning for our unit of study about the Babylonian Jews (which is how Iraqi Jews still refer to themselves) - our Chamsa Family workshop. I had to pick and choose specific eras in the complicated history of this edah, and decided to share major events in its earliest history with the students, with the greatest emphasis on the birth of Judaism during the Babylonian exile period, roughly between 586 B.C. E. and the conquest of the Babylonians by the Persians in 537 B.C.E..

After viewing videos, multimedia presentations and interactive maps on the "Heritage: Civilization and the Jews" dvd-rom program to present an overall view of the major eras, the students interpreted what they learned as they wrote skits describing each of five major eras and/or events in Babylonian history and created posters illustrating these events. We learned two songs: one relating to the history of this edah ("Al Naharot Bavel" - "By the Waters of Babylon" from Psalm 137), and the other sung by Iraqi Jews during their Simchat Torah celebrations ("Hallelu Avdei Adonai"). And finally, we prepared Menena, an Iraqi Jewish treat traditionally included in their Purim Mishlo'ach Manot baskets.

We presented the skits during our family workshop yesterday in the Beit Knesset, which included the songs we learned and which were illustrated by the posters the students created, as backdrops to each skit. All participants were then asked to move to tables set up behind our "staging" area, where we learned how to make a copper foil chamsa (the amulet adopted by Iraqi Jews during the late 7th, early 8th century). As our workshop ended, I handed out "gift packages" of the Menena pastries the students prepared, as an early Purim gift.

With Bill's help, I set up the Beit Knesset with a "staging" area for the presentation of the five skits and chairs set up for the adults (our students were relegated to a lower level of seating - i.e., the floor in front of the adults).

And what's a skit without the proper costumes and props? It looks like King Nebuchadnezzar is standing "offstage" waiting to join his Babylonian soldiers as they finally end the 2-year siege of Jerusalem and break through its walls.

The Kohen Gadol (High Priest) and his Levite aide realize that the Holy Temple will be invaded and looted by the Babylonian soldiers now that they've broken through the walls of Jerusalem.

Nebuchadnezzar would be the first to tell you that its hard to keep a crown on your head!

The High Priest wasn't wrong - here, he's being led away by Babylonian soldiers. He's got a long march to Babylon to endure very soon.

The audience is attentive, as they hear how heartbroken the exiles are upon reaching Babylon and being asked by Babylonians taunting them to sing songs of their homeland in this strange land.

Here, the actors sit, as all the participants sing "Al Naharot Bavel."

Standing directly under the poster depicting Jewish adoption of the Chamsa amulet can only bode well for Ben!

In this scene, five Rabbis in the Babylonian Academy (Yesheeva) of Pumbedita are discussing when the proper time is exactly to say the morning "Sh'ma" prayer.

Future rabbis of America?

And when the final skit was finished, we all moved over to the tables where participants found a copper foil square and a pair of scissors set out on a newspaper section (to prevent the tables from being scratched when we pressed down on the copper foil to trace our hands and decorate the chamsa). Plenty of colored beads made from ceramic, glass, and plastic were on hand at each table, to string onto thin wire and attach to the bottom of the chamsa once it was cut out. Many Middle Eastern and North African cultures believed that demons were attracted to round, colorful shapes and entered them, then could not get out and were thus captured and prevented from doing evil in the world.

Parents, grandparents and children all quickly became involved in the art activity.

Choosing just the right beads to attach can be tough when there are so many to choose from!

The copper foil is very sharp, so you had to be very focused and careful as you cut out the traced hand.

The result is worth all the effort - there are a lot of evil spirits that won't be wandering around Emily anymore...

...or Zach...

...or Alex...

...or Ben and his Mom!

And before everyone left, each family took a gift-package of Menena from our "Mishlo'ach Manot" Purim basket.

Our Edot families are now protected!

We have now traveled in our Edot time machine to learn about the history and cultures of the Beta Yisrael in Ethiopia and the Babylonian Jews in Mesopotamia. Next stop - the Jews of Spain! 

But first - we take a break in our travels to perform an act of tz'daka, helping to create a just world by sharing what we have with others. This coming Sunday, representatives from "Wardrobes for Opportunity" will be giving a presentation about this wonderful organization which helps people who have been unemployed far too long to prepare for interviewing, including helping them to find appropriate attire for  interviews and work. We are hoping our JQuest families can donate men's and women's clothing and accessories that are used, but in good condition, and which would be appropriate for interviews. All our 5th/6th grade students will be asked on Sunday to help sort the donations in the Beit Knesset. Please bring your donations to the hallway just outside the Beit Knesset during the coming week.