Purim Classroom Activities Background Information for Purim Purim: Teachings and Practices The story of Purim, the Megillah, explores the situation of a Jewish community living in the Persian diaspora. Throughout the story, we see the potential for abuses of power against the other in a global community, and we are shown how vulnerable less powerful communities are in a global framework. The king Ahasuerus is able to decide the fate of groups (such as the Jews) and individuals (such as his wife Vashti) according to his own self-interest, simply because he holds the most power. Esther and Mordechai diplomatically stand up for the rights and safety of their people, and, in the end, the day that was going to bring the deaths of the Jewish people becomes a day for feasting and celebration. Jewish people are instructed to keep this day as a festive day and to: וּמ ש לוֹח מ נוֹת א ישׁ ל ר ע הוּ וּמ ת נוֹת ל א ב י נ ים: send choice portions to one another and gifts to the poor ((Megillat Esther, 9:22 Notes Other mitzvot of the day include having a celebratory feast and listening to (and learning from) the Purim story. Commenting on the four mitzvot of the day, the Jewish sage Maimonides (1135 1204) states: 21 Illustration Peter Williamson It is better for a person to increase gifts to the poor than to increase his feast or the Mishloach Manot (gifts of food) to his neighbours. There is no joy greater or more rewarding than to gladden the heart of the poor, orphans, widows and strangers. For by gladdening the hearts of the downtrodden, we are following the example of the Divine. (Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megillah, 2:17)
Purim Background Information Background Information for Purim Living in a Global Community Our lives are now more connected to lives across the world than ever before. As Anthony Giddens explains in his definition of globalisation, there has been, The intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa. This definition, along with several other definitions and discussions of globalisation can be found at: w www.infed.org/biblio/defining_globalization.htm The basic reasons for international trade are: 1. Different countries/areas have different abilities to produce different goods. Africa, for example, is well suited to producing tea and coffee. 2. Different countries have different consumption needs. International trade spreads money and goods around the globe, though, in its current form, very unevenly. Every day we see the scale of international trade by looking at who makes, for example, our alarm clock, or the shirt we put on in the morning, or the fruit or hot drink we have for breakfast. Our everyday lives are inseparable from the lives of others. On the other hand, the livelihoods of others may be affected by the way these goods are produced and paid for. Notes Introduction to Global Trade International trade materially links the lives of individuals across the world. The volume of world trade has increased by twenty times since 1950, from $320 billion to $6.8 trillion. w www.globalization101.org/issue/trade National Curriculum Links: QCA Citizenship 5g) Unit 5: Where in the world is Barnaby Bear? Section 3: What will it be like when Barnaby is there? Section 4: : How did Barnaby travel to these places? 22
Purim Classroom Activities Lesson 1: Where in The World? We are learning to: explore where in the world our food comes from and how it got to us locate different countries on a map of the world consider the different people involved in bringing us our food. Lesson Preparation At Purim, it is customary to give food gifts (Mishloach Manot) containing at least two different foods to at least two friends or family members. Children can either bring in two items for their own personal Mishloach Manot, or the class could produce a collective one to be given to another class. Ask the pupils to bring two different food items examples could include a piece of fruit and a packet of biscuits and explain that they are going to perform the mitzvah of giving Mishloach Manot. Explain to pupils that they are looking at where food comes from so it would be helpful if they could see this information on the food. Introduction Handa s Surprise 10 minutes Read to pupils the story of Handa s Surprise. Based in Kenya, this story is about a girl who takes different fruit to her friend, but on the way there animals come and steal the fruit. (A copy of the story is available on loan from Tzedek. Ask the pupils:? What was Handa taking to Akeyo? Why was Handa taking fruits to Akeyo? How did Handa take the fruits to Akeyo? What does it feel like to get a gift? What kind of gifts have you received before? What was special about getting them? What does it feel like to give a gift? How does it make you feel? Why do we give food gifts to people on Purim? Notes continues on page 24 23
Purim Classroom Activities Lesson 1: Where in The World? Where in The World? 30 minutes 1. Ask pupils to lay out their Mishloach Manot items on the desk and show where the country of origin can be found. Some items may be produced in the same country, or pupils might have the same type of food that has come from lots of different countries, e.g apples. 2. Make a list on the board of all the food and the countries of origin. Differentiation LA pupils may need an additional adult to help them locate the countries. MA pupils can be given a blank map 6. Once the pupils have completed this task, ask them:? a. Which items came from the UK? b. Which item came from far away? c. How do they think it came to us? Purim Resource 43 Purim Resource My Food Worksheet My Food Worksheet Tzedek Jewish Global Citizenship Project My Apple Worksheet Example page 43 3. Using a world map (either on an interactive whiteboard or poster), locate some of the different countries. 4. Organise pupils into small groups and provide each group with a world map. You could either use a photocopied one with the countries labelled, or pupils could work on a computer version. 5. Ask pupils to draw their food on the corresponding country on their maps. Alternatively, ask pupils to draw their food on white stickers and place these on the appropriate countries on the classroom map. 6. Ask the pupils if they have ever visited any of the countries they have listed.? What was the country like? What was the weather like? (You can mention to the pupils that different food grows in different temperatures.) Conclusion 10 minutes 1. Compare the journey of Handa s fruit to the pupils food items. She collected her fruit and walked to Akeyo s house. Her fruit was all grown near her house. The pupils food items have come from all over the world and have involved lots of people in getting them here. 2. As a concluding activity, create a food flow chart of the journey of the food using the My Food Worksheet, page 43. See My Apple Worksheet Example, page 42 to help. Pupils can then present their Mishloach Manot to their chosen friend. They can include a small card telling the recipient where in the world their items have come from, or even include a copy of their world map. 42 Tzedek Jewish Global Citizenship Project My Apple Worksheet page 42 24
Purim Resources Resource KS3 My Apple Worksheet Example Supermarket pays fee to farmer Apple tree is planted in an orchard in France Ripe apple is picked by seasonal farm worker Consumers purchase apples from supermarket Boxes are transported to supermarkets by ship and air Apples are packed and boxed by packers 42
Purim Resource My Food Worksheet 43