Educational Resource Library: Adults

This program is an introduction to earthworms and their necessary place in decomposition and soil health as well as looking deeper into cycles that renew the earth and where we see this in Jewish text.

This program uses worms to explore how all of G-d's creatures work together to create a functioning garden/society/world. Participants will get the chance to explore the diverse ecosystem of healthy soil, specifically worms, and how it is because of this diversity that our garden can thrive. Students will also draw connections to their own differences between classmates, other community members, etc to see how all folks have a role to play creating a happy world. Using a simple prayer, participants will be able to connect how a praise to G-d for ?varied creatures? can apply to both humans and animals/insects.

Celebrate Tu B'Svhat, the Jewish New Year of the Trees, at our PJCC staff Lunch & Learn. In honor of this year's Tu B'Svhat, we will be learning more about our relationship with nature through a Tu B'Svhat seder. The seder is divided into four sections, each representing one of the four worlds of Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism. Join us as we explore each of these worlds through traditional Jewish fruits and nuts, ?wine' (aka grape juice), activities and more! Bring your lunch and learn more about the Jewish New Year of Trees in this engaging seder.

Understanding pollinators is an hour-long educational program that teaches about the importance of pollinators in our habitat. This program uses honeybees as a ?gateway pollinator? to teach not only the wonder of honeybees but also that their story is part of a much larger ecological phenomenon.

This program is a physically active introduction to The Stones text from the Talmud Bavli, Masekbet Bava Kama, which raises many questions about land, responsibility, and ownership using text and soccer cones.

This program is a unique, interactive activity for a festival-style event that combines knowledge of local wild edible plants and the Jewish tradition of Shmita. For this program, the educator creates four unique ?trading cards? to pass out at the event, and two examples of local, foraged food. The trading cards serve as a way to get participants interested in the connections between wild edible plants and Shmita, and the food samples demonstrate the ease and accessibility of foraging.

This program uses storytelling as an introduction into the importance of seeds and the connections foods play to different people and cultures. Participants will have the opportunity to connect with a specific seed/plant and learn how plants and the foods created from them, can act as a living conduits for these stories. It is also an opportunity for participants to see the connection between their Judaism and a specific plant/food, or create their own new and important connection. Lastly, using seed stories as a framework within the garden offers the opportunity to create a sense of connection and continuity between multiple groups of campers.

This program is to engage with both Jewish and non-Jewish environmentally themed texts after having had the experience of working on a farm. This is a discussion based program where conversations happened both in pairs and as an entire group to think about the texts presented.

This program is an exploration into the Jewish tradition of Torah making. Through learning the traditional process of a sofer, the participants will get a hands-on painting/calligraphy activity.

Participants will engage in an immersive reflective experience, through guided and silent meditation in a nighttime desert setting.