These Jewish diversity puppets are the perfect project for promoting unity! When you’re done, try this aleph bet coloring page puppet too. This post contains affiliate links.

As you walk through the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, you see one of the most beautiful things: the ingathering of the exiles.

In fact, our people started out as twelve different tribes, and our diversity is beautiful. I hope that if I have any voice in the Jewish world, that I use it to promote unity – achdut. That was the inspiration behind the Jews Around the World Jewish Diversity Puppets.

I’m going to share a LOT of background on this subject, including the struggles I had with it as a sort of “disclaimer”, an intro to each character, and some crafting and use tips. So this post has quite an intro – some of what is included in the download, but if you want to skip it, you can just download it here.

For a while, I wanted to create this project: a set of puppets of Jewish kids from around the world. I wanted to create a puppet representing each diaspora. That is, every single one. That’s why this project sat on my to-do list for over five years.

The scope of the project in my mind: make a list of every single Jewish diaspora, and find a way to illustrate puppets for kids to color, with each one representing a different type of Jew. And each one, a boy AND a girl. I realized that I needed to make the project more realistic in scope.

So I whittled it down to a broad representation of various Jews from different backgrounds – both hashkafic (religious) and diasporic. Each one is drawn to be cute, friendly, and relatable, with arms outstretched so that they can hold hands.

Approaching the Jewish Diversity Puppets with care

One of the big challenges with a project like this is being sensitive to the feelings of kids. The whole goal is to help all kids feel included. The last thing I want is to “other” them. Or leave out a community.

And that’s why I kept it a bit more broad. You can “adapt” each puppet to different communities as needed. I based some on different ways of observance, some on area of diaspora, and you can mix and match those based on the approach you need.

As far as making them feel othered: again, I tried to keep things as normal as possible. I avoided caricaturizing them, and while I did largely base my drawings on researched images – including styes of dress – I tried to use just slight influences into what they’re wearing.

There was no way to do this perfectly. For example, most Teimani (Yemenite) Jewish kids in Israel will be wearing a t-shirt and jeans – but in the original diaspora, as they came, they were often wearing things like mandarin collars and slightly more formal wear like blazers.

Another issue I faced was keeping it hashkafically appropriate for (almost) everyone. While I truly wanted to present the idea that there are many ways to be a good Jew in the puppets, I also didn’t want it to be inappropriate for large swaths of institutions. And I don’t see a Bais Yaakov school bringing this in as a unity project with a girl wearing shorts – they might view it as an “endorsement”.

So I tried to keep it ambiguous and neutral.

The truth is, I also offer the puppets as individual images in the download, so you can just print what you want. It would just be a shame if a group felt they couldn’t use this beautiful unity- encouraging project or had to leave one off because of a small detail like dress.

So yes, I did put one girl in pants, to broaden representation a bit, but hopefully this project overwhelmingly resonates.

Understand that a LOT of thought went into this. I wanted it to appeal to as many Jewish communities as possible – the goal IS unity, we are one. And yet, most of Jewish diversity visuals for kids comes through PJ Library, which, while a beautiful initiative, is not always hashkafically-appropriate for right wing homes. If I’m just going to create another project along those lines, what am I really accomplishing?

Download the Jewish Diversity Puppets

A project like this takes an incredible amount of time and research and while I would love to offer everything for free, the Jewish crafting/education niche is too tight to be only ad-supported.

These Jewish Diversity puppets are therefore available for a few bucks in my shop, as well as on Etsy and on TpT. Purchasing premium products from me enables me to keep doing what I do, to give more focus to my Jewish blog, creating authentically Jewish resources for homes, educators, and parents.

About the Jewish Diversity Puppets

Here’s some background on assembly instructions, ways to use them in the classroom or outside, and an intro to them all. Please note: this info is all in your download instructions file!

Meet them here

I did NOT give them names 🙂 I’m just sharing my inspiration behind each. I don’t necessarily encourage outlining all the details to kids – let it be natural and not stereotyping. I’m just sharing it with you from the grown-up perspective.

I WILL share fashion influences as well, and really fashion is universal. Other groups might wear it. But by looking at popular or tradition-based styles, I just got a broad range of ways to dress in as well!

Again, this was very touchy to draw, hard without stereotyping, but I want it to feel real and representative. So I toed the line and hope I did a good job.

There are six boys and six girls – I thought twelve was the perfect number because we have twelve tribes! (And they are NOT a representation of the specific twelve tribes.)

1. Mizrahi/Sephardi girl – Curly/wavy hair, a loose, flowy dress, and a hamsa necklace.
2. Ethiopian girl- Two buns, high cheekbones (I tried) and a slight touch of tradition on the dress.
3. Haredi/Yerushalmi girl- I tried to go for the very right-wing segments of Ashkenazi Jewish society here, with a blouse, a long skirt, and even braids. She can also be colored like the Yemenite diaspora (which had strong Satmar influence in later years).
4. Russian/former Soviet girl – This was a hard one! I went with straight hair for this one, and a proud star of David necklace!
5. Religious Zionist (Dati Leumi) – This girl was inspired by the Gush Katif exilees. I felt that they especially needed representation now!!
6. An American-style Bais Yaakov girl – As you can see, there’s no real criteria here for representation! I just tried to get as many different vibes as I can. She has a ponytail, and a more casual blouse with sleeves rolled up, and a shorter skirt.
7. Yemenite Boy – With long peyot, and slightly more formal dress.
8. Bukharan Boy – With a Bukharan style kippah.
9. Persian boy – With a Persian-style kippah and thick hair.
10. Hassidic boy – Think Boro Park! He wears a collared shirt and a large kippah with sidecurls.
11. All-American boy – This boy might be secular, he might be religious, but he’s definitely a Jewish American. He wears a baseball cap, t-shirt, and athletic pants.
12. Israeli boy – With a knit kippah and casual dress, he can belong to any non-Charedi religious element of Israeli society.

As you can see, it’s not a clear subdivision. I did this intentionally. The Ethiopian girl might be religious, she might not. The Bais Yaakov girl might be Ashkenazi or Sephardi. And the Israeli boy can be Ethiopian, a redhead, or whatever you want.

While I do hope to offer a colorized version of this project eventually, for now it’s a color-in craft!

Fun ways to use them

I had in mind different ways to use them both in the classroom and at home.

First of all, your files come in two formats: PDF and PNG.

The PDF files are puppet-sized, two to a page, and easy to just hit “print on. The PNG files are much more flexible – you can use them to format whichever size you want, print full page, print just the ones you want to use, etc.

Here are some uses:

• Print them as large as you can and use them as a bulletin board in the classroom or throughout a school hallway.
• Instead of adding sticks, let them hold hands.
• You can laminate these after coloring for longer-lasting puppets
• Use them as paper toys or to narrate stories.
• Use them as visual cues for teaching holidays, so that kids can see all types of Jews celebrating the way they do.
• Use them as a unity project for Lag Ba’omer/sefirat Ha’omer or the Three Weeks/Tish’ah B’av

Assembly Instructions

To assemble these you’ll need:

• Crayons, markers – make sure to get a skin tone set as well, such as Crayola’s Color of the World crayons that I used in my staged photos
• The puppets printed on cardstock (download them here if you haven’t yet)
• Scissors
• Craft sticks
• Glue or double sided tape.

Process:

1. Color the puppets.

2. Cut them out.

3. Glue or tape a craft stick to the back.

That’s it! They’re ready to play with!

If you haven’t yet, you can download these Jewish diversity puppets here!

The post Jews Around the World – Jewish Diversity Puppets appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

Lag Baomer comes during the busy end-of-the-school year season when you’re trying to get the last lessons of the year in, recap the Sefirah lessons that were swallowed during Pesach prep – and include this important season.

I figured a very quick craft is in order – and this one can be done in a single session, by a large age range.

The idea is to create an indoor “bonfire in a jar” using the classic tissue paper squares decoupaged on a jar! You probably don’t even need a tutorial for this, but in case you do, I’ve got you covered.

An LED tea light (get the kind that flickers – it’s so much cooler) makes it look like an actual bonfire.

Tips and variations for this Lag Baomer Bonfire craft

I used a recycled Kosher for Passover pasta sauce jar. You can also purchase smooth jars, if you’re struggling with getting enough recyclables for it. You can shrink it down by making it in a baby food sized jar. (I actually did this years ago for a holiday that isn’t ours using Sharpies instead – see that idea here. You can adapt it to this craft too).

I added the tissue paper squares to the front of the jar only to make it a 2-dimensional fire. You can also outline a bonfire shape with a black Sharpie over the final project if you want (I decided to keep it more abstract). Or, go around the whole jar.

This is a really fun Lag Baomer craft that’s preschool-friendly, but functional enough to be enjoyed by grade-school age kids. Because of the fun little at-home bonfire you end up with, they’ll all really enjoy it.

For younger kids, you may want to stick with plastic jars, so that they can drop it freely.

What you’ll need

• A jar (I’m linking to plastic ones for younger kids, but you may want to use recycled jars)
• Tissue paper squares in shades of yellow, orange, red. I used mostly 2-inch squares, you may want to opt for smaller 1-inch ones for more detail on the final project.
• Mod Podge (glossy is nicest on a glossy jar)
• A paintbrush
• An LED tea light

How to make a Lag Baomer Bonfire Lantern

1. Ideally work in sections. Paint a layer of Mod podge.

2. Add your tissue paper squares.

3. Overlap them a bit and gradated shades of orange, yellow, and red. It’s okay if the overlapped parts aren’t each glued.

4. Paint a layer of Mod Podge over your tissue paper. You don’t even need to wait for the first layer to dry to do this. As you paint, you’re smoothing out the tissue paper.

Younger kids may end up with smushed edges, but that’s okay – it’ll be great! And you may want to encourage older kids to use a somewhat generous amount of Mod Podge – but not so much that it’s drippy or pools, work in one direction, and not overwork it.

5. Allow it to dry completely. Switch on your LED tea light, drop it in, and watch your bonfire flicker!

Isn’t this a fun Lag Ba’omer craft? Got any others to share with us? Comment below!

The post Lag BaOmer Craft “Bonfire in a jar” Lantern! appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

Because it squeezes up so tightly against Pesach, and at that point I’m already scrambling to get my Shavuot ideas out, I rarely have time to think about small things like Lag Ba’omer.

But Lag Ba’omer is one of those holidays that’s best celebrated with crafting, because without much structure, it becomes what you make of it.

I wanted a fun and easy craft that toddlers and preschoolers can make to learn about the holiday, and so a coloring page seemed obvious. I decided to make a crown so that it’s a craft that they can wear home. I see how proud A is of the crowns she makes and wears home (she does call them all birthday hats…)

Each crown prints on a a page with an extra strip to fit around the head. It just about fit around A’s two-and-a-half year old head, with plenty of hair. You can simply cut additional strips of paper to make it fit larger sizes.

I printed mine on paper, and it worked okay. It’ll definitely be more sturdy printed on cardstock.

You can color yours with markers, allow kids to paint or do-a-dot if they want to get craftier, and even embellish if you’d like.

I finished it off with double sided tape which worked fabulously. Use the glue-line type rather than the cello tape style as I found it simply sticks better and is less frustrating to use.

A is SO proud of it, even though I obviously colored hers (she was in school and I needed to get this ready)..

Toddlers love wearing crowns, and they love dress up and so it’s a fabulous way to celebrate Lag Ba’omer – without actual fire! And preschoolers would love this too!

What you’ll need

• The template printed on paper or cardstock (recommended)
• Markers, crayons, or whatever floats your boat
• Scissors – if kids are cutting it, make sure to use age-appropriate scissors
• Recommended: glue lines or double sided tape.

How to assemble your crown

1. Print out your crown. You can hand it just like this to your child to color in. The top portion is the front, and the extra strip is to tape it around the child’s head.

2. Your child can colori n as much as they want.

3. Cut it out. You can cut all the way to the edge of the paper if you think you’ll need the full width – it’ll overlap a little.

4. Connect the main crown to the strip on one side.

5. Measure around the child’s head to complete the circle.

Your Lag Ba’omer Bonfire crown is complete!

Now watch your child sport it proudly!

Download your free Lag Ba’omer Bonfire Crown

Download your free template! It’ll arrive right in your inbox. By downloading, you’re subscribing to our FREE newsletter with updates on cool printables like this, ideas to simplify Jewish life, and more. Unsubscribe at any time at the bottom my emails. I respect your privacy and the law, and won’t share or sell your email address.

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I was exclusively a “boy mom” for seven years before my Princess was born, and I definitely still identify as such. We made two upsherins – that is, the first full-hair cut that is traditional for Jewish boys.

We actually don’t necessarily wait to cut hair until then, but we do a moderate celebration for the occasion.

I’ve seen so many people ask around in groups for ideas, and I suppose that if you’ve never made one or haven’t been to one where you were close to the birthday boy, it’s a shot in the dark.

As a two-time boy mom, who has also been involved in toy shows, testing, and engaging with the gifting industry from the other side, I figured it’s time to share my top recommendations for Upsherin gifts!

These fall into a few categories:

• Upsherin-specific – This includes things that are targeted specifically to the celebration of this milestone. Kids at this age are starting to wear a Kippah if they can (yarmulke) and Tzitzit (depending on potty status).
• General Judaic – Since three is what many Orthodox parents consider the age of “chinuch” – or the age when kids can actually start understanding and learning (threenagers aside), parents often enjoy receiving learning gifts on Judaic themes. Many parents also value this as a holy occasion and want to encourage Judaic themes
• Toys – Yet, at the same time, it’s still a third birthday party. So toys make for fabulous gifts too. The toys recommended in this list are based on play value, based on the ones I felt that my boys (now ages 9.5 and seven) got the most mileage out of.
• Other non-toy gifts – Three is still young enough that they don’t need glitter or glamor in their gifts. It’s a fabulous time for non-toy gifts. They also tend to start self-entertaining less, so activities become very valuable to the parents.

What is an appropriate gift for an Upsherin?

Different families have different viewpoints

Since Upsherin traditions very much vary, it’s always good to know what scale event is being planned before hunting for Upsherin gifts. The more Chassidic or Kabbalistic the family is, the more holy they tend to view this event.

For us, it’s quite casual and just an upgraded “milestone” birthday. So character themed toy gifts were totally appropriate. For others, it may be viewed as a more special occasion and you may want to stick to more neutral or Judaic subjects.

Ask the parent!

I always love it when people ask me what to buy. While I don’t feel comfortable with people feeling like they need to bring something (we just want YOU here!) I do appreciate that if they’ll buy something anyway, it can be something we can use. I’ve even put together Amazon wishlists for my kids in the past. It’s an easy way to give a list with various price points so that the purchase can actually choose what to bring.

This will also help avoid buying unnecessary items.

If you don’t want to go generic, you can ask more specific questions. Would you enjoy a Kippah? What type do you wear? What size clothing does he wear? Do you have Magformers yet?

A regular birthday gift.

Three is a new milestone in play. They are leaving the age of toddler toys and approaching the 3-5 preschool toy range. Especially if they are the oldest, toys are a very appropriate gift for an Upsherin. If you are unsure about the family’s tradition, keep it neutral with simpler building toys.

Of course, I provided some recommendations below.

I actually DON’T recommend Upsherin books for the actual event – those are better as a prep for Upsherin, given in advance. My kids enjoyed these as they knew we were going to cut off their “boingies” to ease anxiety leading up to the big day.

Upsherin-Specific Gift Ideas

Cute Kippahs – ONLY get this if you know the kid, the family, or have spoken to a parent as it’s very personal. However, I know that I loved getting cute Kippahs as gifts.

A Kippah Box – There’s nothing like a little organization! There are many Etsy sellers that personalize acrylic boxes that are the perfect size for a stack of kippahs, making them the perfect Upsherin gifts.

Kippah Clips – These are essentially snap clips that help the Kippah stay on. If you can find cute ones that aren’t too girly, they make a fun little gift. Know the family – you can find cute Baby Shark or Dinosaur ones, but if you don’t KNOW that’ll work for them, stick with solids.

Caps – Some kids won’t wear Kippahs right away, but will cover their heads. It can be hard to know this before the Upsherin, but if you do, this can be a really cute gift. For Y, we used “Shabbos caps” for a very long time because he only wore baseball caps during the week. Neutral or Character (if appropriate) baseball caps are also fab.

It’s another thing to speak to the parents about before purchasing.

Cute Hooks to hang Tzitzit on. They can be specifically for Tzitzit or just any cute hooks.

Magen Tzitzit (to protect the strings when washing) and Mesh Bag. This is more for mom, but a fabulous gift to combine with something smaller for the birthday boy.

Judaic Gifts for Upsherin

Hebrew Name Wall Decor – If they are starting to learn the Hebrew alphabet, wall art with their name in Hebrew can make a fabulous gift for an Upsherin! Kids often recognize the letters in their own name first.

Shema Poster – Or, stick with the classic night time prayer the Shema. This is a fun and playful print-at-home version and a fabulous last minute choice. Make sure to pop it in a frame!

Kids’ Siddur – This might not be given right away, but it goes right along with the introduction to aleph-bet and mitzvot. And it’s a beautiful, unique gift! Make sure to get the correct version.

Jewish Quiet Book – It can be hard to find a really detailed Jewish interactive quiet book like some Etsy sellers create, but this one focuses on Jewish holidays and is at a more affordable price point. You can also see if you can get one custom made.

Aleph-Bet Puzzle – Encourage those early aleph-bet letter recognition skills and gift a peg puzzle!

Toys for 3 Year Olds that Make Fabulous Upsherin Gifts

Character toys – specifically those that encourage dramatic play – are a great choice for this age, but might not be the best pick for an Upsherin. It’ll depend on your recipient, really.

Magnetic Building Toys – We love Magformers and find them to be easier to use than other magnetic toys. They have all sorts of fun sets to build on a collection, or start with a basic set.

Hot Wheels Tracks – Most are marketed to ages 4+ but it’s okay to get something that the kid will grow into. My boys still enjoy them.

Smarty PAD – If you want something more unique but still high quality with good play value, this s a fabulous and affordable choice. Especially if the kid is a younger sibling that’s a bit more high maintenance, electronic toys tend to be winners. Get something with a high quality play experience instead of just another beeping bopping toy.

We’re big fans of Flycatcher, an Israeli company that creates highly innovative toys. My favorite for the preschool age group is the Smarty PAD – an LED pixel style screen that’s not overstimulating, but can feel like a tablet to your little one. It teachers colors, numbers, letters, and even beginner coding skills in an interactive – not just passive – manner.

It’s tactile, engaging, and even affordable, – everything we look for in toys for three year olds!

Wooden Train Sets – This timeless classic is also one of those toys that get endless play, transcends the age groups, and is quite durable.

Toy Garage – A toy garage can provide hours of play. We’ve owned a few over the years (including wooden ones) and the Green Toys version won hands down. It’s compact for its functionality but is extremely durable and doesn’t feel small. The slide is removable so that it stores better.

The vehicles clip into the helicopter so that they can lift it off. And it hasn’t yet broken on us…

Scooter – Three is the perfect age to get off the trike and start scooting! Make sure to get a good quality one that’s designed for three year olds.

Activities and Other Non Toy Gifts for Upsherin

Clothing!! – A three year old is still young enough to appreciate clothing gifts – and mom will probably appreciate it too! A cozy hoodie, character t-shirts (if appropriate), or just a practical outfit all make fabulous upsherin gifts.

Kinetic Sand – Even adults enjoy playing with Kinetic sand, making it a fabulous choice if you want to gift something sensory. Generally speaking they’re targeted for ages 3+. Skip the bigger “creative contraption” sets that are targeted toward older kids.

I recommend getting one that comes with a case and some basic tools.

Crayola Art Case – My boys received these as gifts years ago and they’re still in circulation!

KiwiCo Koala Crate – I think I will forever be a fan of KiwiCo crates! For three year olds, I recommend Koala Crate which features a fabulous combo of toys and activities that’s designed for that age group. You can gift a single box or a subscription – whatever suits your budget.

Everything we’ve gotten from them so far has been high end and worthwhile. Pictured is actually my daughter making their suncatchers. This box also came with a velcro-style fishing game that encourages color matching.

Puzzles – Three is the PERFECT age to get started with simpler jigsaw puzzles. It’s a highly educational activity that builds so many skills, that I have a hard time grouping it with toys…

Got any favorite Upsherin gifts to add to the list? Comment below!

The post Upsherin Gifts – 23 Ideas for Every Child! appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

One of the perks of reviving and getting ads on this blog is that finally I can offer those free printables I’ve had on my “to do” list basically forever… As is the case with this free printable sefirah chart.

Years ago, I jotted “make do a dot sefirah” on my to do list and it moved from year to year… and finally I am thrilled to be sharing it with you!

Frankly, it was a bit more complicated than I’d anticipated. The flowers were too big to fit and I had to redesign them a few times until I came up with this design – with “barely there” petals. But I still love it!

The flowers climb up Mt. Sinai to reach the luchot tablets and celebrate Shavuot when we received the Torah. This is a two-page printable with one page saying Sefirat Ha’omer in Hebrew and other Counting the Omer in English.

How to use your dot Sefirah chart

Of course, you can just check off the days as they come, but here are some more ideas for different age groups – from preschool and beyond. I also share ideas for different settings – at home, start in school and take home, and in school.

What you can use to fill in your sefirah chart and make it fun

While we love bingo marker crafts, with a sefirah chart, where you check off one day at a time, it can be a bit impractical. That’s why I also had dot stickers in mind to use with this. I do share some ideas below this for each setting.

How to fill out your sefirah chart:

• Bingo Markers – otherwise known as Do a Dot or Dip Dot (as my kids call it). I purchased mine in Michaels. These are Creatology brand and have a slight shimmer that’s fun for spring. Unless you have a high budget and a small class, it can be impractical to send each child home with a bingo marker, and I wouldn’t assume they have them at home.
• 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch dot stickers – Children as young as toddlers can have fun practicing fine motor skills by adding dot stickers to the center of each flower. The dots are all 3/4 of an inch in size. Choose 3/4 inch stickers for children who will be able to place them carefully, and 1/2 inch for kids who need more leeway.The stickers I used are half-inch ones.
• Round flower stickers – Yes, you can cover my design! When searching for these make sure that each sticker will somewhat fit the flower.
• Just color it in – Especially older kids who can be more exact in their coloring may prefer to simply color! They can color it all in advance so it looks pretty, leaving the numbers white. Then, color the number on the correct day. Or they can color the background only in advance, coloring a flower each day.

Here’s how I suggest using it in a classroom setting

Since dot markers aren’t so practical, here are a few ideas for the classroom.

• Have the kids color it in class. Don’t worry if they color in the flowers! The numbers are likely to still show, especially if they use crayons and not markers.
• Send it home with a sheet or two of 50 total dot stickers.
• Kids can then count the omer at home with their families.

Want to use it with dot markers instead?

To do this in a classroom setting, you can have each child take it out for a few minutes each day (prayer time is perfect) and Bingo marker it. They can have a few extra minutes to color if you’d like.

Download your free printable Sefirah Chart below

Download your free coloring page! It’ll arrive right in your inbox. By downloading, you’re subscribing to our FREE newsletter with updates on cool printables like this, ideas to simplify Jewish life, and more. Unsubscribe at any time at the bottom my emails. I respect your privacy and the law, and won’t share or sell your email address.

I hope you enjoyed your sefirah chart for kids! How will you be filling yours in? Got any ideas to add? Comment below!

The post Sefirah Chart – Free Printable Counting the Omer appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

With schools cancelled, our family thrown in turmoil, along with the rest of the world, and the kids totally lost – oh, yeah, and me feeling sick in my first trimester too – I was desperate.

Desperate to make things okay for the kids.

Desperate to rest, to take it easy.

Desperate to see a smile on their faces.

But I simply didn’t have an ounce of energy once we were done zoom schooling the big one, while distracting the miserable little one who needed social interaction.

Once I was done dry heaving and just feeling exhausted.

All this happened in April of last year, and there was no Sefirah counting being coordinated by the school (oh, the things we take for granted!)

I had extended myself past my limits making this paper seder plate, designing this do a dot Haggadah and then it hit me…

A Sefirah chart. We need to do something for Sefirat Haomer.

So we sat down with a base plate, a pile of LEGO bricks, and we all made a sefirah chart together.

It was really low key. The kids could really help. We all did it together. And it looked like a mess, but we had such a fun time doing it.

This year, I decided to recreate it so that I can share with you. I did a much neater version, of course.

However you make this LEGO sefirah chart, you can’t really go wrong!

It’s so simple, it doesn’t even merit a step-by-step.

You simply need seven rows of seven and figure it out from there:

• Add a brick on one of your empty plates every day.
• If you have one row filled and two from the next, it’s one week and two days.
• Three rows filled completely and four plates from the next row is three weeks and four days.

Since you count the Omer by week, you don’t need actual numbers 1-49. Weeks are even ideal!

For this year’s neat version, We literally just figured out which shape we have a lot of that’ll fit nicely on our base plate and made a pattern. I used 2×3 plates for it, and did kind of a basket weave pattern.

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For the “markers” we used clear 2×2 round bricks.

Last year, when we did it messy, we just chose any bricks we had and laid it out to form a sefirah chart. It was harder to track, but as long as you have the right amount – seven rough rows of seven, you’re good.

And finally, last year we had more fun with our day markers. We put on minfigures, cones, whatever fit!

You can also make smaller spaces between your rows and do an 8th row with day number fifty – Shavuot!

Of course, you can just use the bricks you have if you want. If you don’t have the “right” bricks and you want to make it neat here are a few ideas:

1. Reach out to neighbors and propose a swap so you can get the bricks you need.
2. Check out eBay and BrickLink (though BrickLink can be a bit hard to navigate).
3. Amazon also has some specific bundles of bricks.

I hope you enjoyed making a LEGO sefirah chart! What’s your favorite way to keep track of Sefirat Ha’omer? Comment below!

And definitely check out these Book of Ruth Shavuot puppets for when you’re done counting the Omer! I’ve got puppets to go with the Mountain song too here.

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When we were planning M’s upsherin, I wanted to have some fun activities and entertainment since my family was coming in all the way from Lakewood (I live in the Far Rockaway area). We don’t have a very strong minhag for upsherin (his hair had already been trimmed a few times) but we were throwing a third birthday party anyway and cutting his hair short – and adding a kippah and tzitzis to his wardrobe.

I decided to throw a barber shop themed party. As part of it, I did a “photo booth” with big hair photo booth props and these kippah props. I figured I’d share the kippah props here as one of my favorite upsherin ideas.

To set up your photo prop, you can either lay these out on a small table (that’s what I did by this party) or gather them in a vase (I did that at another birthday party.) I walked around with a FujiFilm Instax camera and some film and everyone got an instant photo. If you want higher quality photos you can use an instant printer with your phone. I’ve tried the HP Sprocket, Kodak mini and dock photo printers through different brand partnerships too. They all worked great and got much better quality prints than an Instax, although it’s slightly more hassle. The Dock produces full-sized sized prints if you prefer that – the others have mini instant-photo-style prints.

Upsherin ideas don’t need to be overly serious. Making it fun can create great memories for your kids and this cute idea is totally kid-friendly. It was a huge hit – everyone had fun taking kippah photos. Another thing you can do if you’re feeling it is make a big pair of tzitzis out of cotton twine and a white poster board and use that for your photos too! I didn’t try that one so I can’t vouch for it, though.

What you need to assemble these upsherin photo props:

• The template printed on cardstock. Print your template below. How to download it for free: Just enter $0 in the price field. You’re welcome to enter more – as of now, any optional donations are going directly to help us pay hosting and other running costs.These kippah photo props are permitted for individual/private use and for classroom use. Any other group or commercial use, please contact me at beyondthebalagan at gmail dot com. If you’re having trouble with the download, contact me as well.

• 12 inch dowels or paper straws
• Tape
• Scissors

How to assemble your photo props:

1. Cut them out around the edge
2. Tape a dowel to the back

That’s it!

What are your favorite upsherin ideas? Did you do anything creative? Comment below!

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There are all sorts of ways to make mitzvos beautiful and while counting the omer is something that you won’t find on many blogs, I wasn’t about to miss creating a Jewish coloring page for adults on that subject!

This Sefirat Haomer calendar is very simple. It was originally designed as a generic progress tracker that could be used to count the omer – but I decided to “Jewify” it to make it special for Sefiras Ha’omer.

The concept is simple: each day you color in a box. You can color in just the number, the very fine delicate pattern around the number, or, of course, both. Obviously, you can’t color it on actual holidays and Friday night counting, but it’s still a fun way to keep track. You can frame it in a regular document frame with the glass removed (so that you can access the page) if you want it to look nice on the wall. Or, hang it on your fridge, bulletin board, etc.

It’s so much fun and you can get creative with your color patterning – form a rainbow, play with the same colors again and again,or challenge yourself however you’d like!

I hope you enjoy this freebie!

Download your free printable Sefirat Haomer calendar below:

How to download it for free: Just enter $0 in the price field. You’re welcome to enter more – as of now, any optional donations are going directly to help us pay hosting and other running costs.

This free printable Sefirat Haomer calendar is permitted for individual/private use and for classroom use. Any other group or commercial use, please contact me at beyondthebalagan at gmail dot com. If you’re having trouble with the download, contact me as well.

Want to make your Pesach prep easier, your seder table more beautiful, and your kids’ happier and busier? Get the printable Pesach bundle today for 75% off the full value! It’s full of 30+ cleaning and menu planners, kids’ games, coloring pages, and activities as well as cool seder table decorations!

Enjoy your Sefirat Haomer calendar. Do you usually remember to count the Omer? Comment below with your tips for remembering!

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The post Sefirat Haomer Calendar – Free Printable Coloring Page appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.