As children we play to learn
Somewhere along the way of growing up, we begin to believe that playing is for children and learning is supposed to be hard, painful even. Embracing play can keep us youthful, in body and spirit, and help us continue to create new learning pathways into adulthood, enhancing nimbleness through the cycles of our entire lives.
Parasha Play is creative space
Where people of all ages can explore playing, learning and growing through a Jewish lens. Collaboratively choose the parshiot we read, study, explore and translate into our own words. We’ll chart characters, scenes, relationships, arcs, and conclusions of primary texts and connect them to situations from today, either from our own lives, or the world around us.
We’ll then take those themes & improvise
Then mix the characters and concepts which emerge and improvise new scenes. Concluding each Parasha Play will be an opportunity to reflect on what we experienced during our modern exploration of the ideas. Then, we will go back and re-read the primary text and re-explore a range of interpretations connected to our experiences.
“I appreciated how the prompts invited me to explore character relationships.”
— Parasha Play Participant
Teach critical skills through play
Parasha Play embraces religion as a topic open to play, and therefore learning that will, through the method of play, teach critical reading skills, understanding, internalization and deeper reading of text that will serve participants in not only Torah study, but any study, as well as interactions with those around them. Parasha Play will help participants learn tools to navigate discussing, listening, hearing, questioning, disagreeing, and creating in chavruta partnerships with another participant who may bring different views, thoughts and understandings from their own background, perspective and experiences. Honing an ability to listen, hear, and understand multiple readings and interpretations through Parasha Play participation. Parasha Players will actively explore implementing improv skills in life and implementing life into improv skills. Those who continue with Parasha Play will tie the Jewish calendar with our secular lives as the year progresses through holidays and life cycle events.
Parasha Play is fueled, and ultimately directed, by the creative willingness of participants. Each participant choose to actively participate in Parasha Play and are invited to bring their experience and emotion into Parasha Play as fodder for exploration, within the framework of the program and shared agreements created by each Parasha Play Cohort.
Let’s make something together
Jews of Color Sanctuary 