All of these are from the “ARE Teaching” series, now published by Behrman House. Each includes background information, vocabulary, and age-appropriate strategies for teaching the topic through a variety of modalities. Initially, they seem a little pricey – but they are good value for the money.
Teaching Jewish Virtues (Freeman)
Teaching Jewish Holidays (Goodman)
Teaching Mitzvot (Kadden & Kadden)
Teaching Jewish History (Berger & Gerson)
Teaching Torah (Loeb & Kadden)
Teaching Haftarah (Cogan R Weiss)
Teaching About God and Spirituality (Goodman & Blumberg)
Teaching Jewish Life Cycle (Kadden & Kadden)
Teaching Hot Topics (Freeman)
Published by Ktav, these contain a wealth of easily accessible answers to a wide variety of questions about Jewish practice. For example, there are sections on how to wave a lulav, in which order to light the Chanukah candles, and how to write an ethical will.
The How to Handbook for Jewish Living (Olitzky & Isaacs)
The Second How to Handbook for Jewish Living (Olitzky & Isaacs)
These are fun books which include a lot of information and enjoyable activities for children in elementary school. They also make great gifts! They’re available through the Jewish Publication Society.
Jewish Kids Catalog
Kids Catalog of Israel
Kids Catalog of Passover
Kids Catalog of Bible Treasures
Kids Catalog of Animals and the Earth
Any of Sandy Sasso’s books. Although usually found in the children’s section of a bookstore, they contain profound messages of spirituality applicable for all ages. Jewish Lights Publishing carries all of her titles.
Any of Danny Siegel’s books. Danny has been the guiding force behind doing mitzvoth for over 25 years. The founder of the Ziv Tzedakah Fund (which is no longer in existence), Danny has published a number of books which show us how easy it is to “do good.” The Mitzvah Heroes Fund is a successor to the Ziv Tzedakah Fund, and was founded by three of Danny’s students.
Teaching Jewishly (Grishaver) is available from Torah Aura and is the first book to look at Jewish texts and values as the basis for dealing with classroom discipline issues. Each chapter begins with a text study, expands on the text and provides case studies using scenes familiar to anyone who’s ever taught in a classroom. An excellent resource and study guide.
Jewish Parents: A Teacher’s Guide (Grishaver & Wolfson), also published by Torah Aura, faces the question head on: “What do Jewish parents want from their child’s religious school teacher?” Eminently readable, it helps forge a bridge between two camps that frequently regard each other with suspicion.
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