by Christina Mendoza

Created on: August 15, 2010   Last Updated: October 11, 2010

The ten-day period of the High Holidays, which begins with Rosh Hashanah and ends with Yom Kippur, is the holiest time of the year for many people of the Jewish faith.  Falling on the 10th day of the Hebrew month Tishrei, which usually corresponds to a date in September or October on the Gregorian calendar, Yom Kippur is known as the Day of Atonement.  It is a day to be spent in prayer, contemplating one’s behavior, confessing guilt, and petitioning for absolution in private and through formal religious services.  Children can participate in the rich traditions of this holy time of the year by making useful and educational crafts that fit well with the themes of Yom Kippur.

~ Tzedakah Box Craft ~

Erev Yom Kippur, the Eve of the Day of Atonement, is a day for enjoying two festive meals, for asking forgiveness from others, and also for charitable giving.  Having your child craft a custom tzedakah box to hold coins or bills for donations to a charitable cause is a wonderful way to help him or her experience the satisfaction of personal participation in this important Jewish tradition.

A simple homemade tzedakah box can be made from any of a variety of suitable containers you have on hand, such as a clean, empty food canister from oatmeal or coffee, or a small box from tea or cereal.  You could also buy a box from the craft store made of wood or cardboard.  Your child’s decoration of the box can be as elaborate or simple as you choose.  He or she can paint the container, or cover it with paper that has either your child’s original artwork, or a preprinted pattern like gift-wrap, origami or scrap-booking paper.  Additional decorations like colorful yarn or ribbon, beads, sequins, rhinestones, or stickers can be added to embellish the tzedakah box.

~ Fleece Scarf Craft ~

This Fleece Scarf craft project suggested by Crafts for All Seasons is very easy to make, but results in an attractive and functional winter wardrobe staple.  In keeping with the Yom Kippur theme of charitable giving to those who are less fortunate, a child could make several of these scarves and donate them to a charity, such as one for homeless people or the underprivileged.

Materials:

Fleece Fabric (1/8 yard – or about 10” wide piece – of 60” long fabric per scarf);  Scissors;  Ruler;  Masking Tape;  Pen;  Optional: Pony Beads to Decorate Fringe, and Tweezers.

Instructions:

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