INTRODUCTION:

This is a choose-your-own Omer adventure, inviting participants to explore the 49 days of the Counting of the Omer through multiple modalities. Each option offers a different way to transform a simple nightly ritual into a meaningful communal experience, empowering guests to imagine how they might engage with the counting of the Omer in their own lives.  

PROGRAM SUGGESTION MENU:

• Learn about the practice of counting the Omer as you create Omer counting calendars. 
• Use yoga as an entry point into the counting of the Omer with these short yoga flows inspired by each day of the Omer. 
• Host a Jewish song circle to mark the Omer.  
• Use sections from the Omer Workbook to offer writing prompts to your community. 
• Learn about the practice of counting the Omer and make tzedakah boxes to take home and fill each day as you count the Omer.  
• Use these Creative Prompts for Passover or the Creativity & Wilderness soucre sheets from the Jewish Studio Process as an intentional and topical practice to pair with the counting of the Omer.  

Learn about the practice of counting the Omer as you create Omer counting calendars. 

• Use this source sheet to teach about the Omer and its corresponding blessings. 
• Then use this resource to inspire participants to make/decorate a calendar that they can take home to count the Omer.  

Use yoga as an entry point into the counting of the Omer with these short yoga flows inspired by each day of the Omer. 

• Exercise. While each song plays, you can share the name of the song, the artist, and their connection to Judaism.  
• This can be done to a spin class, a hike, a walk, or a slow run

Omer Yoga Flow  

• Want to host a yoga event? Count the Omer using short yoga flows created by Rabbi Sandra Razieli’s.  
• Here is Rabbi Razieli’s introductory video on her YouTube channel. The rest of the videos for the other days of the Omer can be found here.  
• Consider using several of these videos together or offering Rabbi Razieli’s teachings as a framing or flow for a self-led yoga event.  

Omer Theme Song Circle 

• Offer some framing around what the Omer is, what day of the Omer count we are on, and how to take the practice home at the end of the event.  
• Use this Jewish Song Circle program to determine what kind of song circle you want to host.  
  • Consider theming the song choices to the week or day of the Omer (for example week one is connected to the Sefira of Chesed or the aspect of HaShem that centers Lovingkindness so consider singing songs about love. Or for example day eight of the Omer is connected to Gevurah she’b’Chesed, the strength that is in love (or loving kindness). So you could sing songs about power/strength and love!  
• Start or end by teaching/singing/listening to the Sefirat HaOmer Niggun lyrics in transliteration can be found on page five of this PDF, song #14. Depending on the custom of your community this might be a chance to count that day of the Omer as a community.    

Omer Inspired Writing

• Before the event, purchase the Omer Workbook. 
• In preparation for the event, pick a few prompts from the book inspired by the Omer. Or pass the book around at the event and have each person pick their own prompt from the book.  
• Offer free writing time or specify a genre of writing for the group. For example, everyone could write a haiku and then have free writing time. Or everyone could write a short story inspired by the prompt. 
• Optional: Share poems out to the group at the end. 

Omer Tzedakah Boxes 

• Before Passover, learn about the Omer and/or the practice of Tzedakah.  
• Have all the participants decorate a mason jar (aka Tzedakah box) to take home and keep in a special place.  
• Then every night as they count the Omer, put in a small amount of Tzedakah (ie, quarter) by the end of the time you’ll have about $12.25 (if you do a quarter), which is a great amount to use to give some tzedakah for Shavuot.  
• Shavuot is the day we remember receiving the gift of the Torah, so it’s a great time to give to others!  

Omer Inspired Art Making

• Take a look at this program for Torah Inspired Art Making!  
• When choosing what text to use try either these Creative Prompts for Passover or the Creativity & Wilderness soucre sheet for Shavuot from the Jewish Studio Process. 
• Follow the steps in the Torah Inspired Art Making program and consider paring with the Count the Omer source sheet for an intentional and topical creative practice to pair with the counting of the Omer.