INTRODUCTION:

Ever made a wish at 11:11? What about at 11:11 on 11/11? Superstitions arise in all cultures, and Jews have plenty of them! Learn about some Jewish superstitions and make protective amulets in this fun learning and craft night activity. 

PROGRAM OUTLINE:

• Share Your Superstitions (10 minutes) 
• Learn about Jewish Superstitions (15 minutes) 
• Craft Protective Amulets (30+ minutes) 

MATERIALS:

• Copies of this article from Kveller 
• Copies of this article from MyJewishLearning 
• Red Yarn 
• Beads 
• Fast dry clay 
• Clay paint 
• Any other art materials you have!  

Share Your Superstitions (10 minutes) 

• Go around the room and introduce yourselves. 
• What superstitions do you hold now? 
• What superstitions did you grow up with? 
  • Do you still believe in them? 
  • Who taught them to you? 
  • Did anyone ever tell you which culture they came from? 

Learn about Jewish Superstitions and Amulets (15 minutes) 

• Read through this article from Kveller.com about Jewish Superstitions 
• Discuss 
  • Are any of these familiar to you? 
  • What do you think of superstitions? Do you find them compelling? Ridiculous? Weird? 
  • How do superstitious rituals differ from religious ones? What makes them different? 
    • Historically, a lot of rituals that are considered “religious” were created by and for men, largely for the public sphere, while rituals that are considered “superstitious” were created by and for women, largely done in the home. Does this fact change how you think about superstitions? 
  • Have someone read (or summarize) this article about protective Jewish amulets from MyJewish Learning 
    • Have you ever heard of or seen any of these amulets? 
    • Would you have ever thought of the hamsa, for example, as an amulet?  
    • What makes something a religious item and what makes it an amulet? 
    • Would you consider the mezuzah a protective amulet? 

Making our Own Amulets (30+ minutes) 

• Use the art supplies to craft your own Jewish amulets! 
• You can make bracelets using red string and hamsa, evil eye, or even protective words as beads. 
• You can make a hamsa and paint it using the fast-dry clay and paint. 
• Jewish amulets often included names of God or angels in them (or even sigils created out of the letters of such names). Try including one from this Kabbalistic list of the 72 names of God https://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/1388270/jewish/72-Names-of-G-d.htm, or this list of the more common names for God!