INTRODUCTION:

This hour-long activity introduces participants to kabbalistic symbolism through communal learning and hands-on cookie decorating.

MATERIALS:

• Printed copies of the Primary Chart and Personal Worksheet for each participant 
• Premade cookies (homemade or store-bought) 
• Premade icing (homemade or store-bought) 
• Sandwich bags to use as disposable piping bags 
• Toothpicks for pulling icing 
• Food coloring 
• Spatulas and bowls or cups for coloring and mixing 
• A spray Bottle or dropper for thinning icing 
• Piping tips 
• Wax paper or parchment paper 
• Optional:
  • Edible accents like edible markers, modeling chocolate, frosting sheets, edible lace, or wafer paper 

TIP: Apply for the Jewish Culture and Jewish Learning grants to help cover cost.
TIP: For a shorter program, mix colors into the icing before the program starts.  

PROGRAM OUTLINE (60 minutes): 

• Introduction (5 minutes) 
• Warm-Up (10 minutes) 
• Cookie Decorating (30 minutes) 
• Closing (15 minutes)

Introduction (5 minutes)

• As people are gathering, have music playing. When you’re ready to begin, pause the music and call for everyone’s attention. 
• SAY:  
  • Welcome, everyone! I’m so glad you’re here. Before we get decorating, I want to talk about why we’re putting these two things (cookie decorating and Jewish mysticism) together. 
  • It may seem like cookie decorating is about as non-religious as it can get. But Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism, teaches that Judaism instructs us not to withdraw from the physical world. Alongside our aspiration towards spiritual goals, we need to be active participants in reality. In fact, when directed “for the sake of Heaven,” even seemingly non-spiritual actions can be elevated.  
  • This program is an example of that philosophy in action! We’ll learn a little about color symbolism in kabbalah, and then decorate cookies using this symbolism. 
  • Another kabbalistic concept is the idea that sparks of goodness and divinity are trapped in physical forms. By using these items with the right intention, we can release the sparks and unite them with the great divine. In this case, we’ll be releasing the sparks of our learning and intention by eating after saying the blessing over cookies! 

Warm-Up (10 minutes)

• SAY: 
  • To start, we’re going to engage with the core map of Kabbalah: the Tree of Life and its ten divine attributes, known as the Sefirot (singular: Sefirah). You can think of the Sefirot as a map of the divine energy that flows through the universe and also through each of us. 
  • Each of you should come get two sheets. The first is a Master Chart that shows the ten Sefirot. You’ll see the Hebrew name, several English translations for the core idea, and some colors traditionally associated with it. The second is your Personal Worksheet. 
  • For the next ten minutes, I invite you to look at the Master Chart. Don’t feel like you need to memorize it. Just let your eyes scan the words. For each Sefirah, I want you to choose the one English word that resonates most with you today. Then, choose a color from the list, or even one that’s not on the list, that you feel represents that quality. Write your chosen word and color on your Personal Worksheet. 
  • There are no right or wrong answers here. This is about building your spiritual palette. This worksheet will become the intention and color key for the cookies you are about to decorate. Let’s take a few quiet moments to do this. 
• Play some calm, instrumental music such as this Indian-influenced Kabbalistic music. After about 7-8 minutes, bring the group back together. 
• ASK if one or two participants might be willing to share one Sefirah they connected with and what color they chose for it. 

Cookie Decorating (30 minutes) 

• Now’s the time for participants to get decorating! 
• SAY:
  • Thank you all so much. Now we’re going to get into the hands-on learning by actually decorating these cookies! Refer to your personal Sefirot map for color inspiration, and have fun!
• If you haven’t pre-mixed the icing, encourage participants to dye small amounts of icing at a time. 
• To signal the start of the cookie decorating session, press play on some more upbeat music. 

Closing (15 minutes)

• Give a 5-minute warning for cleanup. 
• Ask everyone to clean their space, and gather back in a circle with one of their cookies. 
• Lower the music volume or turn it off. 
• SAY: 
  • That was so fun! Let’s take a moment to close our time together by reciting the traditional blessing over cookies and snacks of all kinds, and release the divine sparks in our creations by enjoying a cookie! 
• BLESS: 
  • בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה הָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי מְזוֹנוֹת 
    • Baruch atah adonai, eloheinu melech ha-olam, borey meenay mezo-note 
    • Blessed are you, God our god, sovereign of the world, who creates all kinds of satisfying things.