For the Kids

Beyond the Hatred

The Shabbat before Tisha B’Av, which falls on Aug. 7, is called Shabbat Chazon (vision or revelation). Perhaps it signals a time for us to start looking deep inside ourselves as the end of the Jewish year approaches and we come closer to Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. The fast of Tisha B’Av serves as a reminder to us to not be hateful: On that day, our holy temples were destroyed, the rabbis say, because of hatred and a desire for power.

This Shabbat, examine your own behavior. Are you angry at anyone and haven’t talked to them about it? What can you do to resolve bad feelings so they won’t get worse? Talk about it with someone and work it out.

A Giant’s View of the Temple in
Jerusalem

If you do visit Israel this summer and want to feel like Gulliver in Lilliput, visit the model of Jerusalem from 66 C.E. — four years before the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans. It’s 1:50 scale, so the right-size person for that city would be the height of a match.

If you can’t make it to Israel, go to these Web sites
for a good look: www.ebibleteacher.com/imagehtml/jerumodel.html
www.inisrael.com/holyland/model.html

Poetry Corner

Here is a very sad poem written by Noam Miller, 13, about the Crusades. Even though the Crusades began in the 11th century, this poem is definitely appropriate for this week’s thoughts on Tisha B’Av .

“meir”

Befallen brother Meir
Do you remember?
Hearts possessed.
They struck our nation
Playing God.
They condemned your soul
Hoarders of sins
Scattered to and fro
Eluding death
Swearing vengeance.
I mourned
You were 3
Little innocent victim
Heroic brother Meir.
I remember
Bitter tastes stabbed
at my tongue
Tastes of 1,000-year-old hate
Death Intruded thoughts
They lined us up
Cows awaiting slaughter
One by one we expired
You went first
Little innocent Meir
Baby brother Meir
Did you hear?
I have a son
Who knows no anguish
His name is Meir
Little innocent Meir.