Vayetze..I'd say, you'd say, .he'd say..oh come on smile

Last Shabbat was for telling our stories.
Our ritual opening..share something good that happened to you this week revealed
Two students, new drivers had car accidents. One had her car sliced in half. The bruises on the outside were mild to what was churning inside, "I'm not getting back behind the wheel for a year."

So I just made room for the two of them to talk about their experience.
Just tell their story.
Students in the group had thoughts and questions.
Then we talked about Jewish ritual after coming through a difficult situation.
We benched
Birkat Hagomel
talked about the tradition of giving tzedakah when you come through a difficult situation.
Their assignment: GO FIND JOY

SIMCHA
This Shabbat


Connection: Recall the life tool box we've been building..yes these values from the TR=ree of life
are to be a better madrich
and for being a person who can live a life that is full..with meaning and purpose..
review

• tikvah
• din v rachamim
• dan l'chaf zichut
• sayver panim yafot

This week more from the tree of life... joy/happiness
Simcha
Did you find some joy..outside of school and classes? Share it out.

Core Discussion: Text study A Jewish Guide to Joy
Where does Judaism tell you to find joy..
here are some clues

(I'm gonna draw a treasure map and put clues on it..we'll use it to go around the synagogue, outside and see what we can find)


Dear God
stir my heart
with the spirit of joy
imbue my arms and my legs
with that spirit
for my arms are encumbered
and my legs have become heavy
with my wrongdoings
Fill me my God
with the cleansing spirit of holy joy
Enliven all my limbs
help me raise my hands
and clap
help me lift my feet
and dance and dance, dance...
Rebbe Nachman


Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad
let the sea and it all contains roar in praise
the fields and everything in them exutlt
then shall all the trees of the forest shout for joy
at the presence of the Eternal,

(Psalm 96)

Through dancing and the movements
sing it out
humm it too
you make with your body you awaken
joy within yourself. (as quoted in Sefer ha middot..Rabbi Nacham of Bratzlav)
you bet you...

Ok so we'll go on a joy treasure hunt


we're going to do a movement meditation
we'll clap and step
and bang
and dance
we'll hug a tree
we'll breath deep and look inside
we'll look at each other

We'll go look for it, try to experience,
and we can share it with each other..
Next assignment..
Find more..go out in the week and use the Jewish treasure map for joy
and find more