CU2-2

2:2 **Title:** Fall Festivals - Origin as end of one farming year and beginning of the next 1.  **Gain the attention of the learner.** Have students list some of their favorite foods (make sure to include some fruits and vegetables). Discuss where they or their components come from (grains like wheat and barley; eggs; fruit and nut trees like apples, cherries, almonds). What happens if harvest is poor? How can you ensure that there will be a good harvest? 2.  **Review relevant past learning.** The ability to measure time provides the ability to mark time, to know when certain things will occur within a time period and to act accordingly. Thousands of years ago, before there were Jews, the solstices and equinoxes were used to predict when to plant and when to celebrate the harvest. 3.  **Present new material.** Background: The fall festivals had 3 main components: The Day of memorial the Day of Purgation and the actual harvest. The two former stages ceremoniously removed all noxious and evil influences. The Harvest home included (a) the actual reaping of crops and fruits and the bringing n of the vintage;(b) the performance of special ceremonies to make the rain fall (Sukkot marked the beginning of the rainy season) and c) the custom of living in booths [based on chapter 6 of Festivals of the Jewish Year by Gaster] . 4.   **Provide guided practice.**   5.   **Provide independent practice.**
 * Goals: ** Students will review the origins of the fall festivals (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot) in the non-Jewish celebration which marked the successful completion of the preceding year and the “clean start” of the coming year. Students will review the use of ceremonies to encourage future rains
 * Materials: **
 * 6.  ****Close the lesson.**