The Makor Project K–5 Lesson
Handout A

The Wheel of the Jewish Year

The Jewish Year · Grades K–2

Make your spinner

  1. The Jewish year goes around like a circle. It starts in the autumn, at the top, and follows the red arrows through all four seasons. Shabbat is in the middle because it comes every single week, all year long.
  2. Color each holiday's picture, then color its season.
  3. Cut out the red arrow at the bottom corner. Push a brass fastener through the dot on the arrow, then through the dot in the middle of Shabbat. Open the fastener flat on the back.
  4. Spin! Wherever the arrow lands, that holiday is coming next. Tell your partner what families do on it.
The Jewish Year AUTUMN WINTER SPRING SUMMER Rosh Hashanah apples & honey · new year Yom Kippur a quiet, serious day Sukkot a leafy hut outside Hanukkah eight candles · latkes Tu BiShvat birthday of the trees Purim costumes · noisemakers Passover the seder · matzah Shavuot cheese · the Torah SHABBAT every single week ✂ CUT OUT YOUR SPINNER ARROW
Eight holidays, four seasons, one year. Start at the top with the autumn new year and follow the arrows all the way around. Color it, cut out the arrow, add a fastener, and spin.