We Are Partners in the Work of Creation (Tikkun Olam) (Private-Religious)

Unit of 3 Lessons
Grade Levels: 
6
7
8
Subjects: 
Philanthropy
Social Studies
Language Arts
Issue Area: 
Civil society
Focus Question 

What is the relationship between G-d and humanity? How can I demonstrate my responsibility through action?

 

Photo Credit:  McKane helping rising star by Six Inthworld is licensed under CC by 2.0

Unit Overview 

This unit provides learners with a traditional Jewish textual framework as well as a look at some contemporary work in the performance of tikun olam- the repair of the world. It also provides learners with an opportunity to plan a personal mitzvah project/”service plan”.

Service Experience 
The learners design a mitzvah project/service plan to support the work of one of the individuals/heroes profiled in the lesson or create their own personal mitzvah project/service plan.
Lessons in This Unit 
Unit: 
We Are Partners in the Work of Creation (Tikkun Olam) (Private-Religious)
Lesson 1 of 3
Grades: 
6
7
8

This lesson will familiarize learners with a story of Creation from the Jewish mystical tradition. The story, based upon the Sefer Yetzirah, provides the foundation for the Jewish concept of tikkun olam, repair of the world. Learners will begin to formulate a personal concept of what that message might mean in their own lives.

Unit: 
We Are Partners in the Work of Creation (Tikkun Olam) (Private-Religious)
Lesson 2 of 3
Grades: 
6
7
8

This lesson will introduce learners to a number of texts from classical and modern sources on the topic of how the work of tikun olam is to be  performed. From these texts, the learners will derive rules for Jewish living and apply those rules, along with input from family members, to appropriately responding to the question- How is a person to use his/her time, talent and treasure?

Unit: 
We Are Partners in the Work of Creation (Tikkun Olam) (Private-Religious)
Lesson 3 of 3
Grades: 
6
7
8

In this lesson the learners will be introduced to some of the individuals/Heroes whose acts of tikun olam provide important models. Having developed a better understanding of tikun olam based upon Sefer Yetzirah and other classical and modern sources on the topic of how the work of tikun olam is to be performed, Lesson Three adds to the scaffolding necessary for learners to create their own mitzvah project/”service plan” for world repair.