Dear Friends,
Tanenbaum’s Education program is here to help teach students skills for respecting religious difference during Winter’s light-filled celebrations.
For free resources on respecting all religious beliefs and customs, our downloadable curricula are a click away!
On the Tanenbaum Bookshelf, look for Joyce Schriebman’s Oy, Santa! Use this engaging book and its teacher’s guide to teach early elementary kids (and adults) the skills needed to approach different religious customs and traditions with respectful curiosity.
Quick Winter Holiday Facts to Share with Kids:
- Kwanzaa: Swahili for “first fruits”
- Hanukkah: Hebrew for “dedication”
- Bodhi: Sanskrit/Pali for “awakening”
- Christmas: Short for “Christ’s Mass”
Go a Little Deeper…
- Kwanzaa, a week-long secular holiday honoring African American Heritage, is celebrated from December 26th to January 1st. Some important symbols include fruits, vegetables, nuts, a straw mat, and the Kinara – a seven-branched candleholder with red, green, and black candles lit each day of the holiday.
- Hanukkah is a commemoration of a small amount of oil that lasted for eight days. Starting with one flame on the holiday’s first night, one additional wick is added to the Hanukkah Menorah each night until eight lights shine on the holiday’s final night. This year, Hanukkah begins at nightfall on December 14th and ends the night of December 22nd.
- Bodhi Day commemorates Siddhartha Gautama’s (the Buddha) enlightenment. Celebrations might involve meditation, visits to a temple or monastery, candles, or eating rice and milk. Bodhi Day is commonly celebrated on December 8th.
- Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Christmas is celebrated on December 25th by Christians who use the Gregorian calendar. Many Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25th on the Julian calendar, which translates into January 7th on the Gregorian calendar.
Find more information about these and other holidays here.
It is a pleasure supporting the work of formal and informal educators as they foster inclusive respect for religious differences. Reach out to us with questions or ideas here: [email protected].
Warmly,
Rev. Mark Fowler, CEO, Tanenbaum, and the Workplace Team