Jewish Values of Cause and Effect, Shema 2nd Paragraph

Goal: Explore climate as God’s expression of cause and effect

Duration: 30 minutes

Materials: Siddurim (Prayer books)

Audience: Grades 5+

Procedure:

1) Divide students into groups of 3 students each. Distribute a siddur and a worksheet

2) Have students read the Shema 2^nd paragraph and fill out the worksheet

3) At the midpoint read the alternative translation aloud, then pass out a copy to each group

4) have them finish the worksheet.

5) Return together and share

Discussion:

1) Causes of problem in 2^nd paragraph.

a. What does God warn us against?

b. What are false Gods? Are they the same as they were 3000 years ago?

c. What does it mean to ‘listen really listen’ (Shomoa T’shmeu)?

2) Discuss effects of our action in 2^nd paragraph

Discuss each of the effects as outlined below and in the shema, and how each of these are happening as an effect of our climate crisis.

a. Desertification / loss of arable land

b. Forced migration

c. Climate out of whack (rain at wrong time)

Materials developed by Noam Dolgin, www.noamdolgin.com.

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