One Mitzvah: A Short Tzedakah and Mitzvah Review Lesson Plan

Mitzvah and tzedakah are two very important concepts in Judaism. In the beginning of the school year I taught lessons on both these topics. I wanted to make sure my students had a strong understanding of tzedakah and mitzvah. It was also important to me that the students have chances throughout the school year to review them.

This short tzedakah and mitzvah lesson plan is a wonderful way to review both concepts and also engage in an easy, fun and meaningful activity that is the perfect example of practicing both tzedakah and mitzvah.

Lesson Objective

My objective for this lesson was to review both concepts of tzedakah and mitzvah. Since we already had full lessons on each topic, the review could be short and mostly just a reminder for what these concepts are.

It was important to me that the children knew that tzedakah and mitzvah are different. Even though both topics are related and both help others, a quick reminder of their definitions is helpful. The songs we used to review these concepts help show some of the differences in sweet, easy ways.

My other main objective was for the students to actually practice these concepts in a hands-on, kid-led way. It’s not enough for me that they only listen to the definitions of Jewish values; I want them to fully engage with the concepts and practice them. In that way, they can truly see the beauty of Judaism and its meaningful values. Therefore, they can also have the desire to incorporate these values into their own lives.

Introducing (Reviewing) the Lesson’s Concepts

As I mentioned, I had already taught lessons on both tzedakah and mitzvah. This introduction to the day’s concepts could therefore be short and sweet. I used two Jewish songs that talk about these issues as a fun way to review the concepts.

Put it in the Pushke is by Sheldon Low and Rick Recht. It’s all about putting coins in the tzedakah box. One Mitzvah Leads to Another is by Susan Shane-Linder. It shares the beautiful idea that performing one mitzvah will automatically lead to another good deed.

I find visual aids always helpful so I put together a book with the lyrics to the songs. A poster with the lyrics could easily work as well. You could also just practice the song line by line with the students before playing the music and singing together.

After reading the book with the songs’s lyrics, I played both the songs and we all sung them together. They are catchy songs and easy to pick up the words. It worked really well and all the kids were engaged and having fun.

I asked the children if they remembered what tzedakah and mitzvah were and of course many hands shot up. I always like letting the children have the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas. I do make sure I give a concrete explanation or definition of the concepts at the end.

In this case, reminding the children that tzedakah is giving money and/or assistance so all of the world’s resources are shared justly and that a mitzvah is a conscious act of kindness, of a good deed are short, simple, but important statements that describe these concepts.

Discussion Questions

I always like to conclude my introductory activity (whether it’s a book, song or skit) with some discussion questions. The children already knew we were making the Mitzvah Meal Bags for the Homeless as our special classroom activity so my discussion questions used this activity as a focal point:

• How are creating these bags a mitzvah?
• How are creating these bags practicing tzedakah?
• How can these bags help others?

Our Tzedakah Focus for the Year: Helping the Homeless

After introducing the concept of tzedakah, of giving to make the world just, in the beginning of the school year, my students this year chose their tzedakah focus to be helping the homeless.

Throughout the year the children practice tzedakah by bringing in coins or dollars and depositing them in our classroom tzedakah box. We talk about tzedakah every lesson at our first circle and the children love participating. That clink clink clink of putting in coins makes them feel so good!

Because of this tzedakah focus, the Mitzvah Meal Bags for the Homeless is a logical and meaningful activity for this lesson. But even if your class has a different tzedakah focus, the activity is still meaningful and can easily be discussed in general terms of performing the mitzvah of feeding the hungry.

Tzedakah and Mitzvah Hands-On Activity: Mitzvah Meal Bags for the Homeless

To allow the children to actively participate and truly live these concepts of tzedakah and mitzvah, we created a fun and meaningful activity, Mitzvah Meal Bags for the Homeless. It is a short and easy activity to put together, but has a huge impact on both the children and the homeless recipients receiving these bags.

Check out the Mitzvah Meal Bags for the Homeless activity here!

Fun, Meaningful, and Successful Lesson

I loved this lesson! Since we had already had complete lessons on both tzedakah and mitzvah, we could review these concepts in short, easy, and fun ways. The kids loved having the opportunity to sing (who doesn’t?!) and the songs were an easy and entertaining way to remind the children what tzedakah and mitzvah are all about.

The best part was, of course, making the Mitzvah Meal Bags for the Homeless. This activity allows the children to feel like they are truly contributing to helping the world, of doing tikkun olam, by performing acts of tzedakah and mitzvot. In my students’ case, their chosen tzedakah focus for the year was helping the homeless so they felt even more connected to this activity.

There was a lot of laughter and excitement during this lesson, as well as thoughtful responses to the discussion questions, and interest in creating and passing out the Mitzvah Meal Bags for the Homeless. The students, and their parents, all loved how they actively participated in practicing tzedakah and mitzvot. And our local homeless population benefitted as well!

Check out the pdf of this lesson plan here.

How do you review tzedakah and mitzvah in your classroom?

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