Parshas Shemos

Watch a 30 second summary of Parshat Shemot. You can download these adorable puppets by clicking here! The set includes the entire Sefer Shemot. We also have coloring pages available here.

Shemot Parsha Summary

Pharaoh didn’t like that the Jews were having so many babies, so he tricked them into being his slaves and make them work very hard. The Jews had to build pyramids and all week we’ve been busy building pyramids out of all different things. We made pyramids out of blocks, lego, rings and even drew them on the white boards. Pharaoh decreed that the baby boys had to be thrown into the river because the astrologers told him that a Jewish boy would be born that would take the Jewish people out of Egypt. 

Hashem made a miracle and angels took care of the boys and gave them rocks with milk and honey. Yocheved had a baby boy that she hid for 3 months. When he was born, the house was filled with light. Then she painted a basket with tar on the outside and put the baby in it and put it in the Nile river. Miriam watched to see what would happen from the tall reeds. Princess Basya found him and took him out of the water. She named him Moshe. Yocheved fed him for 2 years and then he grew up in Pharaoh's palace.

When Moshe was little, he took off Pharaoh's crown which the astrologers told him means that he’s going to be the one to take the Jewish people out of Egypt. Pharaoh tested him to see if he just took it off because it was sparkly. Moshe touched the fiery coals and burned his mouth so he was saved. 

Moshe would try to ease the burden of the Jews. He got Pharaoh to give the Jewish people off on Shabbos because Pharaoh realized that whatever they built on Shabbos would collapse anyway. Moshe killed an Egyptian who was hitting a Jew and buried him in the ground. The next day he saw Dasan and Aviram hitting each other and he told them to stop. They reported him to Pharaoh for killing the Egyptian and Moshe had to run away to Midian. There he married one of Yisro's daughters - Tziporah and became a shepherd.

We learned about how Hashem told Moshe to tell the Jewish people that he’ll take them out of Mitzrayim - Egypt. Hashem gave him 3 signs which we heard about. When Moshe and Aharon went to Pharaoh, the wild animals didn’t growl, they escorted them into the palace. Pharaoh claimed not to know Hashem. He told the Egyptians to not give the Jews straw to make bricks, so they had to work even harder.

Parshas Shemos Activities

• We created pyramids with wooden blocks and lego. Some kids even made pyramids out of clics.

• We formed babies in baskets out of play dough. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• We played a math counting game. I printed out a bunch of babies - each baby had a number. And a bunch of baskets. I drew corresponding dots on each basket. The kids had to match the correct numbered baby to the basket with the matching amount of dots.
  
  
  
  
  
  

Parshas Shemos Craft - Baby Moshe in a basket

We created Baby Moshe in a basket. The baskets were made of paper plates and the baby was a sugar cookie shaped into a baby.

We painted paper plates which we turned into baskets for baby Moshe.

Give each child a paper plate. Have them decorate the outside with paint, dotters, markers or crayons. When dry, fold the sides and staple each corner to create a rectangular shape. Punch a hole on 2 sides of the basket and attach a pipe cleaner as a handle.

For the cookies: Use your favorite sugar cookie recipe and have the kids create their own 'baby' cookie. Place in a bag and send home inside the basket.

Shemos Parsha Drawing Journal:

Our Sefer Shemos Parsha Drawing Journal is not just a journal; it's a gateway to an interactive and imaginative journey through the Parsha. Here's how it works and how it can benefit educators, parents, and, most importantly, the children:

Weekly Parsha Pages:

Each week, as we delve into the Parsha, we provide students with a Parsha page. This isn't your typical worksheet—it's a canvas for creativity and storytelling.

1. Name and Trace: Students begin by writing their name on the top line and tracing the Parsha name to the best of their ability, fostering early writing skills.
   
   
2. Draw the Parsha: The heart of the activity lies in the large drawing box. Using crayons, markers, or colored pencils, children are encouraged to let their imagination run wild as they illustrate the Parsha story.
   
   
3. Narrate Their Creation: After finishing their drawing, teachers or parents engage with the child, asking them to describe their artwork. The child's words are then transcribed in the lines below the drawing, enhancing their communication skills and deepening their understanding of the Parsha.

Parsha Songs

Bang, bang, bang

Hold your hammer low

Bang, bang, bang

Give a heavy blow



Cuz it’s work, work, work

Every day and every night

Cuz it’s work, work, work

When it’s dark and when it’s light

Click here for another parsha song.