After Miriam's well no longer gave water, the Jews came to Moshe Rabbeinu complaining that they did not have what to drink.  Hashem tells Moshe to speak to the rock and water would come forth.  Instead, Moshe hit the rock with his staff, and water began pouring out.  We enjoy acting out scenes from the parsha, and so making the rock that gave forth water was a wonderful prop that we have used several times this week.

Supplies:

• toilet paper roll
• empty egg carton
• a sheet of felt
• blue streamers (or you can use ribbon, string, or tissue paper)
• liquid glue
• a glue gun
• velcro
• tape

Begin by covering off one end of the toilet paper roll and then taping mounds from the egg carton all around it to produce a bulky boulder.  Wrap your boulder in a sheet of felt and use a glue gun to glue the seams together.  I was about to take a grey piece of felt, when my daughter asked for a pink rock.  So a pink rock it was.  Trim any extra pieces of felt that are not needed.  You can then use one of the scrap pieces to make a little door with velcro for when the rock does not have water flowing from it.  Cut thin segments of the blue streamers and spill in some drops of liquid glue into the hollow cavity of the rock and use any long thin object (a pencil, back of a spoon, etc) to guide the streamers into place.        

Miriam's Well
In this week's parsha we learn about how the Jewish people were provided with water from a well in the merit of the righteousness of Miriam.  When Miriam passes away in this week's parsha the well stops giving water.  We decided to make a well in honour of Miriam.  
Supplies:

• 4 big popsicle sticks and 1 small popsicle stick
• 1 small square box
• 3 tooth picks
• 1 piece of string or lanyard
• 1 small plastic cup
• 1 sheet of brown paper 
• 1 small piece of blue paper
• 1 piece of blue tissue paper
• 2 small key rings
• glue gun
• scissors

First we cut out squares from the brown piece of paper to cover the sides and bottom of the box.  Next we cut a small piece of blue paper which we put inside the box to be the water.  Since it fit in quite snugly we didn't need to glue it in.  Then we used the glue gun and stuck one big popsicle stick to either side of the box.  Once it was dry we to the remaining two big popsicle sticks and glued them to the first set of big popsicle sticks about halfway up the stick.  We carefully too the two key rings and using the glue gun stuck one on top of each of the big popsicle sticks.  Make sure to use enough glue for it to really stick.  Now take the string and tie one end to the middle of the small popsicle stick. Take the small plastic cup and using a pair of scissors make a small whole in either side of the cup so that you can tie the other end of the string to it.  Carefully take the small popsicle with the string and cup attached and slip either end through the key rings.  Using the scissors cut off the points on all there toothpicks.  Glue a tooth pick to either side of the small popsicle stick.  This will allow you to draw the bucket up and down from the well without having to worry about the popsicle stick slipping out.  If you want to be able to draw the bucket up and keep it there you can take the third and final toothpick and glue it on crossways to one of the other toothpicks.  This well act as a stopper when the bucket is rolled all the way up.  Finally, crumple of small balls of blue tissue paper to symbolize water and put it in the bucket. Enjoy!

Aharon's Staff
In this week's parsha Korach challenges Moshe's and Aharon's leadership.  Hashem tells Moshe to tell the people that the leader of each tribe should inscribe his name on his staff and that name of Aharon is inscribed on the tribe of Levi. The staffs are then put in the Ohel Moed.  When the staff's are inspected the next day the one with Aharon's name inscribed blossoms and sprouts almonds proving to everyone that Aharon is supposed to be the Kohain. 
We did a great activity to teach this to our children.  Here is what you need:

• different color streamers
• scotch tape
• a few long sticks

First we went for a walk in the forest to find some great sticks.  We talked about the parsha and what a staff is.  When we got back to the house we first cut pieces from the different colors of streamer into small squares approximately 2 inches by 2 inches.  We folded them into flowers and then taped them onto the staff.  Now each person had their very own staff with blossoms!

Tzitzis
In this week's parsha we learn about the mitzvah of wearing tzitzis.  What better way to teach your children about this special commandment then to make their very own pair.  

For this project you will need:

• an empty cereal box
  
• 16 pieces of string (about a 9 inches long each)
  
• some colourful tape
  
• scissors
  
• hole puncher 
  

First, cut both sides of the cereal box off.  Now attach both sides with a thing strip of cardboard (cut from the scrap of the left over cereal box) with your colourful tape.  You can make this as big as necessary so that it fits over your child’s head.  Next, using a hole puncher, punch a hole in each of the four corners.  Finally, tie four strings to each of the corners.  Voilla!  Now your children have their very own pair of tzitzis!

Giant Fruit
In this week's parsha, Moshe Rabbeinu sends 12 spies to investigate the land of Israel and see what the Jewish people should expect upon entering the land.  The spies come back and tell the Jewish people about the giants they saw and how big the fruit was.  Here is a fun way for your kids to experience having their very own giant fruit.  We've been having a lot of fun acting out scenes with the giant fruit, playing games with the items and using them as props, and practising the brachos to be said on food.

For this project you will need:

• several pieces of large cardboard
  
• a pencil
  
• a heavy duty pair of scissors
  
• paint (we recommend washable paint)
  
• paintbrushes

First, ask your child to select some fruit that they'd like to be part of the craft.  Then, draw them on the inside of a cardboard box and then cut them out.  Children can paint the fruit in whichever fun colours and designs they'd like.  Let the paint dry for a couple of hours and then let the fun begin.  In addition to fruit, our daughter also requested a bottle of wine, which worked out great because we had a lot of fun using it to make pretend Kiddush.