This week’s parshah talks about encouraging Am Yisrael to trust Hashem and the rewards of entering Eretz Yisrael and all the good that will come if they follow in the ways of Hashem.

This week’s game is called Charades. Choose a word that has to do with Eretz Yisrael eg. Kosel. Split the word in two (“co” and “sell”). Make three short scenes — one using the word “co” and one using the word “sell” and one using the word “Kosel.” After seeing all three scenes the audience has to guess which word in the third scene had been split and mentioned in the two others — in this case Kosel.

After the presentations go around the table and discuss what each person likes about Eretz Yisrael. If you live in Eretz Yisrael you can talk about something nice that happened this past week that shows the beauty of the land. If you live in chutz l’Aretz and you have been to Eretz Yisrael you can relate a nice story. If you have never gone to Eretz Yisrael you can talk about what you think is beautiful about the land.

Parshah Treat:

In this week’s parshh Bnei Yisrael are promised that if they keep the mitzvos Hashem will bless them and the fruit of their land. He will take care of their food and crops. Let’s bake our own plant!

What You Need

chocolate cake (recipe below)

a planter or something that looks like a flower pot

skewers

different gummy candies

fondant and flower-shaped cookie cutters to make flowers or candies

Chocolate Cake

2/3 cup cocoa

2¼ cups plain flour

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1½ tsp baking powder

1½ tsp baking soda

1¼ cup oil

1½ cup orange juice

(1½ tsp coffee — optional)

Put all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix at high speed. Pour into a greased 9x11-inch cake pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until a toothpick inserted comes out dry.

When cooled crush the cake into the planter. Carefully pierce the candies through the skewers. Save the flower ones last. Place the skewers into the cake. You can stick a jelly worm candy in the “soil.” Enjoy your pretty Shabbos decoration and dessert!