Have you ever been to a Golden Rule party? We held one at our synagogue on Sunday afternoon. My teacups were delighted to attend, along with my crystal punch bowl, and silver trays. Oh, how they love a good tea party.
Are you familiar with the Golden Rule?
Do unto others
as you would have them do unto you
This is based on Leviticus 19:18, which we repeat every week during our liturgy:
Love your neighbor as yourself. I am Adonai.
Yeshua echoed it in Mark 12:31:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
The Golden Rule is the basis for the rules of etiquette, which was our focus for the event we held for our young men and women. We held twenty-minute sessions to share ideas about how the love our neighbor through good manners.
The areas were communication in person, communication by telephone and internet, table manners, and health and hygiene. Each attendee was given a folder with relevant fill-in-the-blank note sheets, and handouts with reinforcing graphics.
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| LaVonne, teaching personal communications - |
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| Brenda teaching telephone and internet communication |
After each session, we played games to reinforce the lessons. We all had fun with those, as you can see.
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| An ice-breaker to reinforce how to meet and greet and make conversation |
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| Learning teamwork |
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| Learning to hear Hashem's voice |
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| Reinforcing not talking with your mouth full |
And, of course, we had food, which is why my teacups were so happy. I had my heart set on having a tea party, so we did. It turned out just lovely, as you can see. Even the young men enjoyed it.
To finish the event, Rabbi taught a boys-only session on being a mensch (a righteous gentleman), and I held a girls-only session about being a virtuous young woman. I gave them Jewish princess tips and also a princess tiara to remind them that they are a part of His royal family - ambassadors for Adonai.
Everyone, including the teens, had an enjoyable time, and it was a fun, creative way to reinforce the importance of the Golden Rule.
My grandson and I spent the evening before the party making cookies . . . from scratch, I'll have you know.
Martha Stewart would be envious, right?
Look at my little "Happy Cooker". He loves to cook, especially cookies!
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| And, yes, of course, he took home a sizable bag for himself. |
In the background, you'll see Rabbi Jem is helping, too, by stirring the peanut butter.
Here are a few more shots of the lovely table and food at the party:
LaVonne made these wonderful tea sandwiches, cut and then formed into a cake - so creative! She also made and dyed the bread. Doesn't she make Martha Stewart look like a slouch? We're giving her a run for her money, I'm telling ya!
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| And Brenda made this luscious, colorful fruit salad. |
I have to tell you the funny story about the punch. I forgot to bring the pineapple sherbet, so we just poured in the 7-UP and floated some of Brenda's cut fruit on top. One of the young ladies said, "Is this water?" We laughed and said, "Give it a try, and see!" She liked it and used her good manners to compliment it.
We had a wonderful day together, and my teacups, especially, were over-the-moon thrilled to attend.
I'm thankful to Hashem for this idea, which had been bubbling in my brain for a long time, and for the sweet ladies who so graciously helped make it happen. I'm grateful for the help of Rabbi Jem and my grandson and, most of all, for the fine young men and women of our synagogue.
What are you thankful for this week, Gail-Friends?
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