Sand, String and Wood

A box of sand, a piece of string and a few wooden figures. These unassuming objects are the tools Morah Iryna uses to enthrall children (and adults) with a form of story telling called Torah Godly Play.  

"Drawing upon the sacred stories of the Bible, Godly Play invites children into the entrancement of the narrative while leaving room for wonder, creativity, and imagination as they build their own spiritual search and discover a Divine presence in their lives. Torah Godly Play is an adapted, innovative approach to religious education that seeks not so much to tell stories of faith in order that we will “know” them, but as a means to invite exploration, wondering, and meaning-making through encounter with the text." (Rabbi Michael Shire, Torah Godly Play)

Torah Godly Play is a method of storytelling that explicitly invites children to enter the story with their own curiosity driving the interaction. As the narrator, or "doorkeeper," of the story, Morah Iryna uses a quiet voice and slow, deliberate movements to act out a story as children listen. You will often see them actually leaning in towards her box of sand as the story unfolds. I recently sat in as Morah Iryna told the story of Avram and Sarai, whom God eventually renames Abraham and Sarah and bequeaths upon them "a multitude of nations." 

Our expectation in retelling stories from the Bible is not just that our children may learn about religion. Rather, this form of storytelling is a way to engage with children in a spiritual context. Children don't need to learn to be spiritual beings. They are, in their own way, deeply spiritual. Our job is to invite them to open themselves outward and bring their spiritual selves to us and those around them. Storytelling is a venue for connecting: connecting our inner world to what is happening around us, connecting to others, even coming to understand something about ourselves in new ways. 

Morah Iryna captivates the children with a story that may not seem to have much relevance for them, but in the telling of the story she creates a wondrous experience in which they enter a world of change, of hardship and recovery, of miracles and unexpected joy. There is a lot to learn from all that. 

Shabbat Shalom, 
Amy