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Week 1: God’s Love Frees – The Passover Story

Creation Station: Make a Mezuzah

Lesson based on: http://www.chadiscrafts.com/fun/claymezuzah.html

Supplies List:

  • Directions for baking at home
  • Copper tubes, ¾ to 1 in. in diameter (or other object of similar size to be a form – we used markers and glue sticks)
  • Waxed Paper, tape and Sharpies
  • Knives for slicing design pieces and rolling pins
  • Clay for sheets, for snakes and for slices: We made 65 mezuzahs. We used 2 boxes (3 1/2 pounds total) of the new Terra Cotta Sculpey (or white Sculpey in boxes). For the decorations I managed to use less than 40 ounces of clay. I usually buy the 30 piece sampler to get 30 colors! (30 0z per box) More colored clay would be used if you decorate the entire object front and back. We mainly did only a few slices and snakes on the front only. We also got an assortment of pre-formed picture tubes – sort of like slice and bake cookies with the pictures in the middle of them?
  • Paper and pens for prayers to include in the case.

Mezuzahs, Mezzuzahs, Mezuzzahs
A mezuzah is the object used by Jewish people to mark their door jams. It is a reference to the blood that marked the doorpost of God’s people’s homes during the first Passover, protecting the families inside from the plague of the firstborn. Today, the mezuzah’s purpose is to be an identifying symbol that the family inside is Jewish, to bring to mind God’s love and protection, and to inspire people to live lives that reflect God to those around them. Upon entering the home, it is a powerful reminder to a family to treat each other with love, honor and peacefulness, that no “blood” shall be shed in their relationships. Upon exiting the home, the mezuzah can be a reminder to a family to behave, in public as well as private, in a way that honors God. Many Jewish people mark all doors in a house they live in: kitchen, bedroom, office, den etc, while others only mark the outside door. Mezuzahs can be made of ceramics, wood, metal, glass, clay etc. It contains a prayer written by a scribe in Hebrew on a parchment.

Tonight, families who attend the Communion Class will write their own prayers to put in their family’s mezuzah case. Invite families to discuss together the wishes and prayers they have for their family right now, and write them down on the slip of paper. Then invite them to write a blessing – which could be as simple as “God bless this family and all those we love. Help us to follow your way in our home and in the world. Amen.”

Info Sources:
http://www.chadiscrafts.com/fun/claymezuzah.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mezuzah

Preparations:

  • Pre-cut wax paper
  • Pre-wrap tubes with foil
  • Pre-slice design slices and lay them out on wax paper for people to select from.


Teacher Instructions:

I found a copper tube about 4 inches long in a recycle hardware store, but any solid object with a diameter of 3/4 - 1 inch is ok. The form gives children a hard work surface so they don't collapse the project when working on it. We wrap it with aluminum foil making sure that the ends are left open. (This allows the rod to slip out before baking.)

We use the bulk boxed white Sculpey (more cost effective when you are making 100) or the bulk new Terra Cotta color Sculpey that comes in a 1 3/4 pound box. (Or bigger if you order the 24 pound box though Dick Blick)

We roll a sheet of clay out either by hand or using a pasta machine. Teachers can either do this before class or have the children help you with the pasta machine. Have kids play with/soften the clay. When clay is softened, roll through a pasta machine on the #1 setting or roll flat sheets about 1/4 inch thick. Children love taking turns turning the handle of the pasta machine.

Wrap the sheet of clay around form. Shape the clay as desired, leaving the top with an opening and the bottom closed. Put a hole in the top and bottom to allow for the mezuzah to be hung on nails.

The form can be decorated in any manner you wish.

Bake as directed. (The baking directions are on each package. Basically, you will be baking at 275 degrees for 15 minutes for each ¼ inch of clay thickness. Always use an oven thermometer to accurately maintain these temperatures. A glass baking sheet or dish is recommended, however, you can use a cookie sheet, covered in foil. I work on index cards, which I can then transfer, card and all, to the cookie sheet for baking. The card will not burn. This way both sides of my clay have an even, matte surface. Always allow the clay to cool completely before handling it, you can damage your designs while they are still warm and flexible.)

When cooled coat with Sculpey Gloss/Satin Clear Protection, or Future Floor Wax.

Baking info to put on handout to take home:
Bake it at 275 degrees for 15 minutes for each ¼ inch of clay thickness. A glass baking sheet or dish is recommended, however, you can use a cookie sheet, covered in foil.
When it has cooled, coat with Sculpey Gloss/Satin Clear Protection (available at craft stores,) or Future Floor Wax to protect the clay.
When the wax/glaze has dried, read aloud the blessing you wrote together, and then insert it in the back of your case. Attach the case in the top third of your home’s front door.


An idea posted by Heather Eaton

A representative of Rotation.org reformatted this post to improve readability.

Last edited by Luanne Payne
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