When I started Make It Jewish in 2020, the world had shut down due to COVID, and my synagogue’s religious school, where I had taught for many years, immediately switched to virtual. Because of this, I made short weekly videos for my students, hosted Zoom meetings for them, and also delivered craft kits to their homes. Still, I wanted to do more – not just for my students, but also for kids and families beyond my Pittsburgh community. And so, Make It Jewish was born.
It has been a labor of love and a very rewarding one, especially when I hear from parents who tell me that their children have happily made Jewish crafts.
In January 2023, I started a full-time job as an educator for a local Jewish organization, and I love it. Working with children has been my calling since I started babysitting at age 13, and in the past 20 years, teaching in my Jewish community has been especially meaningful.
That is the good news. The bad news is that I now have little time to devote to Make It Jewish. Creating the crafts, taking and editing the photos, writing the blog posts, and engaging in social media is quite time consuming; and even though I love it, I simply can’t do it all.
That being said, I’m officially taking a break (possibly a permanent one) from Make It Jewish so that I can focus on my in-person teaching. For the time being I will keep the website active; I just won’t be adding new crafts. Thank you for your understanding.
If I could only share one piece of advice as it relates to children, I would say:
TREAT THEM WITH UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD.
This is a term coined by psychologist Carl Rogers and a concept that my stepdad of blessed memory taught me when I started babysitting all those years ago. It has been on the forefront of my mind every day since, and I do my very best to live by it. It’s not specifically Jewish, but it captures Jewish values beautifully. It’s not about making crafts, but it’s a reminder that anything we do with children we want to do with the intention of making them feel valued.
Wishing you the very best as you continue to create your own inspiration to better the lives of the children in your life.
Lehitraot,
Lisa
If you’re a parent raising Jewish children, and you’re looking for Jewish craft and activity ideas that will inspire a love of Judaism and create happy family memories, you’ve come to the right place! Make It Jewish is a delightful showcase of Jewish craft and learning activity ideas for kids and families!
And welcome to Make It Jewish!
I’ve been an early childhood Jewish educator and parent for twenty years, and my passion is inspiring kids and their families to create joy, meaning, and connection by living Jewishly.
I created Make It Jewish to share the tried and true Jewish craft and activity ideas that have delighted my young students and families for years and made them thrilled to be part of the tribe.
Lisa Dvorin