Jewish Poems
Instructions
Poetry Reading:
Read a simple poem by a Jewish American poet whose work focuses on diversity and equality. Discuss the meaning of the poem in simple terms.
Poetry Art:
Encourage the children to draw pictures inspired by the poem they heard. Let them use bright colors to create art that reflects the poem's message.
Materials
Paper
Markers
Stickers/embellishments
Glue
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Paul Celan (1920–1970) – A Romanian-born poet and Holocaust survivor who wrote in German. His deeply moving work, such as the famous poem Death Fugue (Todesfuge), grapples with memory and trauma.
Yehuda Amichai (1924–2000) – One of Israel’s most celebrated poets, he wrote in Hebrew and is known for blending everyday language with spiritual and political themes, often with warmth and irony.
Emma Lazarus (1849–1887) – An American Sephardic Jewish poet best known for her sonnet The New Colossus, which is inscribed at the base of the Statue of Liberty (“Give me your tired, your poor…”).
Saadia Gaon (882–942) – A medieval Jewish philosopher and poet active in Babylon. He wrote Hebrew liturgical poetry and was a key figure in shaping early Jewish liturgy and philosophy.
Rachel Bluwstein, known as Rachel (1890–1931) – A pioneering Hebrew poet whose lyrical works about love, longing, and the land of Israel are considered foundational in modern Israeli poetry.
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