Tapestry of Faith: Signs of Our Faith: A Program about Being UU Every Day for Grades 2-3

Alternate Activity 4: Story - How Do We Know

Activity time: 10 minutes

Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

  • Read the story to become familiar with it.

Description of Activity

Children respond to a story that demonstrates no one has all the answers.

Read or tell the story.

Process the story with these questions:

  • Why does answering the question make the person a fake? Does this mean we can never answer a question? What kinds of questions are the ones that do not really have a single, simple answer?
  • In the story, the Baal Shem Tov is very wise. But do you think he has answers to every question? Do you think he had an answer as to how to keep your mind from wandering when praying? [If he did, he, too, would be a fake!]
  • The Baal Shem Tov was a Jewish rabbi, or teacher. Rabbis often teach by asking questions. Jesus was a rabbi, too, and he asked people a lot of questions to help them learn. Do you have any teachers who ask many questions?
  • Some people believe the Bible has all the answers or the Koran or their minister or their parents. What do you believe? Does any one source have all the answers to the questions of religious exploration you have now? What about questions you may have in the future, as you grow older? Do you think it is good or bad that looking for answers in religious exploration is complicated? Why?