Tapestry of Faith: Toolbox of Faith: A Program That Helps Children Discover the Uses of Faith

Activity 1: Story - The Two Brothers

Activity time: 10 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • A copy of the story, "The Two Brothers"
  • Optional: Two shoeboxes, markers, and mural paper (a large roll of paper) or a small bath mat

Preparation for Activity

  • Read the story, "Two Brothers."
  • Optional: Gather the materials you will need to tell the story dramatically, and plan where to "stage" the story in your meeting space.

Description of Activity

Participants will reflect on the strength and the goodness of love in the story.

Gather participants to hear a story. You may want to set out two shoeboxes, representing each brother's barn, at opposite ends of a small bath mat (preferably of a color that suggests a farm field, such as yellow or green). Or, roll out a length of mural paper and create a map.

To introduce the story, you may say:

This is a story from the Jewish tradition about love and sacrifice.

Read the story, or, if you prefer, tell the story dramatically. Develop a sense of place so you can clearly describe which brother is in which scene and which way they are sneaking across the fields between their two houses.

After the story, invite participants to share their reflections and initial thoughts about the brothers, their actions, and the founding of the temple. You can tell the group they may continue the discussion in Council Circle.