Yom Kippur Scapegoat Activity

The name "Yom Kippur" means "Day of Atonement," and that pretty much explains what the holiday is. It is a day set aside to "afflict the soul," to atone for the sins of the past year. In Days of Awe, G-d inscribes all of our names. On Yom Kippur, the judgment entered in these books is sealed. This day is, essentially, your last appeal, your last chance to change the judgment, to demonstrate your repentance and make amends. 
Yom Kippur atones only for sins between man and G-d, not for sins against another person. To atone for sins against another person, you must first seek reconciliation with that person, righting the wrongs you committed against them if possible.
Yom Kippur is a complete Sabbath; no work can be performed on that day. It is well-known that you are supposed to refrain from eating and drinking (even water) on Yom Kippur. It is a complete, 25-hour fast beginning before sunset on the evening before Yom Kippur and ending after nightfall on the day of Yom Kippur. 

Yom Kippur Scapegoat Activity

The strangest element of the service on Yom Kippur, set out in Acharei Mot,1 was the ritual of the two goats, one offered as a sacrifice, the other sent away into the desert “to Azazel.” They were brought before the High Priest, to all intents and purposes indistinguishable from one another: they were chosen to be as similar as possible to one another in size and appearance. Lots were drawn, one bearing the words “To the L‑rd,” the other, “To Azazel.” The one on which the lot “To the L‑rd” fell was offered as a sacrifice. Over the other the High Priest confessed the sins of the nation and it was then taken away into the desert hills outside Jerusalem where it plunged to its death. Tradition tells us that a red thread would be attached to its horns, half of which was removed before the animal was sent away. If the rite had been effective, the red thread would turn to white.

Consider an activity for kids who are exploring Yom Kippur liturgy or studying the parsha Acharei Mot.
So, we have to stick our leftover mistakes on a goat which will be “sent away.” We could just write something on a paper note and press it on a goat poster, or use “Al Chet” (which means missed mark, Hebrew analog for “sin”) cardboard pieces slapped on the back sticky side which are far more satisfying, and private as well. Don’t nobody know what’s written on the opposite side.
The scapegoat in the liturgy isn’t a individual thing, it’s a community thing. So, this would be a good activity for a classroom or the family togeteher. Participants write at least one way they “missed the mark” in the last year.
Kids (and adults) write their mistake on the back of slips of paper. This ties in to teaching kids about the Vidui section of the Yom Kippur liturgy, with all that weird and unforgettable chest beating. 
You need:
a paper goat drawing to paint or print and cover it with adhesive plastic paper.
I printed the goat on four A4 papers, put the papers together, cut out its borders.
Then, put the goat on a larger blue cardborad and tie a red ribbon on the goat neck.

Feel free to print my PDF template of the goat.

LINKS: eScapegoat app from G-dCast Scapegoat ritual from MyJewishLearning.com Yom Kippur All Year Long from MyJewishLearning.com

 The Laws & Customs of Yom Kippur

G'mar chatima tova

The ultimate Tikum Olam blessings for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

TZOM KAL - HAVE A MEANINGFUL FAST

Tashlich craft for kids

Tashlich comes from the Hebrew word meaning "to cast," referring to the intent to cast away our sins via this meaningful and ancient Jewish custom common to both Ashkenazi and Sephardic communities.
Tashlich is usually performed on the first day of Rosh Hashanah. If the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, Tashlich is done on the second day of Rosh Hashanah. It may be performed up until Hoshanah Rabba (the last day of Sukkot).
Special verses are recited next to a body of water, such as a sea, river, stream, lake or pond, preferably one that has fish.
Though Tashlich is not mentioned in the Talmud, its earliest reference appears to be in the book of the Prophet Nehemiah (8:1) which states, "All the Jews gathered as one in the street that is in front of the gate of water." This gathering is known to have taken place on Rosh Hashanah.
Tashlich at the mediterranean sea.

 

Felt fishes in a box craft for kids

Gmar Chatima tovà

Tzom kal to you all.

Jonah and the fish figures.

In less than 24 hours from this evening, we will stand before Hashem in judgment. This is a time of waiting and awe. 
On Yom Kippur, more than any other day, we must think about how we can do better with people, and learning how to be a kind, generous person. Caring about others starts in the home. While we strive to become better people and pray for blessing we remember that the most important thing is taking our families with us. 
G’mar Chatima Tova!

Jonah and the fish figures for  Board Bible Stories-precut

 by Story Time Felts

it becomes as you prefer, even laminated on a rubber board...

Jonah is the central character in the Book of Jonah. Commanded by G.d to go to the city of Nineveh to prophesy against it "for their great wickedness is come up before me," Jonah instead seeks to flee from "the presence of the Lord" by going to Jaffa, identified as Joppa or Joppe, and sailing to Tarshish, which, geographically, is in the opposite direction. A huge storm arises and the sailors, realizing that it is no ordinary storm, cast lots and discover that Jonah is to blame. Jonah admits this and states that if he is thrown overboard, the storm will cease. The sailors try to dump as much cargo as possible before giving up, but feel forced to throw him overboard, at which point the sea calms. The sailors then offer sacrifices to G.d. Jonah is miraculously saved by being swallowed by a large whale-like fish in whose belly he spends three days and three nights. While in the great fish, Jonah prays to G.d in his affliction and commits to thanksgiving and to paying what he has vowed. G.d commands the fish to spew Jonah out.

Yonah and the fish

Yonah inside the fish craft for Yom Kippur reading

The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai:  “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. (...)

Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his G.d. 

Yonah the runaway prophet...

Cutouts  and laminated figures to create and tell the story of Yonah

Here you can find the figures to cut

Yonah and the fish

The book of Yonah (Yonah יונה) is one of the 12 minor prophets included in the Tanakh. According to tradition Jonah was the boy brought back to life by Elijah the prophet, and hence shares many of his characteristics (particularly his desire for 'strict judgment'). The book of Jonah is read every year, in its original Hebrew and in its entirety, on Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement, as the Haftarah at the afternoon mincha prayer.

Teshuva - the ability to repent and be forgiven by G.d - is a prominent idea in Jewish thought. This concept is developed in the book of Yonah: Yonah, the son of truth, (The name of his father "Amitai" in Hebrew means truth,) refuses to ask the people of Nineveh to repent. He seeks the truth only, and no forgiveness. When forced to go, his call is heard loud and clear. The people of Nineveh repent ecstatically, "fasting, including the sheep", and the Jewish scripts are critical of this.

When praying, Jonah repeats G.d's 13 traits failing to say the last one which is "...and Truthful", and changing it with "...and who is willing to forgive the bad".G-.d responds by showing Yonah that he is "angry at doing good", and that he too would agree to spare an ephemeral plant if it has importance for him.

The Yom Kippur Avodah

The Yom Kippur Avodah by Machon Harbotzas Ha Torah

This sefer clarifies the portions of Chumash and Rashi that pertain to the Yom Kippur
Avodah. Illustrations with brief descriptions and diagrams offer additional elucidation.
There is also a section that cross references the descriptions of the Avodah from the
tefillos with the sections from the actual parshios.

download it HERE