parashah Bemidbar

In the Sinai Desert, G‑d says to conduct a census of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Desert in a box

PERSONAL FLAGS

The twelve tribes camped in four groups of three tribes each. Each tribe had its own nassi (prince or leader), and its own flag with its tribal color and emblem.

Parashah Bemidbar

Starting a new sefer! Sefer Bemidbar.As last year we did our Tribal flags in the Machane

 This parsha has lots of lists and numbers but it also introduces the concept of the 12 tribes and the design of the encampment in the desert which is fun and interesting. My daughters are familiar with the concept of the 12 sons from Parshat Vayetze so I now wanted to introduce them to the concept of the twelve tribes that descended from those original twelve. To start we looked at pictures of how the Machane (camp) was laid out. 

Then you start flag making. I found these great little images of the tribes' symbols, printed, cut them out and laminated .Then attached them onto barbecue chopsticks  To illustrate how the tribes were arranged around the Mishkan we took a rectangle of foam, glued in the center an image of the Mishkan and placed all around , in the right order, the flags of the tribes.