parashah Mattot

The tribes of Reuben and Gad owned lots of cattle. Seeing that the eastern bank of the Yarden (river Jordan) , the lands of Sichon and Og which they had just conquered , had abundant pasture, they asked Moshè if they could remain and settle on the eastern bank. Moshè angrily responds that they are following in the footsteps of the spies who were fearful of the Canaanites, did not want to enter the land of Israel, and discouraged the entire nation from doing so. The Reubenites and Gaddites respond that they will leave their cattle and families behind in fortified cities, and all their men will proceed into Israel with their brethren and lead them in the conquest of the land. Only after all the land has been conquered and settled would they return to the other side of the Yarden.

So this week we focused on the Jordan River painting river pebbles, making a mosaic of river pebbles and preparing a bottle with water from the river

Painted river pebbles 

River in a bottle 

 Hanging stones mosaic

 

parashah Mattot Masei

For Mattot Masei parashah we choose to do an open air project. 

The descendants of Reuven and Gad had an abundance of livestock very numerous and they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, and behold, the place was a place for livestock.

We took some plastic animal toy, a little tree, a fence and put them outside on real grass to represent the land est of the Yarden.

The tribes of Reuven and Gad (later joined by half of the tribe of Menashè) ask for the lands east of the Jordan as their portion in the Promised Land, these being prime pastureland for their cattle.

  

Then we built an house made of stones and wood sticks found on the place to make the tribes of Reuven and Gad buildings.

Moshè is initially angered by the request, but subsequently agrees on the condition that they first join, and lead, in Israel’s conquest of the lands west of the Jordan.