Middle Schoolers Create a Pop-Up Museum Exhibit to Reflect on "Jewish People: Then and Now"

As a culminating project, fifth and seventh graders explored the enduring connection between the Jewish past and present through creating their very own "pop-up museum exhibit" titled Jewish People: Then and Now. Inspired by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks's observation that "to be a Jew is to know that the past is still alive in the present," students reflected on how the events and experiences of our ancestors continue to shape Jewish life today.

Throughout the year, fifth graders practiced perspective taking as they studied the lives, challenges, and choices of the figures in Sefer Shemot. For their final project, they selected a significant event from Sefer Shemot and paired it with a mitzvah, Jewish tradition, family custom, or ritual object that is meaningful in contemporary Jewish life. They created original dioramas, artifacts, and visual displays, accompanied by presentations explaining the historical significance of their chosen topic and its relevance today.

The seventh graders explored these same themes in Sefer Bamidbar: They analyzed events from the viewpoints of different biblical figures and used textual evidence to better understand their experiences, motivations, and challenges. Throughout many projects, they represented multiple perspectives through creative writing, dialogue, symbolism, and close analysis of the text. Building on these skills, the students created their "pop-up museum exhibit" full of handmade artifacts and advertisements, inspired by topics studied in Sefer Bamidbar. Students explored how objects, ideas, and experiences from the Torah might have been used in biblical times and reimagined them for modern-day use. Creative projects included Parah Adumah preparation kits designed to simplify preparation for the mitzvah; guides and toolkits for locating a Parah Adumah; an "Essential War Bundle" providing both ancient and modern supplies for Bnei Yisrael heading into battle; "CohenGPT," an app designed to help future Kohanim Gedolim learn from the wisdom of their predecessors; "Miriam's Cup" inspired by Miriam's Well and reimagined as a meaningful ritual or everyday cup; an "Afer Bowl" that transformed a vessel used in the Parah Adumah process into a modern kitchen item; and "Insta-Tears," a product inspired by the importance of properly mourning and honoring Miriam.

Their culminating assignments allowed students to reflect on an entire year of learning. Through their thoughtful projects, students combined close textual analysis with creativity, demonstrating their understanding of Torah narratives, Jewish values, history, identity, leadership, and communal responsibility. The students had fun and reflected deeply as they brought Torah to life and highlighted the powerful ways in which our past continues to live on in the present.