What is Tashlich?

On Monday, the Kohavim children read the story, Tashlich at Turtle Rock by Susan Schur. In the story, a child leads her family on a hike through the woods in order to perform taslich, the ritual of throwing crumbs into flowing water which represents casting aways mistakes from the past year. As the family walks they remember good things, discard some mistakes, and make a promise for the coming year.
              
Make your own slide show at Animoto.


On Tuesday, we decided to have our own tashlich ceremony by going out into the "woods" outside our classroom. First, we each looked for a stone and thought of something we wanted to remember from the past year. We painted the rocks to represent are memories:
    Lily: I went to my dance recital even though I was scared.
    Rachel: I learned how to ride my bike with only one wheel in front and one in back.
    Dylan: One time my mom hugged me because I did something right.
    Max Goldberg: I wanted daddy to give me tuck, tuck and he did.
    Eliza: When my brother put a helmet on me.
    Ezra: When my brother gave me a starship.
    Ryan: I found the biggest slug in the world.
    Molly: I remember making cards for Lauri
    Eli: Lauri wasn't feeling well. I am going to make a card.
    Zack: Mommy helped tie my shoes.
    Max Greenstein: I asked daddy if I can ride my bike and my brother put a helmet on me.
    Noah: That I got a new bike and learned how to ride it.
    Hannah: When my sister was sad I helped her by being funny.
    Jacob: I went to the party store.
    Brett: When I went with my family to get pumpkins.

Next, we worked together to build a stream! Some children dug the channel where we would pour the water, while others collected large stones to line the edges of our stream. Once the stream was constructed, some children add branches to be bridges and we poured the water! We each tossed a piece of bread into the water and washed away our mistakes. We then talked about what we were hoping for in the upcoming year.

What do you want to remember from the past year? What would you "toss away" in a taslich ceremony?