This lesson uses a custom comic and matching worksheet to bring the famous “five rabbis in Bnei Brak” story from the Haggadah to life for elementary students (ages 8–12).
Activity 1: Discussion and Comic Analysis
This lesson expands basic Passover teaching into a foundational Haggadah moment, emphasizing endless storytelling. Start by reading the comic together. Ask students: “How does your family tell the Exodus story at the Seder? What details (plagues, miracles) are missing here?” This sparks personal connections and reveals gaps like the students’ interruption or Ben Zoma’s teaching. Encourage sharing family traditions to build community.
Activity 2: Improv Reenactment
Have students reenact the scene for embodied learning. Assign each one Hebrew word from the worksheet that they must weave into the improv throughout. For advanced groups, give full sentences like “הַרַבָּנִים יוֹשְׁבִים יַחַד וּמְסַפְּרִים” (the rabbis sit together and tell). Sit in a circle like the rabbis, using props (scrolls, lanterns). Adjust for levels: beginners repeat the word; others improv dialogues. This reinforces vocab while mimicking the all‑night passion.
Activity 3: Student Comics
Extend creativity: Students create their own comic on another Haggadah part (e.g., Four Questions, Ten Plagues, Dayenu). Provide templates with Hebrew narration prompts in present tense. They draw visuals, add speech bubbles, and include vocab words. This ownership deepens Haggadah familiarity among students.
