What's so "great" about The Great Game of Kashrut?
1 It debunks Kashrut myths.
Many of the case studies tackle popular misconceptions. People may make decisions based on feelings, taking an unnecessarily stringent or unlawfully lenient approach as opposed to finding out the true halacha.
2 It engenders joy and confidence.
“There is no joy like the resolution of doubts.” When you succeed in grasping the concepts in this book, you’ll experience more joy in the kitchen, confidence in the supermarket and happiness dealing with questions that come up when eating out. You’ll have more peace of mind when traveling, too.
3 It leads to better Shalom Bayit.
Again, many of the case studies tackle popular misconceptions. People who make decisions based on feelings, who might err in taking an unnecessarily stringent or unlawfully lenient approach, will be helped by finding out the true halacha.
4 It’s for both “readers” and “scanners.”
The pictures, questions and answers are laid out for a fast review, with a great deal of rich halachic content for serious perusal.
5 It’s playful enough for children and lomdish (deeply academic) enough for adults.
Appropriate for ages 5+, The Great Game of Kashrut artfully straddles both worlds and brings out the child in all of us.
6 It promotes mindfulness, self control and spiritual health.
Understanding halacha and eating within the boundaries of kashrut puts our “nefesh Elokit (Godly soul)” in charge of our “nefesh behamit (animal soul).”
7 It helps us become aligned with Hashem’s plan.
In order to achieve our unique Jewish mission, we were given a special diet. By keeping kosher, we purify our soul and keep away from foods which are spiritually damaging.
8 It teaches how to ask the correct shailah to your Rav.
Once you learn to ask: “What’s the case?” combined with the knowledge from this book, you’ll know how to clearly formulate your question to your halachic authority.
9 It makes you smarter!
Sharpen your learning skills and ability to problem-solve. This will help you in all your Torah studies. Including Talmud.
10 It allows you to Learn, Do & Share.
This program will empower you to learn the rich content on your own, put il into practice in your kitchen and then share it with others.
This program can be learned at several levels. It works for:
Children
…because the pictures are fun, colorful and engaging.
Students
…because it’s fast and furious curious. The presentation challenges the students to explore Kashrut in an all-new way. Since it’s both visual and text-based, students can access a heretofore closed yet rich body of Jewish thought. And, since it’s fun, they want to learn more.
Teenagers
..because some of the cases are challenges and somewhat irreverent. It engages them in a way that nothing else can.
Parents
…because it provides a bridge between parents, children and guests.
Teachers and Rabbis
…because students now have a very short span of attention (approximately 8 seconds). This book is fast, fun and made for today’s students. You can add it into your classroom WITHOUT interrupting your curriculum. It’s easy to review a case in 5-15 minutes. Additionally, you can access all the special classroom tools and materials to empower your students to not only play the game and learn about kashrut but also become teachers in their own homes with their families. This builds self-confidence and generates a love of Torah learning.
Rabbinical students — and serious scholars
The project was born out of the semicha program. Many talmidei chachamim have praised the book because it provides a visual aid to the cases. It also provides the actual mekorot in the Shulchan Aruch as well as a comprehensive glossary for the key concepts in Kashrut.
Shabbat
If you are at a shabbat table and want to engage your family and guests you have a big challenge. How can you find a topic that is both visually engaging, fast and can address all the different levels at your table? This does it. Due to its unique format, you can present a full-size image of the case for everyone to see. Then you can describe the case out loud. Finally, you can ask the table to “vote” if it’s kosher or not and why. The “Memory Hook” is a rhyme that makes everyone laugh while driving the insights home.
Learning with your children or family.
Children love to cuddle up with parents and peruse the pages. This is where memories are made. Instead of the standard black-and-white halacha books, this book is made to create a connection.
- For very young children there is a “Super Slueth” page. This page challenges them to find the image on the book’s page and get a prize.
Warning
Children tend to get so engrossed in the book that they may hide it in their room.
…oy, we should have such problems ; -)
Simplifies and Codifies
There are thousands of halachot in Kashrut. This simplifies the key concepts and makes them accessible.
It’s an educational revolution
This case-based, interactive learning approach is the wave of the future.
Gamification
Engages the heart and the mind. One without the other falls flat.
