[HANASHIR:8671] Re: A dilemma teaching Chad Gadya

[NeilNFW <NeilNFW...>]

Linda,

I had a similar experience teaching "Wicked Wicked Man" a couple of Purims ago. 
 With school shootings in the news, I decided to modify the line "If guns were 
but invented now/This Haman I would shoot, sir" to a more friendly (and 
humorous) "If he were standing next to me/I would give him the boot, sir."

People noticed immediately and a debate began.  Messing with tradition and all 
that.  Finally, after talking with the Rabbi and Cantor, we felt that the 
change should stand.  Anything dealing with guns, we felt, should not be a part 
of our curriculum.

However, Chad Gadya to me, is cartoon violence (with the probable exception of 
the Angel of Death).  It is light-hearted zoo material.  And, in nature, dogs 
battle cats, fire burns sticks, etc.

I guess the bottom line here for me is to do what feels proper, subject to your 
curriculum core.  I would have been furious with the teacher who brought up her 
objection during class, and would have told her so.  The issue of her not being 
Jewish is another question.  When my wife taught JCC preschool, she was paired 
with a non-Jewish teacher.  On nearly every issue regarding Jewish ritual, the 
non-Jewish teacher deferred to my wife because, frankly, she lacked the 
background to question it.

Would this teacher object to the teaching of the ten plagues?  Now THERE's some 
violence.

Wishing all a festive Pesach,

Neil Weinstein
Bellevue, WA

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