[HANASHIR:16331] Re: dinosaur song

[bcohen507560 <bcohen507560...>]

Carol,
I totally agree with you.  I teach very young children as well as older
children.  I believe that we need to do "shtick", puppets and props to show
the children what a privilege and a joy it is to be Jewish. As the children
get older they learn more prayer melodies and holiday songs that we would
consider more "main steam".  And when the older kids ask for the props ,
puppets and "shtick", I will do it for them on a request day.  After all,
they are children too!

Marilyn Cohen
Music Specialist


----- Original Message -----
From: "Carol Boyd Leon" <cbleon (at) hotmail(dot)com>
To: <hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org>
Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2003 10:31 PM
Subject: [HANASHIR:16330] Re: dinosaur song


> At the risk of presenting another point of view...
>
> I believe The Dinosaur Song, as adapted to be a Shabbat song, is just as
> "legitimate" and worthy of being sung by our tiniest tots as are the many
> "classics" I teach them as well -- such songs as Mah Yafeh Hayom, Bim Bam,
> V'haeir Eneinu, etc.
>
> The excitement surrounding Shabbat is there whether we're singing in
English
> or in Hebrew, whether I use a dinosaur prop (who said anything about
Barney?
>   I use a little green dinosaur) or a golden plastic crown (for Shabbat
> HaMalkah) or a Moses puppet.  They are as excited to hold a real kiddush
cup
> as they are to hold the toy challah I use during "Shalom Shabbat Shalom"
and
> love to march with huggable plush Torahs even as they understand I only
read
> out of the "real" one.
>
> And I firmly believe they are gaining an "accurate" understanding of
Shabbat
> despite -- or perhaps, because of -- the age-appropriate songs and props I
> use.  To me, it's not at all a commercialization of the celebration.  The
> dinosaur is "selling" nothing except perhaps his love for the holiday.
>
> Believe me, the kids I sing The Dinosaur Song with during the oneg Shabbat
> that follows Tot Shabbat -- and they range in age from 2 to 3rd grade,
plus
> their parents -- are well aware there's no dinosaur that comes knocking at
> my door or anybody else's.  But the idea that Shabbat is so wonderful that
> even a dinosaur would want to celebrate the holiday is the lesson that
> sticks with them.
>
> I wouldn't expect a preschooler to leave a Shabbat adult service feeling
> especially inspired about Shabbat.  Hopefully, that'll come in time when
he
> or she is closer to adult age.  A children's service and children's songs
> are just that -- designed to be understood and appreciated by children.
And
> I, for one, appreciate the assistance I get from my little green dinosaur.
> :-)
>
>
> Carol Boyd Leon
> Songwriter/Cantorial Soloist/Music Educator
> E-mail:  CBLeon (at) hotmail(dot)com
> Phone:  703-250-0554
> Web page:  http://www.geocities.com/CBoydLeon
>
>
> ----Original Message Follows----
>
> >>With advanced apologies to the author of this song... I'm wondering
about
> >>the desperate measures some of us are taking in trying to get our kids
to
> >>be excited about Judaism.  A DINOSAUR to "sell" kids on Shabbat....?
>
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>

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