Torah Scroll Felt Storyboard

Interactive Torah Felt Board

A hands-on opportunity for exploring Torah with kiddos!

As a songleader, I use interactive props like the Torah felt board in my home, my classroom, and even in the sanctuary when working with young children. This engaging hands-on experience is perfect for sparking curiosity and reinforcing a positive connection with our Jewish traditions. It offers an immersive learning experience that captivates children and supports multi-modal engagement, increasing the ways that participants can immerse themselves in the musical experience. My own children recreate the stories with the materials independently!

Materials

2 rolling pins
1 white felt piece for the scroll
1 colored felt piece for the cover
Pipe cleaners with beads and bells for the rimonim*
Hot glue gun
Wooden bookshelf, foam block, or strips of Velcro for display

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Directions:

Make sure you have a clean and clear workspace to create your Torah felt board.
Begin by cutting the white felt piece to the size of your rolling pins, a length that will have at least 10 inches of fabric in between when unrolled, ensuring there is enough surface to affix the felt puppets .
Using a hot glue gun, affix the white felt piece to each rolling pin so that they can roll towards each other.
Decorate the felt cover with your desired colors and patterns to give the Torah a personal touch.
Create the rimonim* by attaching beads and bells to the pipe cleaners and attaching them to the rolling pins.

Choose a display option that works for your space, either by propping it up on a wooden bookshelf or using a foam block or strips of Velcro to attach it to the wall.

*Rimonim are decorations shaped like bells or pomegranates that are traditionally placed on the handles of the Torah scroll

Songs I share with young children using this felt approach:

Jeff Klepper and Jeff Salkin’s ‘Jonah and The Whale’ with a Jonah and The Whale puppet set
Lisa Baydush’s ‘Six Days to Make The World’ with a Creation story set
“Rise and Shine” with a Noah’s Ark set

This interactive approach allows children to learn Judaism through music, song, and meaningful play, inviting them to engage with our sacred stories.