‘Sunday School in a Box’
San Francisco’s amusingly named Jewish weekly, J., has an amusing story about a new Jewish quiz game that you can play at home called “Given.” It begins as follows:
The Newtons had a Shabbat routine. Every Saturday, Erik quizzed his two sons about Jewish ideas, customs and prayers.
“It made us feel more Jewish,” said Kaz Newton, 11.
That comforted Dad. But still he worried. He is a Jewish American, born and raised in the South Bay. His wife, Renna, is Japanese. He wants his sons to feel all the elements of their three-pronged heritage.
His sons’ Jewish identity made him the most anxious. Eventually, the Shabbat-style quiz show turned into a broad conversation about slowing the rapid rate of Jewish assimilation.
From there, the brainstorming father and sons came up with a board game that would “keep Jews Jewish.”
Two years later, they made the game. Given now sells for $29.99.
“It’s like Sunday school in a box,” said Riki Newton, 14.
Cute, right?
The game’s name has to do with its focus on the virtue of tzedakah, which you’ll learn more about if you read the full story.
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