Sep 25

Sep 25 DIY: Shabbat candle lighting set

Families welcome Shabbat with a “kid-friendly” Shabbat candle lighting set

As we start a new Jewish year, I think it’s a wonderful time to think about creating Jewish traditions in the new year ahead!

For many families, Shabbat is their favorite day of the week. One lovely custom on Friday night is to light candles with our children. Shabbat actually begins with lighting two candles. It’s such an important ritual that there is even a a distinct “Shabbat candle lighting time” - 18 minutes before sunset.

It’s special when children are able to experience the lighting of Shabbat candles by themselves! To “light” them safely, we created an imaginative DIY Shabbat Candle Lighting Set, especially for little ones! Here’s what you’ll need to create your own:

Kid-Friendly Shabbat Candle Lighting Set

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own:

Small plastic lid
Piece of watercolor paper
Coffee stirrer
Yellow felt
Black paper
Scissors
Glue
Watercolor paints
2 tea candles

Here’s how to make it:

1. Start with your 2 tea candles and plastic lid and set them aside.

2. Cut a piece of watercolor paper to fit snugly on your plastic lid, and then paint it with the watercolors. Creating and using a beautiful ritual object is the Jewish value Hiddur Mitzvah.

3. Take your yellow felt and cut three flames. Glue one flame to the coffee stirrer to create a match. Set the other two flames aside.

4. Take the black paper and cut a small strip of match strike paper and set it aside too.

5. Now it’s time to assemble your candle lighting set.

6. To “light” your candles, have your child run their “match” over the black strike paper. This will create a little flame. Touch the match to one tea candle, and place a flame on top. Touch the second tea candle with the match and place the second flame on the second candle.

7. Say the blessing. In Judaism, there are blessings you can say for almost every moment: when you tasting sweet challah, for smelling fragerant spices at the end of Shabbat and for lighting Shabbat candles.

Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu Melekh ha‑olam,

asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Shabbat.