During the Friday Shabbat Blessings at Greene Family Camp, our counselors spread bunk tallitot over their campers and bless them with the Priestly Benediction. Over the summer, bunks create bunk tallitot at the beginning of the session. By creating their personalized bunk tallitot, our bunks are also creating a sacred space that covers and protects their bunk community. Our bunk tallitot are sacred because our bunks make them sacred. At the end of the summer, each camper takes a piece of the tallit with them to hold onto that sacred community and keep it with them throughout the year.
As a family, YOU can create a sacred family tallit to bless your campers during our Friday Shabbat experiences. Campers can also create a virtual tallit to be used as a zoom background as seen with the Cornerstone Tallits below!
Gather your supplies
- Rectangle Fabric (size of your Tallit)
- Fabric Markers/Fabric Paint
- Yarn
- Scissors
Plan out your design
As you design your family Tallit, think about:
- What makes the Shabbat experience special for your family?
- Are there symbols that represent your family? Are there any Shabbat symbols that your family likes?
- What does your family want to get out of Shabbat?
Decorate your fabric
Using your fabric and art supplies, decorate your family tallit. Cut a hole on each corner of your fabric that your Tzitzit can be attached to!
Blessings!
Before you begin tying your Tzitzit, recite this blessing:
בָּרוּך אַתָּה ה’ אֱ-להֵינוּ מֶלֶך הָעוֹלָם אַשֶׁר קִדְשָנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָנוּ עַל מִצְוַת צִיצִת
Baruch ata Ado-nai Elo-hai-nu Melech ha’olam asher kid-sha-nu b’mitz-vo-tav v’tzi-vanu al mitzvat tzitzit.
Blessed are you, Adonai our G‑d, Ruler of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the mitzvah of tzitzit.
Tie Tzitzit
Tzitzit are knotted fringes on the corners of the tallit that makes the tallit holy! These fringes are a constant reminder to Jews to follow the commandments in the Torah. Tzitzit are attached to each corner of your tallit. Each tallit will have 613 knots to symbolize the 613 mitzvot.
Directions to tie Tzitzit[1]
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Each tzitzit has four strings–three of the same length and a fourth longer one called ashamash. The shamash is used to wrap around all the other strings.
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Place four strings (three short and one long) through the hole. Even the ends so that you have seven that are the same length, and one longer.
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Tie a double knot using four strings on each side.
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Take the shamash and wrap it 7 times around the other 7 strings.
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Tie a double knot.
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Take the shamash and wrap it 8 times.
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Tie a double knot.
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Take the shamash and wrap it 11 times.
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Tie a double knot.
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Finally, take the shamash and wrap it 13 times.
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Tie a final double knot.
[1] https://advahdesigns.com/pages/how-to-tie-tzitzit