This week we will celebrate Israel’s 73rd birthday!
This special day is called Yom Ha’Atzmaut.
One of the special foods that people eat in Israel is Israeli salad. I know we eat salad here too, but in Israel, they make it a special way. They chop up the vegetables into tiny cubes and dress them very simply with olive oil, lemon juice and salt. It is healthy and delicious!
Here is the vocabulary for the salad in Hebrew:
Now that you know the words, we can sing one of my favourite songs together.
These are the actions:
- Make the rhythm on your lap, clap twice for “salat”
- Pretend to chop using one hand as the cutting board and the other as a knife “nachtoch ha yirakot”
- Wave your right hand inward “agvaniah” left hand “melafefone.
- Put both hands together at the elbows, joining fingertips to make a heart for “chasa”.
- Make a circle shape with your two fingers “ve’ gam tzon”
- Stick arms out in front then rub your fists on your eyes like you are crying “bazal…wahhh”
- Repeat rhythm and clapping
- Pretend to pour oil from your thumb “nosif shemen”
- Turn both hands like you are squeezing lemon halves “limon”
- Use pointer fingers to show salt falling “me’at melach”
- Clap “salat tayim, salat bari” put hands out as an offering “ze tov” thumbs to chest “labriut she’li”
Here are my boys (much younger in Israel) demonstrating and teaching me!
I hope you love this song as much as I do!
Morah Shira
HAPPY BIRTHDAY 
