I teach a children's class, made up of children ages 6-11 at our local Noahide study center each Shabbat. I take only one or two ideas from the Parsha each week to teach.
We started this weeks class by reviewing the Seven Mitzvot for Noahides and the Ten Commandments for Jews. I wanted to do this to remind them that G-d gave the Jews additional instructions and instructed them to teach His "rules" to all the nations of the world. I also wanted to remind them that idolatry - whether by Jews or Noahides - is non pleasing to Him.
After our review, we then began discussing what holidays, celebrations, and holy days are. Each child contributed to the discussion. None had heard of most of the holy days as described in Torah. Some had heard of Hanukkah and Passover. All of them had heard of the holidays of Christianity.
I gave each child a coloring book and a worksheet to write down the names of the holy days and holidays that are ok for Noahides to celebrate.
We talked about how it makes G-d happy when people obey His mitzvot and live according to Torah. We also talked about how not doing things the Torah tells us to do makes G-d unhappy.
We discussed how some people think it is ok to make up religious holidays or celebrations even though they are not mentioned in Torah. I was sure to mention that they are not bad people, but that they just have not learned about Torah yet.
Our discussion about celebrating holidays that are not mentioned in Torah led to the opportunity to talk about Hanukkah and Purim. Then American holidays, our birthdays, etc.
We talked about how some holidays make people happy but make G-d unhappy.
By the time class was over we had discussed how just because other people are doing something fun does not make it ok to do if it goes against what the Torah teaches us. We also talked about how it is not always easy - especially when our family and/or friends are doing those things.
I hope that when the "other" holidays roll around each year these children will have the strength with G-d's help, to forego participating.
I also hope that, as they mature each year, they will look forward to celebrating all of the holy days that G-d told Moses to teach to His people, Israel.
May we all - Jew and Noahide - do the best we can to learn and obey G-d's instructions to the world.
I put the commandments on the wall so we could refer to how each holiday falls in line with, or goes against G-d's Torah. (Example: Father's Day and Mother's Day, which are not mentioned in Torah. We talked about how we don't worship our parents, but we love them and want to make them feel special - which means to show them honor. One of the commandments G-d gave to the Jews was to honor their parents. So, because G-d gave that commandment, it is an acceptable thing to celebrate these non-religious holidays.)
As we discussed each holiday I put a picture of a child, along with the name of each Torah holiday on the side of Holiness. I only put a smile face with the name of acceptable celebrations on the same side so the children could easily see which ones are ok to participate in.
On the opposite side of the display I put a picture of a frown face and the word Idolatry. I then put smile faces with the name of holidays that make people happy, but make G-d unhappy underneath. This made it clear to the children that to participate in these holidays and celebrations might be fun, but that it is not what G-d wants us to do.
