Exploring Ancient Feasts Through Modern Creativity:
7th Grade Bible Students Bring Jewish Holidays to Life

This fall, our 7th grade Bible students took a deep dive into the rich history and biblical meaning of the Jewish feasts. Rather than simply reading about these holidays, students became researchers, storytellers, chefs, filmmakers, and teachers—using creative video projects to demonstrate what they learned and to help their classmates understand the significance behind each feast.

Working in small groups of three or four, students were each assigned a Jewish feast or holiday to research. Their task: uncover the what, when, where, and why behind their celebration; highlight key Bible verses; explain sacrifices or offerings involved; and explore the symbolism and purpose behind each feast. From there, they were challenged to present their findings through an engaging, student-designed video.

To enhance the experience, Middle School Bible teacher Jon Kok served students hot lamb and other themed foods while they watched each video—giving them a multisensory taste of a traditional Jewish-style meal. Students enjoyed dishes such as lamb, unleavened bread, honey, grape juice, fresh fruit, and soup, making the historical content feel tangible and memorable.

Each project was graded on several criteria, including biblical references, origin and meaning of the feast, symbolism, and effective use of video to teach what they learned. What resulted was a lineup of creative, funny, insightful, and highly informative presentations.

A Look at the Video Projects

Feast of Unleavened Bread
This group explained what foods were permitted and forbidden during the Feast of Unleavened Bread—and why. They highlighted what unleavened bread represents in Scripture and noted the limited-work requirement on days one and seven of the feast. Their video broke down the symbolism in a way that made ancient traditions easy to grasp.

Firstfruits
One group impressed everyone by demonstrating exactly how to make grape juice from scratch. Their video included step-by-step instructions using fresh grapes and showed how to cook them down into juice. They paired their culinary demonstration with biblical teaching on the roles of the temple priests and the people during the Feast of Firstfruits.

Passover
A student-created “Bible Bake Off” stole the show with a playful twist on Passover. Two chefs competed to create a meaningful Passover dish—one crafting matzoh ball soup and the other preparing Passover lamb with bitter herbs. The hosts interviewed the chefs, asking what the meal meant to them, before concluding the show with a thoughtful explanation of the significance of Passover.

Day of Atonement
This group produced a humorous and relatable video from the perspective of a Jewish chef battling hunger while fasting in preparation for the Day of Atonement. Viewers watched the chef dream about bread and honey as he waited for the fast to end—while learning the deep meaning of this solemn feast.

Why This Project Matters: The Power of Project-Based Learning

This multi-week assignment is more than a creative break from routine—it represents the heart of strong project-based learning. Middle school students learn best when they can actively explore meaningful questions, make decisions, create things themselves, and teach others. Here’s why assignments like this are so valuable:

  • Deep Understanding Through Research: Students go beyond surface-level facts, learning to investigate Scripture, evaluate sources, and understand historical and cultural context.
  • Ownership of Learning: By choosing how to present their feast, students have the freedom to be creative—building confidence in their voice and ideas.
  • Collaboration & Communication: Working in teams of 3–4 helps students practice collaboration, time management, and problem-solving.
  • Creative Expression: Video production taps into skills like planning, scripting, filming, editing, and storytelling—skills that are relevant far beyond the Bible classroom.
  • Teaching Others: When students explain what they’ve learned, true mastery happens. Presenting the feasts to classmates helps solidify their understanding.
  • Experiential Learning: Tasting the foods connected to each feast brings abstract concepts to life and helps students imagine what worship looked like for God’s people thousands of years ago.

At ECS, these experiences align with our goal of helping students grow not only in biblical knowledge but also in wisdom, creativity, communication, and community. Projects like this give students the chance to connect Scripture with real history, teamwork, and meaningful reflection—all while having fun.
We’re incredibly proud of our 7th graders for the thoughtfulness, creativity, and excellence displayed in their Feast Videos. Their work reminds us that when students engage deeply, learn collaboratively, and create boldly, remarkable things happen in the classroom.