An exciting educational activity centered around the holiday of Shavuot was held this week for Youth Futures kids in Dimona.

The children enjoyed a large variety of educational activities and learned about the meaning of the First Fruits and the character of the holiday.

A Shavuot activity organized by the Jewish Agency was held at the Agricultural Farm in Dimona.

The activity was run jointly by the Dimona Trustees, the counselors of the Agricultural Farm and representatives of the Keren Kayemet for Israel.

The kids of Youth Futures participated in a number of activities related to Shavuot: an explanation and demonstration of the harvesting process using sickles, making sheaves and an explanation about the wheat plant.

The activities also included the removal of the grain by beating the stalks on the ground, separating the wheat from the chaff and placing them in a mortar and pestle.

The activity continued with the grinding of the grain, sifting of the flour, preparation of the dough, kneading with water and salt and baking the dough in a saj oven.

There was also singing and dancing and joyous celebration.

An explanation was given of the character of Shavuot, the Festival when the first fruits would be brought to the Temple.

These would consist of the Seven Species with which the Land of Israel is blessed: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates.

The activity also taught the kids about working as a team, personal responsibility and development of individual capabilities.

At the end of the activity, each kid was given a present from the Agricultural Farm - a jar of honey for a sweet and enjoyable Festival of the First Fruits.