In Parshat Toldot, we meet Isaac and Rebecca’s sons, Esau and Jacob. Although they are twin brothers, they are very different both internally and externally. According to Genesis 25:27, “Esau was a man who understood hunting, a man of the field, whereas Jacob was an pure man, dwelling in tents.”

It is fun to make puppets of these two colorful characters. Kids will love using their puppets to act out the famous scenes in this week’s parsha (Esau: “I want some of your stew!” Jacob: “Only if you sell me your birthright!”) Have the kids think about what Esau and Jacob may have looked like physically. Although we do not have a physical description of Jacob, we are told that at birth, Esau was reddish and as hairy as a fur coat!

Materials:
One Styrofoam ball
Four craft sticks
Paint
Yarn
Felt or scrap material
Googly eyes
Glue


Instructions:
1) Cut Styrofoam ball in half. Paint it skin color and let dry.
2) Glue Styrofoam ball onto craft stick (attach two craft sticks to each other for a longer body).
3) Glue on googly eyes.
4) Glue on yarn for beard and hair.
5) Glue on material for head-dresses and robes.
6) If you want, give Esau a bow and arrow and Jacob a scroll, a walking stick, or a pot of soup!
Variations: Easy puppets can also be made using paper plates or wooden spoons