Parents/partners should be expected to work closely with their Tiger Cub partner, lending help and assisting in researching the answers, encouraging stick-to-it-iveness, reading pertinent materials aloud to the youngster, and testifying in writing to his having completed each of the assigned categories of requirements.
The counselor or guide must be a fairly knowledgeable individual. To be sure, a local rabbi, cantor, Jewish school principal, teacher, or youth worker would make a good counselor, but a learned lay person would also make a suitable choice. Another possibility is to establish a "buddy system," pairing up the candidate with an older, knowledgeable peer.
To the extent possible, in addition to familiarity with Judaica, the person selected should possess a deepseated commitment to Judaism and be capable of establishing an easy rapport with young people. The influence of the guide can impact the youngster's future relationships to synagogue life, Jewish community activity, and Jewish study.
Therefore, the aim of both parent/partner and counselor should be to foster a "fun" approach to the requirements, while seeing to it that every activity directly involving the Tiger Cub is intellectually and spiritually stimulating. In this connection, it should be remembered that some of the holidays afford natural opportunities to deal with clusters of requirements. Examples are: Judah Maccabee, dreidel, and menorah at Hanukkah time; Moses, matzah, afikoman, Herzl, Torah, mitzvah, Yom tov and Haggadah during the pre-Passover season. Shabbat as a subject enables one to encompass such items as shalom, Torah, mitzvah, siddur, tallit, rabbi, cantor, and Moses.
Where a community boasts more than one candidate for the Maccabee Award, it might be wise to plan for occasional get-togethers in one of the homes, at a conveniently located synagogue or school, or in a retreat or Shabbaton setting. When candidates are brought together to learn about, discuss, or perform Jewish customs, observances, symbols, festivals, etc., the leader must be mindful of possible diversity of Jewish belief and practice and treat each subject accordingly.
Crafts are not only enjoyable but help children internalize what they have learned. They also contribute to the development of motor skills. Moreover, the products can be presented as gifts or used as decorations at home or Scout meetings. Therefore, whenever possible, the suggested arts and crafts activities should be welcomed as a medium for meeting specific requirements.
Music can also provide additional reinforcement for the Tiger Cub and offer a pleasurable learning experience at the same time. Appropriate records, tapes, and sheet music can be utilized by consulting a Jewish bookstore or synagogue library Jewish school library, or a local cantor or educator.
