Time Table:            

• 00:00 – 00:05         Group Introduction
• 00:05 – 00:20         Parties read and discuss their profiles, and discuss their positions on the main issues.
• 00:20 - 00:40          Parties negotiate and try to form coalitions.
• 00:40 - 01:00          Final presentations are read and the Knesset votes.
• 01:00 - 01:15          Return to large group, wrap-up.

Set Up

If possible, tables will have assigned seats with designated name cards for each political party. Participants will be instructed to sit in their assigned seats. The tables will already have materials spread out, such as pens and background information on the party’s stances.

Pull 10 teen leaders together in advance. Brief them on the program as a whole and assign each to be the leader for one of the parties. Give them their party’s information. Give them an opportunity to do additional research if possible. Answer any questions they may have. When you begin the program, remind them to sit at their assigned party. They’ll lead the first bit of the program, in small groups.

Each party leader should get enough copies of the following for each of the participants in their group:

• the two page brief explanation of all the political parties
• the in-depth explanation of their party

Detailed Procedure

Introduction: 0:00-0:05

• Group facilitator welcomes everyone and gives a brief overview of the program.

PART 1: 0:05 – 0:20  Intro (each group is led by the party leader)

The party leaders (teen leaders you pulled in advance) should:

• Walk their group through an overview of their party’s platform.
• Review the four bills that will be up for a vote. Each party should determine how they will vote on each bill. Remember that parties must vote as a block – the number of votes (seats) each party has is listed on the overview sheet.
• Each party will have an opportunity to publicly support or oppose one bill in front of the full Knesset. Your presentation can be verbal, through posters, a rallying cry, a letter, etc… You’ll have two minutes to present.
• Plan your negotiations! For a bill to pass, it needs 61 votes. Who can you get to vote with you? What can you offer in order to get them on your side?

PART 2: 00:20 – 00:40  Negotiate

• This is the fun part. Four bills are up for debate and each party will have the opportunity to vote on each bill. A majority (61) of votes is needed to pass a bill.
• As soon as the bill is handed out, the politicking begins. Your party should devise a strategy of how to get your bill passed—who to bargain with and who to fight with. As ambassadors for your party, work with the other parties to negotiate passing bills.
• For example, Shas might decide that they can strike a deal with Likud. They send an ambassador to Likud with the bargaining chip that Shas will vote for Likud's bill if Likud votes for Shas' bill. Another example is: Meretz might send an ambassador to UTJ saying that, if UTJ votes against Yesh Atid's bill, then Meretz will vote for UTJ's bill. 

PART 3: (0:40-1:00) The Knesset Meeting

• When we call for the Knesset meeting, all bargaining will cease and parties will sit together in the main room for final voting. 
• Each party may choose one bill to present an argument for or against. You will have up to 2 minutes to make an argument.
• Each party will be called out, and you will announce how you are voting (For or Against) concerning the bill at hand. Each party must vote as a bloc. After the vote, you'll have the chance to inform the group if there were any deals brokered that influenced your vote.
• Feel free to break secret deals to advance your own party's interests. This is meant to be a realistic simulation of what really happens in the Knesset!

PART 4: 01:00 – 01:15  Wrap-up

• Program leader facilitates wrap-up discussion. Ask campers what they learned from the experience, challenge them to describe the process as well as the positions of different parties in the Knesset.