Stories in Motion engages participants with epic pieces of Israel’s history through creative movement and physical expression. As participants bring to life the story of the return to the Western Wall through movement, the eye-witness testimonies leave the page and find resonance in the hearts and minds of the participants.
"Guess Who is Coming to Camp" allows campers to learn about specific Israeli figures by having them "visit" camp one day each week. Counselors can choose between political and historical leaders, artists, sports stars, and other important figures.
It's a talent show! It's a beauty pageant! It's Mr. and Mrs. Israel, where camper teams representing places in Israel compete for recognition and bragging rights. With costumes, songs, cheers, and the like, campers won't even realize how much they are learning in the process.
This is ideally a multi-period activity, with campers preparing earlier in the day for the evening competition. However, the entire program could be as big or small as you'd like.
Help your campers discover the land of Israel -- at least the edible version! After a brief orientation about the geography and topography of the country, campers will create their own maps of Israel out of ice cream and candy (or veggies or cake or you name it!). The maps will be photographed with their creators, and then everyone will eat their creations.
Using the NU Campaign t-shirts, campers will learn the stories of some of Israel's greatest heroes, including David Ben-Gurion, Hannah Senesh, and Golda Meir. They will have an opportunity to reflect on the importance of these well-known stories and on how these stories intersect with their own personal stories. And finally, take out the markers and bubble paint because it's time for them to create their own t-shirts!
Using the art and methods of Israeli popular artist Hanoch Piven, these activities encourage campers to explore Israel's history, their own surroundings and identity, and individuals' connections to Israel.
This activity consists of several modules which can be used on a mix-and-match basis. Elements can be used as quick conversation-starters or in-between activities; alternately, several components can fill an hour, half a day, or a week of activity blocks.
Campers use Israel's Declaration of Independence as a jumping off point for discussing the kinds of values that they want in their communities, including their cabins, tents, and units.
Through the NU Campaign t-shirts, campers will learn about the important work of several Israeli social action organizations. By exploring the stories of Israeli non-profits, such as Leket Israel, Save a Child's Heart, and Jewish Hearts for Africa, campers will reflect on Israel's impact throughout the world and personally connect with some of Israel's causes.
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Israel going to the moon? Between Israel's desire to land the smallest rocket on the moon and the story of famous Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, campers have the opportunity to explore the elements that make up their Jewish identity in the context of exploration and pioneering. This is a great program whether you have a rocketry program or not.