The Goodman Initiative - Supplied Material (by Goodman Initiative)

Yom Kippur War Hero

Carl Schrag — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:40:40 +0000

This cabin-time activity offers an opportunity for campers, counselors, and Israeli staff to bond as they consider the very real challenges of war, and consider the ultimate sacrifices that people sometimes are called upon to make.

Curriculum Themes:

A People’s Hope

Materials Required:

Supplied Material (by Goodman Initiative)

Program Duration:

30 minutes

Physical Space:

Indoor Space

Number of Campers:

A Bunk/Cabin/Chug (10-20 campers)

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

The Yom Kippur War shook the very foundations of Israel's sense of security

"War stories" happen to ordinary people who step up to meet extraordinary challenges

Explanation:

Step 1: Introduction

The facilitator begins by asking the campers to share what they think of when they think of the IDF. (Hopefully, answers will tend toward "strong" and other similar terms).

The IDF is all of those things, but it's also a Jewish army. What does that mean? Well, for one thing it means that the commanders try to send soldiers home for important Jewish holidays -- especially for Yom Kippur. Of course, if they think there's a danger they won't let them go on leave, but whenever possible they try to send soldiers home for the holidays.

Step 2: What Makes a Hero?

Next, ask the group what they think of when they think of the word "hero." (Hopefully, some answers will relate to military heroism and Israel).

There are all kinds of heroes, but the most remarkable heroes don't wake up in the morning determined to be a hero. They are normal people in abnormal situations -- and they respond in heroic ways. Some people use the word "hero" very freely, but today we are going to see the story of one man who earned that title on the battlefield.
Back in 1973, the commanders thought things were under control, so they sent most of the soldiers home for Yom Kippur. But the Egyptians and the Syrians (you can show the countries on a map) had teamed up to try to destroy Israel by surprising it on Yom Kippur. They knew that most Israeli soldiers would be at home or in synagogue, so they planned a surprise attack.
An Israeli tank commander named Avigdor Kahalani, who wasn't much older than me, was in charge of the tanks on the Golan Heights -- Israel's border with Syria. He was probably upset that he didn't get to go home, just like the rest of the soldiers who were stuck up there.

Engage the group in a discussion that addresses their questions and also creates a list of what makes a hero. An Israeli staff member can add a few thoughts about heroes he has known.

Step 3: Wrap-up

At the end of the discussion, the facilitator can judge if his campers are primed for a final discussion. If so, ask:

What is bravery?

Discussion may include:

What kind of actions define bravery?
What convinces someone to do something extraordinary?
Have you ever done something brave?

Variations:

As noted, this activity can take place during the day or before bedtime. If during the day, find a quiet place where campers will be able to see the screen and hear the narrative. The cabin may be the ideal location regardless of the time of day.

If the activity seems like too much for one sitting, or if you want to go into depth and encourage the campers to discuss the issues they encounter in depth, split it into two activities, to be completed on successive days.

Background Cards:

Curricular Subjects:

If Today Is Monday, We Must Be In...

Natalie Blitt — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:16:43 +0000

"If Today is Monday, We Must Be in..." allows campers to learn about specific places in Israel by "visiting" a different place one day each week.

Curriculum Themes:

A Land & Its People

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

15 Minutes

Number of Campers:

Large Group (75+ campers)

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

Israel is a small but very diverse country, as seen by the differences between each of the cities and locations campers will "visit"

Note: Depending on the location of the week, the core learnings may differ and address one or more of the essential questions below

Explanation:

"If Today is Monday, We Must Be In..." is not a stand alone program, rather it is a way to turn one day a week into Israeli geography day.
Geographic highlights of Israel may include:

Cities:

Jerusalem
Tel Aviv
Haifa
Eliat
Be'er Sheva
Sderot
Degania

Sites:

The Negev
The Dead Sea
The Golan Heights

Choose one day a week that will be the Israeli Geography Day. On that day, include the following elements:

A one page sheet that includes a picture of the city and fun facts can be posted around camp, in the bunks, etc.
Two to three counselors will respresent the Israeli place. They will have costumes that identify them as the place (i.e. a special hat or sign). The counselors will have a few stories they can tell and a bunch of quiz questions. Campers can approach these counselors during the day to ask them about their city or ask them for quiz questions. If the campers successfully answer the quiz questions, they get special "shekel" tokens.
Schlichim or counselors who have visited the locations can add their own personalized fun facts -- either during announcements, at meals, or at other moments.
At the end of the day, the camper who has the most shekel tokens wins a prize!

Background Cards:

Supporting Materials:

Curricular Subjects:

Guess Who Is Coming to Camp?

Natalie Blitt — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:48:37 +0000

"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.

Curriculum Themes:

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

15 Minutes

Number of Campers:

Large Group (75+ campers)

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

Many people throughout Israel's history contributed to making it a home for the Jewish people today

Each of these Israeli figures played a very different role in Israel's history that continues to impact the country today

Explanation:

Guess Who is Coming to Camp is not a stand alone program, rather it is a way to turn one day a week into Israeli personality day at camp. Israeli visitors can include:

Historical figures:

Theodor Herzl
Ze'ev Jabotinsky
Josef Trumpledor

Political/Military figures:

David Ben Gurion
Moshe Dayan
Golda Meir
Yoni Netanyahu
Yitzhak Rabin
Gilad Shalit

Artists:

Naomi Shemer

Sports Stars:

Omri Casspi
Tal Brody

You should choose one day a week that will always be the visiting Israeli Day. On that day, include the following elements into the day:

A one page sheet that includes a picture of the person and fun facts can be posted around camp, in the bunks, etc.
Several counselors around camp will play the role of the famous Israeli.
Counselors should get really into the character and wear costumes (i.e. an eye-patch for Moshe Dayan or a large beard for Herzl).
Counselors will have a few stories they can tell and a bunch of quiz questions. Campers can approach these counselors during the day to ask them about their life or ask them for quiz questions. If the campers successfully answer the quiz questions, they get special "shekel" tokens.
At the end of the day, the camper who has the most shekel tokens wins a prize!

Background Cards:

Supporting Materials:

Curricular Subjects:

Soldiers Eat S’mores Too!

Carl Schrag — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:02:32 +0000

This activity provides opportunities for high-school-aged campers to delve into the reality of the military challenges facing Israel. Starting with a late-night sneak-out, progressing to a campfire and a military mission, the program culminates with the Goodman Educator and shlichim sharing stories from Israel's wars.

Curriculum Themes:

A People’s Hope

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

90 minutes

Physical Space:

Number of Campers:

A Division/Age Group (30 – 50 campers)

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

Key milestones in Israel's fight for survival: the War of Independence, the Six Day War, and the Yom Kippur War

Grapple with the reality of war as experienced by Israeli staff (and, where applicable, campers)

Explanation:

Step 1: The Surprise

As campers are getting ready for bed, staff rushes into the cabins and announces that they have 15 minutes to prepare for a very special late-night activity. Instruct them to wear sturdy shoes, bring flashlights, and be in the appointed place in exactly 15 minutes.

Step 2: Gadna Training

The facilitator greets everyone and announces that the campers will undergo a brief military training exercise, a mini-Gadna activity. The shlichim lead them through an obstacle course and a late-night run around camp. During this activity, shlichim bark orders at campers and exert enough pressure so that the participants feel they are being challenged, but not so much as to intimidate or overwhelm them. (The GE should plan this with shlichim in advance, and keep careful tabs on how it is being implemented in real time). This entire exercise should last about 15 minutes. When everyone returns to the assembly point, campers gather around a campfire for another comfortable setting that is conducive to storytelling, refreshments are served.

Step 3: War Stories

After everyone has enjoyed their snacks, the facilitator (ideally one of the shlichim) tells the group:
- "Tonight you are going to learn about the wars Israel has fought since its creation. But first, we wanted to make sure you understand a bit about what it means to be a soldier. Being a soldier means you follow orders from your commanders. It means you are prepared to work hard all the time. It means your life is on the line for a cause that means everything to you. That's what we tried to show you as we were running around camp just now, and that's what we are going to show you by sharing our stories with you now."
At this point, another shaliach (or two) step up and address the group to share very brief reflections on what it means to serve in the IDF. They stress the idea of defending their homes and their families, and they also speak about the camaraderie among soldiers in a unit.
Now, a series of presenters (ideally shlichim, but American staff can also participate) shares with the group a personal story about each of 4 Israeli wars (War of Independence, Six Day War, Yom Kippur War, and Operation Cast Lead). The GE should have worked with each of these presenters in advance to craft a story that can be told in first person about the war. (If the presenter has a personal connection to the war, such as a grandparent, parent, or family friend who fought in the war, then this should be the basis for the story. Otherwise, it can be a fictionalized account, but should be told in first person nonetheless). Each story should take 2-4 minutes to tell, and the presenter can engage campers in Q&A before handing the floor to the next presenter.

Step 4: Wrap-up

After all 4 presenters have shared their "personal" war stories and campers have had ample opportunities to ask questions, the facilitator tells the group:
- All of you have spent the past hour hearing stories about the people who have fought in Israel's wars. Here in America, we tend to think of war as something for history class, the movies, or video games. But in Israel, war is a very real part of every person’s reality. Not because there’s a war going on every day in every part of the country, but because the possibility of war is always very real, and it touches the lives of every Israeli. You've heard how it’s touched the lives of some of our friends, our shlichim, and you've heard stories from the past 70+ years that sum up highlights of some of the most important wars that Israel has fought.
Time permitting, the facilitator can invite shlichim to share more of their own personal reflections and ecnourage campers to ask more personal questions.
To wrap up the activity, the facilitator stresses that the IDF is a people's army supported by near-universal conscription and asks the campers to think about a couple of questions that few Israelis ever think twice about:
- What is worth fighting for?
- What, if anything, is worth dying for?
At the conclusion, staff bring campers back to their cabins and to bed. Campers sleep in late tomorrow.

Variations:

There is a lot of material in this activity, and it my be too much to do in the middle of the night.

Options include:

Break the activity into two separate parts that can be started at night and completed the following day.
Do the entire activity as an evening program.
Forgo the campfire discussions focused on past wars, and instead ask the shlichim to discuss their personal experiences in the army.

Background Cards:

Supporting Materials:

War Stories Background.docx

Curricular Subjects:

Decision Time: The Homeland Carnival

Natalie Blitt — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:59:16 +0000

This activity is the re-enactment of the quest for votes that effectively created the State of Israel. Campers will have to do Israel-related activities and challenges in order to collect the necessary "votes" such that the United Nations votes in favor of the Partition Plan.

Curriculum Themes:

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

90 minutes

Physical Space:

Outdoor Space

Number of Campers:

A Division/Age Group (30 – 50 campers)

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

The state of Israel was created after World War II ended when thousands of Jewish refugees lived in Europe

Jewish representatives had to secure votes from the UN to get the resolution for the establishment of the Jewish state passed

The Partition Plan, as proposed at the UN, divided the land into two states, one for the Jews and one for the Arabs

The real celebration of the founding of the state took place on Nov. 29, 1947 -- the moment when the international community accepted the idea of a Jewish state in Palestine

Explanation:

Divide the group into teams of about 5 campers. Each group receives a unique bingo card with 9 squares. Each square should have a picture or symbol that refers to the modern state of Israel. The nine symbols will match the symbols that identify the different stations.
Explain to the campers that they will probably not be able to fill all of the squares on their own card, but it's important that several of them are filled (don't tell them how many) on a certain number of different teams' cards (don't tell them how many). Therefore, it's important that teams help other teams find the different stations (which can be "hidden" or off the beaten track) and help them with the activities.
Counselors should run each of the 9 different stations and get into character according to the station theme and task. At each station, they should have a large picture that is on the bingo card. When a group arrives at the station, they need to perform a task in order to get their sticker on their card. Remember, the more "carnival-like" each station is, the more fun the campers will have!

Stations:

Quiz show: Counselor will say: If you want your own state, you should know something about it.
- Group must answer 5 questions about Israel correctly. Can't get stamp until they answer at least 5.
Army: Counselor will say: If you are going to have a state, you will have to defend yourself.
- Group must do 15 sit ups or push ups.
Culture: Counselor will say: If you are going to have a state, what will make it artistic?
- Group must sing a song in Hebrew.
Hebrew: Counselor will say: You have a language you want to use for this country. Do you know it?
- Group must recite the Alef Bet or name 3 words they know in Modern Hebrew (not prayers)
State: Counselor will say: Countries need symbols. What will yours be?
- Group will need to draw a flag.
National Anthem: Counselor will say: What will be the song that symbolizes your country?
- Campers must at least be able to name Hatikva and either sing it or at least hum it.
Land: Counselor will say: What will this country eventually look like?
- Campers must lay out their bodies in the shape of the map of Israel.
Dance: Counselor will say: I've seen Israeli dancing, can you do it?
- Campers must get into a hora and dance around.
Passion: Counselor will say: Why does this matter to you?
- Campers will have to explain why it's personally important to them for the state of Israel to exist.

Allow enough time for groups to go from station to station but not fill out their card entirely. Groups should be encouraged to help one another through the activities -- by telling them where the stations are if they are hidden, or passing on information. When time is up, there should be a question in everyone's mind of whether enough squares were filled out.
Once everyone gathers back together, groups should pass their cards to a staff table where the cards are tabulated. This should be going on where campers can see it -- have the staff make a production out of examining the cards and counting them up on a score sheet.
As this this happening, the educators should talk to the campers about the activity. Tell them that in some ways, this activity was like what the representatives of Jewish Palestine and the Jews who helped them had to do in order to get the votes necessary to get the UN resolution passed.
Screen the Toldot video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrIjzUK0FKg

Background Cards:

Supporting Materials:

Israel Quiz Questions.pdf

Curricular Subjects:

Israel Lens: The Many Faces of Israel

Natalie Blitt — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:48:10 +0000

The Israel Lens is a unique method of looking at photographs as entry points into understanding Israeli history and culture. This session primarily uses photographs of people of Israel who came from various countries and periods in history and is an excellent program for a photography specialty.

Curriculum Themes:

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

1 hour

Physical Space:

Indoor Space

Number of Campers:

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

Immigration to Israel has taken place in many waves over time with several different groups of people including: a) Illegal immigration to Palestine before the creation of the Jewish State b) Immigration of Yemenite Jews c) Immigration of Ethiopian Jews d) Immigration of Soviet and Post-Soviet Jews e) Immigration from the B'nei Menashe community in India f) Immigration from North America

We can learn about the stories and emotions of these immigrants through pictures of their travels and arrival in Israel

Explanation:

Part One: Setting the Stage

Ask your campers about their own relationship to photographs:
- Do they like taking pictures?
- Do they find that photographs properly "tell" the story of what happened?
- Have they had the experience of someone seeing one of their pictures and seeing things in the photograph that they as the photographer hadn't seen?

Part Two: Honorable Discharge

Split campers in small groups of 10-12. Show them the photograph Honorable Discharge.
Ask the campers to take a few minutes to write down 10 observations about the photograph: 5 objective observations and 5 subjective observations.
Explain that an objective observation is something that doesn’t change from person to person –- it is something you can all agree on. For example, there are two men in the photograph, the photograph is in black and white, etc.
Explain that a subjective observation is an opinion, a feeling, or an interpretation based on what you see. Such as, “it reminds me of the time I did x”, or, “I think that man might feel sad,” or “I think he looks poor.”
Ask for the campers to share their observations -- be sure to point out when someone makes a subjective observation instead of an objective one.
Next, have the campers share their subjective observations. Ask the campers: What do you think the photographer was trying to capture with this photograph? Why? What do you think this picture is actually of – what historic event is it actually documenting?
Explain that the photograph was taken by an Israeli photographer named Zion Ozeri and share with the campers the title and story of the photograph:

Honorable Discharge, Ben-Gurion Airport, Israel, 1992

Look at the expression on this man's face. How would you describe it -- fear, sadness, confusion, joy? He has just arrived in Israel from the former Soviet Union. Under communism, Soviet Jews were not allowed to practice their religion openly and were often denied the right to immigrate to the U.S. or Israel. But after Gorbachev (the Soviet president) opened the doors to emigration in 1989, hundreds of thousands of Jews from the former Soviet Union flocked to Israel, with the help of Jews around the world.

These immigrants often arrived with very little and faced many challenges in their new homes. But the man in this picture had brought something very precious with him: the military medals he wears with pride. They serve as a reminder of his previous life, of the risks he took fighting for his country. They might not mean much in his new life in Israel, but these medals clearly have a very personal significance to him.

The photographer, Zion Ozeri, explains: "I call it honorable discharge. He was obviously discharged from the Russian army. And many Jews, by the way, either sacrificed their lives or fought heroically during World War II... I always look for the image that would define the moment. I sort of saw it in his face... You see the flag, you see EL-AL, and that look."

Ask the campers:
- Have you ever heard of the phrase, “A picture’s worth a thousand words?” When someone uses that phrase, what do you think they mean?
- Do you see how Zion Ozeri constructed this photograph to tell a powerful story?
Note: The idea that we are trying to reveal is that photographs or other primary sources are less important as objective fact pieces, and more important as vehicles for stories and connection. Every photograph is created with a certain degree of intention: the photographer picked the angles, set-up, subjects, and finally, to release the photograph. As a viewer, we see the photographs through the lens of our own experiences with the elements in the photograph.

Part Three: Photographs from Around the World, in Israel

Pin or post the photographs provided and divide the campers in small groups of 2-3 people. (With younger kids, you may want to do this in a slightly larger group with a staff person).
Have the groups go around and all look at the photographs, deciding together which one they want to choose. Once they make their choice, have them sit for a while with their picture and talk about the subjective/ objective elements. What do they see in the photograph? What attracted them to it? When do they think it took place? Who do they think is in the photograph?
Pass out the explanation sheets for each photograph and have each group read it together and discuss it. What do they now see in the picture?
Bring the group back together with a staff person/educator. Have each group present their photograph, explaining what they learned both from the information sheet and from their observations. The staff person should also present a photograph if there's one that hasn't been talked about.
As a group, discuss:
- Have you ever moved from one home to another? Did you need to leave your community?
- Do you have family stories about people needing to move?
- Almost all people who moved to Israel had to learn a new language and get used to a new culture, even a new way of dressing. What do you think that was like? What would you think was the hardest part?
- Do you imagine it would be harder to do it as a young person, an adult, or an old person?

Variations:

Variations in Format:

If your campers have already done the subjective/objective exercise, you can try another introduction to the photographs, or just refer to that program before starting with the new pictures.
If you are doing this activity through a photography class at camp, there are many follow-up activities that you can create, including having campers:
- Take self portraits
- Take pictures of Israeli symbols or elements of camp and bring them back to discuss
If you have a camp newspaper, you can also ask campers to find people at camp who've had to move from one place to another, especially one country to another. This could even include Israelis who had to "move" to the United States for camp -- what challenges did they face? What do they think about people who made the big move to settle in a new country?

Supporting Images:

Supporting Materials:

Israel-Lens-Many-Faces.pdf

Curricular Subjects:

Attribution:

Zion Ozeri

The Edible Map of Israel: A Land of Milk, Honey, and…CHOCOLATE?

Natalie Blitt — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:13:13 +0000

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.

Curriculum Themes:

A Land & Its People

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

90 minutes

Physical Space:

Number of Campers:

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

Campers will learn how to say 'north,' 'south,' 'east,' 'west' and 'center' in Hebrew

Campers will know the shape and some of the geographic regions of the State of Israel: Galilee, Golan, Center, and Negev (desert)

Campers will be able to locate the following cities on the map of Israel: Haifa, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Be'er Sheva, and Eilat

Explanation:

Stage 1: Build the Map

Divide the pieces of the puzzle map between the campers, giving each of them as many pieces as possible.
Explain to the campers that you are going to build the map together but you must do it in silence -- with the exception of being able to speak 5 words: tzafon, darom, mizrakh, ma'arav, and merkaz. Have them repeat the words a few times, and then do a few quick exercises with them. You can identify one part of the field as each of the directions and then either play "simon says" with moving in different directions, or have them just run toward each area. Once you feel that they can remember the directions (with the aid of the giant compass), have them build the map, reminding them that they can only give each other help by using the five Hebrew words (i.e. if someone is holding a piece with Eilat, another camper could tell them "darom" if they didn't know where it went).
If directions are too hard for younger campers, have them construct the map in silence.

Stage 2: Discover the Map

Once the map is complete, seat the campers and any staff around it. Ask them what they noticed as they put it together?
Remind the campers that while this is a huge map, the State of Israel is actually very small:
- It can fit into the state of Wisconsin 8 times
- It is only 263 miles from north to south (i.e. about 4 hours on the highway -- is that further than the distance some people drove to camp?)
- At its narrowest point, it is only 9 miles across
Have campers point out places they've been (if any) or what they know about places on the map. Israelis or North American staff members who have been to Israel should join in with stories or information about the various places. In the absence of people who have personal experiences in the various locations, you can use the information and pictures provided. You will not be able to paint a picture of all the places on the map, but campers should learn about:
- The desert, forest areas, mountains, and the Dead Sea
- The uniqueness of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Be'er Sheva, and Eilat.

Stage 3: Building Your Own Maps

Bring the campers into the dining hall or outside (provided that it isn't too hot!). Campers should sit around tables and each small group of 3-4 campers receives a foil tray. Pointing to small maps of Israel, the counselors challenge each group to build a map of Israel using ice cream, candies, and sprinkles. You may want to include:
- chocolate, vanilla, and mint ice cream
- chocolate syrup
- chocolate sprinkles
- M&M’s
- Hershey’s kisses
- jelly beans
- green jelly candies
- candy fish
- graham crackers
Alternatively, you could use sheet cakes with icing, or trays with veggies.
Counselors distribute scoops of ice cream and campers select colored candies and food coloring as needed to depict the State of Israel. Campers should be reminded that their maps will be judged, so they should make deliberate choices about candy and decorations.
When all campers’ work is complete, a staff member should photograph each map twice: once by itself and once with its creators.
The campers then eat their work!

Variations:

Variations in format

If this activity is done in a large group, you can stagger the groups who look around the big map and then who make their creations.
For younger campers, the explanation about the map of Israel should be curtailed and counselors should help with the creation of the candy maps.
This program can be done as part of a cooking activity.
You can also create a giant map of Israel with lots of little cupcakes. Campers could work on one area of this edible map by decorating their cupcake.
While not as delicious, this activity can also be done with art supplies.

Background Cards:

Supporting Materials:

Curricular Subjects:

Israeli Democracy: Free Speech vs. Hate Speech

Carl Schrag — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:23:45 +0000

Free speech is a central element of democracy -- but are there limits? This activity explores the difference between free speech and hate speech, using contemporary examples to create relateable situations for campers to consider.

Curriculum Themes:

Dreams & Realities

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

30 minutes

Number of Campers:

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

Israel is a democracy that supports free speech.

Free speech is different than hate speech.

Explanation:

1. Distribute pencils or pens to all participants and divide them into groups (the number of groups should be the same as the number of photos on display in separate corners of the room or activity space).

2. Send one group to each photo. Ask everyone to study the photo and its caption, and decide: is this an example of free speech or hate speech? Mark your answer either on a sheet provided or by putting a sticker on or near the photo, and then move on to the next photo and decide again.

3. While campers are moving between the photos, staff should circulate and be available to answer questions and provide background information or translations of the Hebrew text.

4. Once everyone has viewed each photo, bring everyone back together. Ask for a few general comments about the pictures and captions. Were people startled by any of them? Upset? Amused? What can we tell about Israel from the photos?

5. Then ask everyone to approach one photo, and to decide if they think that photo is an example of free speech or hate speech. At the photo, they should divide into 2 groups: one that thinks it is an example of free speech, and one that thinks it's an example of hate speech. Staff should be prepared to bolster any small group if the split is very uneven.

6. The leader then facilitates a brief conversation between the sides. Questions might include:

What can you tell from this image?
How does it make you feel?
Who might not like it?
Is it a legitimate form of free speech? Why or why not?

7. After debriefing on each picture, the leader brings the group back together in a central place.

Background Cards:

Supporting Images:

Curricular Subjects:

Attribution:

Shorashim/Club Israel - Sharna Marcus

When Would You Step In to Help?

Natalie Blitt — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:14:39 +0000

In 1948, more than 4,000 volunteers from 56 different countries walked out of their every day lives to help Israel during the War of Independence. This session will allow campers to hear some of their stories and to examine the question: when would you step in? It's ideal for an after-hours bunk activity, a Shabbat discussion slot, or as a rainy day substitution.

Curriculum Themes:

Creation & Rebirth

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

Physical Space:

Number of Campers:

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

Israel declared Independence on May 14, 1948, almost six months after the United Nations passed the "partition plan" to create an Arab and a Jewish State in Palestine.

Israel fought and won its War of Independence declared by its Arab neighbors after they rejected the Partition Plan.

Over 4,000 Jewish Volunteers from outside Israel came to fight and aid in Israel's War of Independence.

Explanation:

Stage 1: The Trigger Story

Introduce the video:
- Give your campers a brief history leading up to Israel's War of Independence (provided).
- Over the past couple decades, a group called Toldot Yisrael has been interviewing thousands of people who participated in Israel's founding. While these people are all over 80 now, when they got involved, many of them were no older than your campers.
- The 15 minute clip they are about to see is centered around the experiences of six people who got involved during Israel's founding moments. What is remarkable about these people is that they didn't start out in Israel and they did not wind up there because they had no place to go. While the War of Independence was fought primarily by people who had made aliyah -- moved to Israel -- either before the Holocaust or after the Holocaust, more than 4,000 of the people who came to help Israel in this fight came from overseas. They left the security of good homes and good jobs, college and their families, because they felt an urgent need to help.
- As they watch this clip, encourage them to keep track of the different motivations that these people had for leaving their lives to go to Israel's aid. What made them do it? How did they help?
Watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kxzEGSmgYl4

Stage 2: Discussing the film

Begin the discussion with the following comment by former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin when he dedicated the Israeli memorial to the volunteers who came to fight during Israel's founding:
- "You came to us when we needed you most, during those difficult, uncertain days in our War of Independence. You gave us not only your experience, but your lives as well. The people of Israel and the State of Israel will never forget, and will always cherish, this unique contribution made by you -- the volunteers of Machal."
Here are some conversation starters for your group:
- Do you understand why Prime Minister Rabin said that?
- How did the different interviewees help?
- What did they risk to do it?
- Why do you think the volunteers were inspired to help?
- Did you relate to any of the volunteers’ stories? Did they remind you of anyone you know?
- What surprised you about the video?
- Do you think you, or people you know, would act in a similar situation?

Stage 3: When would you step in to help?

The discussion should now move into an area that is more personally relevant to the campers: issues of responsibility in their own lives. Feel free during the discussion to bring up examples from the video as well.
Essentially, the issues in the video come down to the question: “Who are we responsible for?” Within this question are other questions: What does it mean to be responsible? Who is responsible for us? How do we fulfill our responsibilities?
Ask your campers: When you hear the word ‘responsible,’ is there a person who comes to mind? Do you have a story to share about them?
- How do the characters in the video understand who they are responsible for?
- How do they act on their sense of responsibility?
- How do you decide for whom you are responsible?

Variations:

Variations in format

This activity could be done in a large group for the movie, and then broken up in smaller groups for the discussions.
If you can't do this activity with the video, ask a few staff people to take on the roles of the people in the video and introduce themselves and their decision to come help, what they wound up doing to help during the war.
If your camp has a regular video activity or a camp newspaper, this discussion can be brought in to that space as well. Have campers go out and interview others -- campers, counselors, Israelis, and staff (both Jewish and not-Jewish) and pose these questions:
- Who are you responsible for?
- How far would you go if you were called on to act?

Background Cards:

Curricular Subjects:

Attribution:

Ask Big Questions

My Israel Meme

Natalie Blitt — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 22:00:16 +0000

During this activity, staff or older campers will delve into their own relationship with Israel, creating memes on "How I see Israel" in relation to their parents, friends, classmates, teachers, and the media.

Curriculum Themes:

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

1 hour

Physical Space:

Number of Campers:

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

"My Israel," my relationship to and view of Israel, may be very different than other people's perspectives

For staff, it is important to understand one's own relationship to Israel before teaching others about Israel

Sharing stories and experiences related to Israel helps others understand "My Israel"

People's views of Israel change over time and are influenced by their knowledge, their experience with Israelis, whether they have traveled there, and what they believe

Explanation:

We are now going to create memes that reflect our personal vision of Israel and other people's ideas of Israel.
Each participant should receive one large piece of paper with six spots for photographs. If computers are available, they can do this exercise with a google image search. Otherwise, print out the photographs provided. For a low tech version, participants can write or draw their visions.
Participants are encouraged to choose their own labels for each box. They can even choose specific people in their lives if they have distinct views of Israel (i.e. a certain member of their family or friend, a group of students at school, etc.). Below are examples:

What my parents think it's like.
What my friends think it's like.
What the media thinks it's like.
What my grandparents think it's like.
What my rabbi thinks it's like.
What my teacher thinks it's like.

Included in each meme should be "What I think it's like" and "What it's really like."
Allow them to choose the photographs that work with each heading.

Variations:

This activity is great for staff week as a way of reminding the staff that when we say Israel, we "see" many different things and receive many different contradictory messages. As educators, our job is to know and be able to tell our own story, in contrast to other people's stories.
Campers can create memes after participating in other activities that focus on specific Israeli cities or figures.