The Goodman Initiative - Arts & Crafts Material

Old vs. New, Which City is for You?

Rachel Levin — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 19:39:26 +0000

Based on the hit TV show 'Shark Tank,' this program allows campers to compete in front of a panel of judges for which city/place in Israel is deserving of the title: Coolest Place in Israel. Note that this is the same program format as "Follow the Leader" and "What Would Better Look Like."

Curriculum Themes:

A Land & Its People

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

1 hour

Physical Space:

Number of Campers:

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

Campers will learn about important Israeli cities (Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Eilat, Tsfat), regions (the Negev, the Golan Heights) and landmarks (The Dead Sea)

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

Explanation:

Stage 1: Setting the Stage

Going around the circle, ask the campers to share where they are from and to name one thing that makes their city, town, or suburb unique.
Explain that in Israel, even though the country is so small, the character of each city is very different.
Ask if anyone has been to Israel and if they can share some of their own memories of each city.
Explain that today, they are going to get a chance to become more familiar with the cities of Israel and help camp determine the coolest city in Israel.

Stage 2: The Campaign

Introduce the TV show Shark Tank:
- Shark Tank is a hit ABC TV show that features a panel of five wealthy investors called "sharks" who consider offers from entrepreneurs seeking investors for their business. The entrepreneurs make pitches to the investors for their business or product to try to convince the wealthy investors to give them the funding they need to start their business idea.

Explain to the campers that they are going to play Shark Tank, but instead of fighting for investment in a business or product, they are fighting for their Israeli city. The campers are going to develop a presentation for why people should visit their city.
Split the campers into teams and then introduce the cities. Each team should choose a place. If there's a team that would like to do a place in Israel that is not on the list, you should definitely enourage them to do so.
Each team should create a visual sign describing what makes their city/place unique and cool, as well as a 1-2 minute pitch or skit. All campers on the team should be involved in the creation of one of the pitches.
Key things to consider:
- What makes your city most worthy of a large investment?
- What is your city most famous for?
- Why is your city the best in Israel?
- Why wouldn’t Israel be the same without this city?

Stage 3: The Competition

Each group presents their city to the larger group. Campers vote on the city they like the best (they can't vote for their own).
Alternatively, you could have a panel of celebrity judges.
The campaigns could also be presented to the larger camp, or a portion of the camp. Posters can decorate the eating hall and campaign skits/pitches can be made after a meal.

Variations:

Variations in format

Campers could interview other campers, counselors, or shlichim to help prepare their presentation.
Campers could create news programs or commercials about their city rather than short skits.

Variations in content

For a version of this program using Israeli heroes, see Follow the Leader.
For a version of this program using Israeli chairities, see What Would Better Look Like.
You could also do this program for famous Israeli inventions. See www.Israel21c.org for ideas on products the campers can campaign for.

Background Cards:

Supporting Materials:

Follow the Leader

Rachel Levin — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 21:27:08 +0000

Based on the hit TV show 'Shark Tank,' campers compete in front of a panel of judges on behalf of different Israeli personalities and heroes. Note that this is the same program format as "Old vs. New, Which City is for You?" and "What Would Better Look Like."

Curriculum Themes:

The Pioneering Spirit

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

1 hour

Physical Space:

Number of Campers:

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

Campers will learn about Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, Theodor Herzl, Yitzhak Rabin and Golda Meir

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

Many Israeli leaders have contributed to creating and strengthening the Jewish State and each of them have their own unique histories, talents, and personality traits

Explanation:

Stage 1: Setting the Stage -- The Trust Walk

Split the campers into pairs and ask one partner to close their eyes or put on a blindfold.
As a group, walk the pairs from one part of camp to another, bringing them over small obstacles to make it more challenging.
Tell the leaders that they will have to be very clear in their instructions to the follower to make sure they safely get from place to place.
After five minutes, ask the pairs to switch.
Follow-up Questions:
- What was this experience like?
- Was it harder being a follower or a leader?
- What qualities do you want in a leader?
- How does a leader gain your trust?
- How do you know they are leading you in the right direction?
- Ask the participants to name a few leaders who they really trust in their own community or even at camp, what are their greatest qualities?

Stage 2: The Campaign

Introduce the TV show Shark Tank:
- Shark Tank is a hit ABC TV show that features a panel of five wealthy investors called "sharks" who consider offers from entrepreneurs seeking investors for their business. The entrepreneurs make pitches to the investors for their business or product to try to convince the wealthy investors to give them the funding they need to start their business idea.
Explain to the campers that they are going to play Shark Tank, but instead of fighting for investment in a business or product, they are going to campaign for an Israeli leader whose accomplishments and path speaks to them.
Introduce four leaders to the group and split the campers into smaller groups based on which leader they want to campaign for:
- Eliezer Ben Yehuda
- Theodor Herzl
- Yitzhak Rabin
- Golda Meir
Each team should create a visual sign, as well as a 1-2 minute pitch or skit. All campers on the team should be involved in the creation of one of the pitches.
Key areas to consider:
- What was your leader most known for?
- What qualities makes this person a great leader?
- Why wouldn’t Israel (or the larger Jewish world) be the same without this leader?
- Why is it urgent to support this leader?

Stage 3: The Competition

Each group presents their leader to the larger group. Campers vote on the leader they like the best (they can't vote for their own).
Alternatively, you could have a panel of celebrity judges.
The campaigns could also be presented to the larger camp, or a portion of the camp. Posters can decorate the eating hall and campaign skits/pitches can be made after a meal.

Closing Discussion:

Go around the group and ask the campers to say one quality that they admire in one of the Israeli leaders that they learned about during this activity.
Ask: In what ways do you or can you exhibit this quality?

Variations:

Variations in format

Campers could interview other campers, counselors, or shlichim to help prepare their presentation.
Campers could create news programs or commercials about their leader rather than short skits.

Variations in content

Different People:
- Choose a completely different slate of people, and make it by theme:
  - Famous women in Israel (for instance: Golda Meir, Hannah Senesh, Rachel, Sara Aaronsohn, Naomi Shemer)
  - Famous Israeli musicians (for instance: Kobi Oz, Idan Raichel, David Broza, Naomi Shemer, Aviv Gefen)
  - Famous Israeli writers and poets (Rachel, Yehuda Amichai, Hayim Nahman Bialik, Etger Keret, Leah Goldberg)
  - Famous Israeli heroes (Yoni Netanyahu, Ilan Ramon, Eli Cohen, Hannah Senesh, Roi Klein)
  - Famous Israeli athletes (Tal Brody, Omri Casspi, Gal Friedman, Aulcie Perry)
- Or mix and match from the list above!

Link to Leadership Development at Camp:
- Begin with a different ice-breaker that enables the campers to think about leadership skills, particularly if the campers are involved in leadership activities at camp (CIT year, etc.)
- Focus the campaigns on the person that best exemplifies our camp or the ethic of our camp.
For a version of this program using Israeli places, see Old vs. New, Which City is for You?.
For a version of this program using Israeli chairities, see What Would Better Look Like?.
You could also do this program for famous Israeli inventions. See www.Israel21c.org for ideas on products the campers can campaign for.

Background Cards:

Supporting Materials:

Follow the Leader Biographies.docx

Im Tirtzu: The Dream of a Jewish Home

Rachel Levin — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 20:14:43 +0000

In this activity, campers will debate the positions of major Zionist ideologies and play the role of Jewish leaders who first envisioned a Jewish state.

Curriculum Themes:

A Land & Its People

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

Number of Campers:

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

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

The World Zionist Congress was created by Theodore Herzl to be the “Parliament of the Jewish People.” Throughout the first century of Zionism, delegates were elected from countries around the world to represent their constituencies at the Congress.

The First Zionist Congress is credited for the formulation of the Zionist platform known as the "Basel Program," which states, "Zionism seeks to establish a home for the Jewish people in Palestine secured under public law."

There are several different Zionist ideologies that impacted the creation of the Jewish state, including (but not limited to) Political Zionism, Cultural Zionism, Religious Zionism, Socialist Zionism, and General/Centrist Zionism.

The creation of a Jewish State was a long process that began in the 1800s and finally came into reality in 1948, after years of debate among Zionist thinkers.

Explanation:

Step 1: Herzl's Dream - and Ours

The activity begins with a short skit of Theodor Herzl dreaming:

Herzl is sleeping…sleeping…dreaming…im tirtzu.
- Show someone waking Herzl up from his dream.
- Ask, what was Herzl dreaming about? What does this have to do with our future?
- Then, ask the campers: What are your dreams for your future?
Give each camper a Personal Dream Worksheet with the following questions (see attached). This activity can be done with a worksheet, poster board, or in a discussion. Questions include:
- Where do you see yourself living in 30 years?
- What do you see yourself doing?
- What is important about where you will live? (location, surroundings, family, Jewish population, etc.)
- What level of education do you want in 30 years? (High school graduation, college degree, graduate degree, etc.)
- What Jewish things do you see yourself doing in 30 years?

Explain, just like we have our own dreams for our futures, the Zionist leaders had their dreams for the Jewish people. These dreams brought the establishment of the Jewish State into being and largely shaped our own Jewish communities. Tell campers that today, they will get to know about Zionist ideologies, engage in a debate about them, and then choose the vision they like the most.

Step 2: Prepare for the Debate

Split the campers into groups. Each group will learn about one person from the Zionist Congress (see attached biographies and background information on the Zionist Congress). Ideally, at least one staff person will be with each group. If there are more groups than staff, then staff should circulate among the groups and encourage campers to read about "their" Zionist character and try to understand what he wanted to achieve at the Zionist Congress.

Figures include:

Theodor Herzl – Political Zionism
Ahad Ha'am – Cultural Zionism
Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook – Religious Zionism
Moshe Hess – Socialist Zionism
Chaim Weizmann – General/Centrist Zionism

Campers should learn about the personal background and Zionist philosophy of their assigned character, and be able to address the following points in a debate:

Where should the new land be located? (Uganda, Palestine, Cyprus, Sinai)
What should be the spoken language in this new Jewish Land? (German, Hebrew, Yiddish)
Do we need a Jewish homeland to be/feel like we have a safe place?
Who should establish it/who would populate it?
What action does your character propose to take to create the Jewish state?
Is it possible/realistic? When?
Other: ____________________________

After campers have completed their preparation, they should have time to create posters, songs, and cheers related to their character. Before the debate begins, all campers will share their posters and cheers around camp.

Step 3: Debate!

Campers will hold a debate as if they were present at the Zionist Congress in 1897.

Theodor Herzl (played by a staff member) calls this Zionist Congress to session, pretending that it is 1897. Herzl should display signs of being nervous as he opens the debate, because he is worried about the outcome. The debate includes the following components:

Herzl moderates the debate, including all of the points listed above.
Each group introduces their character and describes his Zionist philosophy. (Encourage them to speak in first person, i.e. "I am from...,"). Herzl asks the groups about each of the following points:
- Where should the new land be located? (Uganda, Palestine, Cyprus, Sinai)
- What should be the spoken language of this new Jewish Land? (German, Hebrew, Yiddish)
- Do we need a Jewish homeland to be/feel like a safe place?
- Who should establish it/who would populate it?
- What does your Zionist party propose to do to create the Jewish state?
- Is it possible/realistic? When?
- Other: __________________
After all presentations have been made, campers must vote for the Zionist approach/character they like best, but they cannot vote for their own character. (Counselors can be encouraged to help campers “shtick” it up in a big way here.)

Step 4: Wrap-Up

After the vote is complete, the "winning" team has one last chance to celebrate their character. They can be encouraged to sing their song and lead their cheer once more. Then the staff member who has led the activity engages the group in a brief reflective discussion summarizing key points they learned and their ideas about how the Zionist philosophies they just debated relate to life in camp today. Do they see a connection? Can staff help them see connections?

Conclude the activity by teaching and then singing "Im Tirzu."

Variations:

Zionist Congress of Today

For older campers, the final part of this activity can be expanded to consider how (or if) Zionist ideas remain relevant today. Campers can be split into new groups that include people who represented various characters. In these groups, campers should process/internalize/personalize what they learned about the characters, emphasizing ways that these approaches resonate with them today. Questions can include:

What points do you agree with?
Imagine that you are Ahad Ha’am, Herzl, etc., today. Have your perspectives changed?
Which Zionist approach should lead the way for Israel today?
Are any of these Zionist political platforms still relevant? Not relevant? Why?
Which Zionist political platform needs to be emphasized today?
How important is it to have a Jewish homeland as our safe place?

Another option: Conduct a 4 corners exercise. Label the room with "Strongly Agree," "Agree," "Disagree," and "Strongly Disagree" corners and ask questions that relate to the Zionist platforms. Encourage campers to engage in brief discussions after each question.

Background Cards:

Supporting Materials:

Personal Dream Worksheet.docx

Background Information For Zionist Congress.docx

Zionist Leaders_0 (1).docx

Stories in Motion: Israeli Culture Bridging Political Gaps

Dalia Davis — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 19:52:10 +0000

Stories in Motion engages participants with pieces of Israel’s history through creative movement and physical expression. As participants bring to life the story of an Israeli dance company that faces and overcomes a difficult political situation, the cultural exchange finds resonance in the hearts and minds of the participants.

Curriculum Themes:

A People’s Hope

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

90 minutes

Physical Space:

Number of Campers:

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

Roughly half of Jews in Israel are of Middle Eastern descent

Cultural exchanges can bridge political gaps in a way that discussion cannot

Israeli artists sometimes find themselves in dangerous situation when they tour because of people's negative opinions about Israel

Explanation:

1. Background information: The following background information will help the participants understand the story that this program is based upon. Facilitator introduces these three pieces of information to the group.

A. The Oslo Accords:
The Oslo Accords were bilateral agreements signed in Washington following negotiations, part of which was clandestine, between Israel and the PLO. The main concern was on the Israeli withdrawal from the territories of Judea, Samaria, and the Gaza Strip, in order to allow the establishment of a Palestinian Authority for self-government for an interim period until permanent arrangements would be established. On September 13, 1993, the problems regarding the mutual recognition were resolved, allowing Rabin and Arafat to sign the Declaration of Principles at the White House in Washington.
(www.Knesset.gov.il)

B. Margalit Oved
Margalit Oved—dancer, choreographer, singer, actress, musician—an émigré from Yemen (in the early 1950s), began her career in her teens as one of the original members of Sarah Levi-Tanai’s ethnic Inbal Dance Company in Tel Aviv, Israel. Her creative roots go further back, however, to her native Aden, where as a child she danced barefoot and carefree. Her story, told through her dances, is that of a Jewish Yemenite turned Israeli and then American. Despite her several transformations, she did not abandon her earliest influences. At the same time, she has internalized her experiences in the United States, including the raising of an American-born family, and used them to inform her more recent work.
(www.jwa.org)

C. Barak Marshall
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Barak is the son of acclaimed dancer, choreographer, and musician Margalit Oved. Since his accidental entrance into dance in 1995, Barak established himself as one of Israel’s most innovative voices.
(www.BarakMarshall.com)

Tell the group that they will now have the opportunity to learn more about a cultural exchange that overcame a situation of political strife.

2. Studying the Text:

Partner Study/Chavruta:
Divide participants into pairs and have them read the text “Barak Marshall: Dance Bridging Cultures.” Each pair receives three different colored highlighters and uses different markers to highlight characters, actions, and emotions respectively.

Group Discussion: Participants analyze and reflect upon the story as a group.

Guiding Questions:
*In addition to fear, what do you think the Israeli dancers were feeling in the moments before they performed?
*Do you think Marshall and his dancers anticipated receiving the reaction that they did from the crowd?
*Why do you think the crowd reacted as they did to the performance?
*What do you think about the dancer’s decision to perform despite the animosity they were receiving from the crowd? Do you think such cultural exchanges are worth placing one’s life in danger?

3. Dancing the Text

Role Assignment: Facilitator leads the group in creating a list of the characters in the story, along with their actions and emotions (a sample list is provided in the supporting documents). Characters can be human as well as inanimate objects. Participants choose characters from the story such that each participant has at least one role. They are asked to begin creating movements that express their character’s actions and emotions.

Costuming: Participants create costumes for themselves from white bed sheets or other material scraps. Facilitator provides markers, scissors, and safety pins along with the material.

Dance Creation: After creating movements for their particular role and getting into costume, participants dance their movements as a group while the facilitator reads the text. This is repeated two or three times in order to help the movements coalesce into a cohesive dance. Then the narration ceases and the dance is put to music with the story being told without words.

Dance Performance: Have the participants dance their piece one final time, but this time instead of setting it to music, play the attached youtube video as they are dancing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Waw66l_Igzg). This video is one of Barak Marshall’s choreographic works.
They may need to repeat the dance a few times in order to fill the time of the entire video (their movements do not need to match up with what is happening in the video, but they may do so if they like).

Variations:

Younger Participants: It may be easier for participants to study the text and highlight the characters, actions, and emotions as a group rather than in partner study.

Older Participants: If the group is a bit older, the facilitator might want to include in the processing portion of the session, a discussion about culture as a means for bridging gaps.

Some possible questions to encourage discussion:

• Do you think there are any instances in which a particular cultural piece should not be included in a given performance or exhibition venue? Why or why not?

• There are an increasing number of places that will not allow Israeli performers or artists to participate in festivals and other such cultural exchanges. What do you think are the effects of such decisions?

• What do you think might have happened if before the performance the dancers had responded to the insults they received in Arabic by speaking openly in Arabic? Do you think the story would have ended differently? Why or why not?

• Do you think culture is the best mechanism by which political gaps can be bridged? Why or why not?

Additional Time/Sessions: This session can be a part of a lesson or a curriculum on the Jews of Middle Eastern descent, or the plight of Yemenite Jews. Part of the impact of the story is that Marshall’s mother is a Yemenite Jew, and many of his dancers were of Middle-Eastern descent, yet the audience was unaware that there was such a thing as a Jew of Arabic descent. The facilitator may choose to show the film “The Forgotten Refugees” or to address the history of this population in another way.

Larger groups: In order to accommodate larger groups, multiple people can dance each role and choreograph their movements together.

Background Cards:

Supporting Materials:

Barak Marshall Text.pdf

Israeli Culture Character Chart.pdf

Attribution:

Dalia Davis

Stories in Motion: Returning to the Western Wall

Dalia Davis — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 00:40:18 +0000

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.

Curriculum Themes:

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

90 minutes

Physical Space:

Number of Campers:

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

In 1967, Israeli soldiers were the first Jews who succeeded in reaching the Western Wall in decades

The renewed access to the Western Wall for Jews was of huge religious and political significance

Many Jews, including the president of Israel, greatly value the ability to access the Western Wall

Explanation:

1. Background information about the Western Wall

Share the following information with the group:

When Rome destroyed the Second Temple in 70 C.E., only one outer wall remained standing. The Romans probably would have destroyed that wall as well, but it must have seemed too insignificant to them; it was not even part of the Temple itself, just an outer wall surrounding the Temple Mount. For the Jews, however, this remnant of what was the most sacred building in the Jewish world quickly became the holiest spot in Jewish life. Throughout the centuries, Jews from throughout the world made the difficult pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and immediately headed for the Kotel ha-Ma'aravi (the Western Wall) to thank God. The prayers offered at the Kotel were so heartfelt that gentiles began calling the site the “Wailing Wall.” This name never won a wide following among traditional Jews; the term “Wailing Wall” is not used in Hebrew.

The Western Wall was subjected to far worse than semantic indignities. During the more than one thousand years Jerusalem was under Muslim rule, the Arabs often used the Wall as a garbage dump, so as to humiliate the Jews who visited it.

For nineteen years, from 1948 to 1967, the Kotel was under Jordanian rule. Although the Jordanians had signed an armistice agreement in 1949 guaranteeing Jews the right to visit the Wall, not one Israeli Jew was ever permitted to do so.

(www.JewishVirtualLibrary.org)

Tell the group that they will now have the opportunity to learn more about the operation that restored Jewish access to the Western Wall.

2. Studying the Text:

Partner Study/Chavruta:
Divide participants into pairs and have them read the text “Reclaiming the Western Wall (1967).” Each pair receives three different colored highlighters and uses different markers to highlight characters, actions, and emotions respectively.

Group Discussion: Participants analyze and reflect upon the story as a group.

Guiding Questions:
*What do you think it was like for the soldiers who participated in this mission?
*What do you think it was like for Israelis at that time to hear the news?
*What do you think of the decision of the president and the commanders to risk their lives to reach the Western Wall? Do you think a religious site is something worth risking one’s life for?

3. Dancing the Text

Role Assignment: Facilitator leads the group in creating a list of the characters in the story, along with their actions and emotions (a sample list is provided in the supporting documents). Characters can be human as well as inanimate objects. Participants choose characters from the story such that each participant has at least one role. They are asked to begin creating movements that express their character’s actions and emotions.

Costuming: Participants create costumes for themselves from white bed sheets or other material scraps. Facilitator provides markers, scissors, and safety pins along with the material.

Dance Performance: Have the participants dance their piece one final time, but this time instead of setting it to music, play the attached youtube video as they are dancing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l17p0fTNvf0.
They may need to repeat the dance a few times in order to fill the time of the entire video (their movements do not need to match up with what is happening in the video, but they may do so if they like).
[The video is in Hebrew, but one does not need to understand the words to discern what is happening.]

Variations:

Larger groups: In order to accommodate larger groups, multiple people can dance each role and choreograph their movements together.

Younger Participants: Facilitator may want to allow participants an opportunity to share an experience they had visiting the Western Wall. Facilitator should also be prepared to share, if s/he has been there.

Older participants: With a group of older participants, facilitator may want to discuss the decisions that came to pass after the return to the Western Wall.

Some questions for discussion:

• Who should decide how the Western Wall should function today?

• Should the Western Wall be structured such that there is a separation between men and women? Why or why not?

• Should decisions about how the Western Wall is run be based on the goal of including as many people as possible? If not, what should be the most important goal?

• What vision of the Western Wall in the future do you think the soldiers had in the moment when they saw it for the first time?

Background Cards:

Supporting Materials:

Reclaiming the Western Wall (1967).pdf

Returning to the Western Wall Character Chart.pdf

Attribution:

Dalia Davis

Stories in Motion: Operation Moses

Dalia Davis — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 01:36:11 +0000

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 Operation Moses through movement, the story of the Ethiopian Jewish journey leaves the page and finds resonance in the hearts and minds of the participants.

Curriculum Themes:

Creation & Rebirth

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

90 minutes

Physical Space:

Number of Campers:

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

Ethiopian Jews endured difficulty and danger during Operation Moses to get to Israel

Israel's Mossad (Intelligence and special operations) agents endangered their lives in order to save the Ethiopian Jews during Operation Moses

Israel plays a large role in rescuing and absorbing Jewish communities in crisis

Explanation:

1. Background information about Operation Moses

Share the following information with the group:

In the 1980s the situation for Ethiopian Jews was extremely difficult. They endured terrible famines, the rapid spread of disease and increased pressure to stop practicing their religion under the dictatorial, communist regime of Colonel Marian Mengistu. To save them, Israel executed rescue missions, the first of which was called Operation Moses. Operation Moses began on November 18, 1984, and ended six weeks later on January 5, 1985. In that time, just over 7,000 Ethiopian Jews were rescued and brought to Israel.

Tell the group that they will now have the opportunity to learn more about operation Moses through the reflections of the Mossad agents who carried out the mission.

2. Studying the Text:

Partner Study/Chevruta:
Divide participants into pairs and have them read the text “Operation Moses: Personal Reflections of Mossad Agents.” Each pair receives three different colored highlighters and uses different markers to highlight characters, actions, and emotions respectively.

Group Discussion: Participants analyze and reflect upon the story as a group.

Guiding Questions:
*How would you describe Operation Moses from the perspective of the Ethiopian Jews?
*How would you describe Operation Moses from the perspective of the Mossad agents?
*Why do you think Israel sent the Mossad agents on this mission? Do you agree with Israel’s decision to do so—why or why not?

3. Dancing the Text
Role Assignment: Facilitator leads the group in creating a list of the characters in the story, along with their actions and emotions (a sample list is provided in the supporting documents). Characters can be human as well as inanimate objects. Participants choose characters from the story such that each participant has at least one role. They are asked to begin creating movements that express their character’s actions and emotions.

Costuming: Participants create costumes for themselves from white bed sheets or other material scraps. Facilitator provides markers, scissors, and safety pins along with the material.

Variations:

Larger groups: In order to accommodate larger groups, multiple people can dance each role and choreograph their movements together.

Older groups: The closing discussion can include questions about Israel’s role as a Jewish state, such as:

*Do you think that all Jews should automatically be welcome citizens of the State of Israel?
*Do you think that Israel should actively search for remote Jewish communities and bring them to Israel?
*Do you think Israel should risk the lives of its soldiers to help bring other Jews to Israel?

Music Options: Here are examples of Idan Raichel songs to use during the activity, but most of his other songs would work as well (preferably ones with Amharic):

1) Tigest
2) Shoshanim Atzuvot
3) Brong Faya
4) Mi'ma'amakim
5) Bo'i
6) Ayale
7) Brachot Leshana Chadasha

Background Cards:

Supporting Materials:

Operation Moses text.pdf

Operation Moses Character Chart.pdf

Attribution:

Dalia Davis

Mr. and Mrs. Israel

Naomi Brown — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:34:33 +0000

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.

Curriculum Themes:

A Land & Its People

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

Physical Space:

Number of Campers:

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

Campers will learn about important Israeli cities (Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Eilat, Tsfat), regions (the Negev, the Golan Heights) and landmarks (The Dead Sea)

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

Explanation:

Stage 1: The Prep Stage (for the campers)

This stage could take anywhere from 15 minutes to several periods, depending on how extensive you want their entries to be.

Campers are introduced to the camp-wide/unit-wide competition, where each bunk will represent a place in Israel and compete in several events

Once they learn which area they will represent, have the campers brainstorm what they already know about the location.
Depending on how much time you are setting aside, they could either be sent to find out more information from counsellors/staff/schilichim/other campers or you can just give them the fact sheet and a map of Israel.
Help them think about the following questions:
- Where is your city in relation to the rest of Israel (north, middle, south)?
- What is around their city? Is there water? Are there mountains? Are there other cities?
- What do they think their city looks like?
- What do you think people like to do in your city?
- What makes your city unique/special/different?

Stage 2: Planning for their event

Each bunk should divide into three groups -- one for each of the talent competitions. Here are some suggestions for competitions but feel free to add others:
- Costume Competition: Campers will use the fact sheet and pictures to dress in a costume that best represents their city/area.
- Talent Competition: Campers will come up with a talent that they can demonstrate for their city based off of what they learn about their city. For example, Tel Aviv's talent could be roller blading on the boardwalk looking pretty. The desert's talent could be gardening because they can make the desert bloom.
- Art Competition: Campers create a giant mural that represents their city using butcher paper and art supplies.
- Song Competition: Campers will adapt a popular song (their choice) to reflect what is great about their city.
- Jingle Competition: Campers will create an ad campaign for their city.
Let the campers know that they will be judged for creativity AND how much they know about their city.

Stage 3: The Competition

This is the fun part! Make the competition as exciting and wild as you can to hype up the audience.
Here are some ways to do it:
- Think about using a panel of judges. You could use:
  - Senior camp leadership
  - Your schlichim
  - Other international staff. Even better if they don't know anything about Israel!
- Your judges could each play a role that comes across as they comment on each of the acts (American Idol style).
- Between events, have Israeli music playing.
- If you use AV equipment, flash pictures of places in Israel.
- Have your Israeli staff or American staff who have been to Israel introduce each of the cities with a personal story or connection.

Variations:

Variations in format:

Make this an all-camp activity. You could have a winner per age group or have each group have campers from different bunks/units working together.
Have this activity build up all week. Your specialists (art, music, etc.) can be brought into it to help the groups create their events.
Certain events can be displayed throughout camp. Murals can be affixed to buildings, songs or jingles can be played over the loudspeaker. Or each group can be given a different area in camp to represent their city.

Variations in content:

Instead of having campers represent cities and places, they can represent famous Israelis. See Amazing Autograph Race for information on different Israeli leaders and heroes they can choose.

Background Cards:

Supporting Materials:

Curricular Subjects:

What Does Better Look Like?

Naomi Brown — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 17:16:25 +0000

Based off of the hit TV show 'Shark Tank,' this program gives campers the opportunity to champion an Israeli social cause. Campers will work together to choose a cause that they feel passionately about and compete through presentations for a 'grand prize.'

Curriculum Themes:

The Pioneering Spirit

Materials Required:

Arts & Crafts Material

Program Duration:

1 hour

Number of Campers:

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

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

Jewish Heart for Africa, Kishorit, The Good Energy Initiative, and Leket Israel are four examples of social justice organizations that were created in Israel.

Social entrepreneurs recognize social problems and attempt to create social change through entrepreneurial principles, such as team-building and innovation.

Explanation:

Shark Tank Activity Introduction:

Split campers into groups.
Introduce the Shark Tank TV Show. Ask if anyone has seen the show. Describe the show:

Shark Tank is a hit ABC TV show that features a panel of five wealthy investors called "sharks" who consider offers from entrepreneurs seeking investors for their business. The entrepreneurs make pitches to the investors for their business or product to try to convince the wealthy investor to give them the funding they need to start their business idea.

Explain to campers that you are going to play Shark Tank. The campers are going to be the entrepreneurs championing a cause and the rest of the campers will be the wealthy investors.
Each group of teens will choose an Israeli cause (see the list below) to create a pitch for. It's best to print a sheet with a description of each of these organizations and a few pictures so that campers have it front of them and can see a visual image of each cause.

Jewish Heart for Africa - A non-profit organization that brings sustainable Israeli technologies to African villages. JHA's mission is to save African lives with Israeli innovation. Founded in 2008, JHA has provided light, clean water, food, and proper medical care to more than 150,000 people in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Malawi, and Uganda.
Leket Israel - One quarter of the population in Israel is food insecure. Leket is the country's largest national food bank and leading food rescue network. Leket rescues over 700,000 meals and 21 million lbs of produce and perishable goods. Food, that would have otherwise gone to waste, is redistributed to nearly 300 nonprofit partners caring for the needy.
The Good Energy Initiative - This non-profit provides carbon offset in Israel. For every car that drives, every plane that flies, and every appliance that gets plugged into the wall, a price is paid by the environment. Through donations, GEI lets people neutralize their carbon footprint by funneling cash investments into local grassroots educational and social projects.
Kishorit - An innovative new model for treating the mentally disabled in Israel. This village in northern Israel has become a utopia for about 150 people with varying degrees of mental handicap, who have all found home for life.

Creating the Shark Tank Campaign:

Each group of teens creates a campaign on why the cause they chose is so important and why they need the $10,000 grand prize. Presentations consist of a visual sign and a 1-2 minute pitch or skit.
Key areas to consider:

Why is your cause innovative?
How is it creating widespread change?
Why is it urgent to support this cause?

Shark Tank Presentations:

Each pair of teens presents their campaign to their group. Teens vote on the campaign they like best (they can't vote for their own).
Votes are counted and the winning pair is announced. The winners could receive a small prize such as a NU Campaign T-shirt.

Supporting Materials:

List of Causes (2).pdf

Curricular Subjects:

NU Campaign: Heroes

Natalie Blitt — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:13:43 +0000

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!

Curriculum Themes:

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

Physical Space:

Number of Campers:

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

David Ben-Gurion (1886-1973), Israel's first Prime Minister and "Founder of Israel," declared the establishment of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948, at the Tel Aviv Museum.

Hannah Senesh (1921-1944), originally from Budapest, made Aliyah at age 17 and then trained as a paratrooper with the British to rescue Jews from the Holocaust. She was captured and killed during her mission at the age of 23.

Golda Meir (1898-1978) is Israel's first (and so far only) female Prime Minister. She was one of only two women to sign Israel's Declaration of Independence.

Explanation:

Stage 1: Setting the Stage

Your campers' own lives and routines will make an effective "hook" to draw them into this activity. Introduce it with a series of questions that help them focus on their own reality and surroundings:
- What are the articles of clothing that you feel best represent you?
- Are there t-shirts with slogans or pictures that you feel especially good wearing?
- Have you seen t-shirts with slogans or pictures that you would feel uncomfortable wearing?
- How do you feel when you wear a t-shirt advertising a product (like Nike, Coke, etc.) or store (Abercrombie, Gap, etc.)?
  - Have you ever chosen not to wear a t-shirt that advertises a product or store? Why did you come to that decision?
  - Why do you think people choose to wear t-shirts that advertise products or stores?
Engage the group to discuss the personal statement that clothes make about the people who wear them. This will prepare them for the awesome opportunity to wear their ideas for all the world to see. You may want to lead them into a discussion of wearing sports shirts, camp shirts, etc.

Stage 2: The NU Campaign

Explain the NU Campaign:

Taken from the Israeli (Yiddish) slang word, “NU” which means, “C’mon” and begs a response, NU Campaign supports important Israeli and global causes & stories through the sale of unique designer t-shirts.

We strongly believe that SMALL actions can have BIG outcomes and therefore by wearing a NU shirt and spreading its message, 'With Passion,' you can change the world!

Beyond selling t-shirts, the NU Campaign team educates and raises awareness about featured causes and stories through presentations and seminars, social media campaigns and supporting student led initiatives on college campuses, schools and communities worldwide.

Staff should be modeling a few of the t-shirts that feature important figures in Israel's history (Ben-Gurion, Golda Meir, Hannah Senesh).
If you are working in a bunk, you can stay in one big group, otherwise split into smaller groups where each group has one or two t-shirts. Ask the group to share anything they know about the people on the shirt. Pass a few shirts around the room and let everyone explore them a bit.
- What do you learn by the graphic that was designed by the NU Campaign?
- Why would someone wear a shirt with these images on them? Can you think of t-shirts you see people wearing that are like this but not part of this series (i.e. Obama's Hope picture, Hugo Chavez, etc.)?
- What kind of political leader/national hero would you feel comfortable walking around with on a t-shirt?
Choose the t-shirt that resonates the most with the group and flip it over to read the story inside. Ask your campers:
What did you learn from the story?
Was the story a history lesson or a good story? Why is one preferable to the other?
Why do you think the story is on the inside of the shirt instead of on the front or the back?*

*According to the Nu Campaign: "On the inside of every NU shirt, a unique message is printed directly opposite your HEART. This way, every time YOU wear your shirt, you feel inspired to carry it close to you and represent it out to the world!"

Stage 3: Make Your Own Hero!

It's now time to create your own shirt! If you have limited time, this can be a discussion rather than an arts and crafts project.
Here are some possibilities for what can be created depending on your group and their interests. In each case, the group will create a picture on paper or on a white t-shirt, as well as write the story that would appear on the inside:
- A shirt that tells an important story about camp, or your unit, or your counselor, or someone else who is a key part of the camp community.
- A shirt about a famous Israeli leader or hero.
- A shirt about a famous American leader or hero.
- When the group comes back together, everyone should share their t-shirt designs or prototypes.

Stage 4: The Wrap-Up

Conclude the activity by asking:
- What did you learn about Israel and Israeli heroes that you didn't know before?
- What similarities do you see between Israel (as seen in the shirts) and our camp?
- What do you want to do with the ideas you came up with today?
Ideally, responses will touch on increased awareness of some of the people whose choices in life changed the world and impacted the way we live today; an appreciation for the work and sacrifices made by people on behalf of the collective.

Variations:

Variations in format

An alternative hook would be to ask campers to wear an article of clothing that represents something about themselves they'd like others to know about, or something they care about.
This acvitity can conclude with a competition or contest, in which the winners get to keep the shirts.
This can continue with an arts and crafts project in which campers make their own shirts with messages.
Tie-dying is always fun. Have campers decorate their new t-shirts with the splashes of tie-dye colors.
This can be an all camp competition to create a new camp t-shirt. What hero represents the camp? What story would be the one that is printed on the inside of the shirt?
This activity can be incorporated into Staff Week. The GE and others can use it to introduce the way Israel is being integrated into camp, and after pursuing one of the options described above, staff can work in small groups (by cabin, unit, or specialty area) to design their own shirt with a storytelling, eye-grabbing image on the outside and a narrative story on the inside.
Presenting the shirts can be paired with other actvities during which campers learn about Israeli leaders.

Variations in content

For a version of this program using Israeli chairities, see NU Campaign: Israel Impacts the World.
You could also do this program for famous Israeli places. Campers can choose a photograph of a place to put on the front of the t-shirt.
You could also do this program for famous Israeli inventions. See www.Israel21c.org for ideas on products the campers can campaign for.

Background Cards:

Supporting Images:

Supporting Materials:

DBG.pdf

Meir.pdf

Curricular Subjects:

The Piven Workshop: What Makes a Great Leader?

Carl Schrag — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 22:30:20 +0000

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.

Curriculum Themes:

Materials Required:

Arts & Crafts Material

Program Duration:

Physical Space:

Arts Center

Number of Campers:

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

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

Hanoch Piven is a real Israeli artist who is at the height of his career. His work runs the gamut from historically significant portraits to packages of hummus, basketball stars, and pop stars

David Ben-Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel and proclaimer of Israel's Declaration of Independence, retired in his home in the desert (at Sde Boker) and advocated to see the desert "bloom"

Yitzhak Rabin was Israel's 5th Prime Minister and served again from 1992-1995 when he was assassinated for his role in creating the Oslo Accords, an attempt for peace between Israelis and Palestinians

Explanation:

Stage 1: Introduce Hanoch Piven (the Artist)

Introduce campers to the work of Hanoch Piven by showing them a selection of his portraits. Moses, Ben-Gurion, and Rabin are great to use.
Background:
- Originally from South America and made Aliyah with his family as a child.
- When, as a young man, he went to New York to study and pursue his career as an artist, he developed a new and creative style of portraiture - using a vast array of objects to put together images that looked like a person but also told a story on their own.

Stage 2: Understanding Piven's Technique

The best way to teach them Piven's technique and simultaneously expose them to some cool stories about Israel is by using three portraits: Moses, Ben-Gurion, and Rabin.

1. Moses

This picture allows campers to interact with the technique using a story that they are probably familiar with (Moses and the Exodus)
Hold up the Moses portrait and ask the campers to identify materials or objects (including matzah). Then ask: what might these materials symbolize?
- They will likely find matza, gefilte fish, sand/ desert, handcuffs, chicken leg/shank bone, matzah balls, etc.
- Help them notice that each object is one that is central to Moses' story.

2. David Ben-Gurion

This picture will be a bit harder for campers because they will likely not recognize Ben-Gurion, but that's OK!
In this case, tell campers that this is a portrait of David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister. Ask them if they know anything about him and allow them to list out anything they do. If they don't, that's OK!
Ask them to name anything they can recognize in the picture. As they name things, ask them first if they know why it's in the portrait, and if they don't, you can fill in the information about Ben-Gurion (listed below). Each time you give an explanation, you can also ask what they think -- they may have ideas of their own:
- Face made of sand, twigs as hair/eye brows -- Ben-Gurion was a big believer in the Negev desert, and the importance of making the desert bloom to the survival of Israel. After he stopped being the Prime Minister, he retired to Sde Boker in the Negev. The major Israeli university in the South is Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Be'er Sheva.
- Newspaper -- He is holding a copy of Ha'aretz (literally "the land" and also the name of a major Israeli paper) announcing the creation of the state. This portrait is showing a moment in his career, the moment after he declares the Jewish state on May 14, 1948.
- Photograph of people dancing -- this is an actual photograph of the people who danced and celebrated after the announcement of the Jewish state.
- Nose made of boxing glove -- he was always considered a fighter
- Bathroom -- this is a question you can throw back at them. We often think that the reason Piven put him in the bathroom is because this shows that Ben-Gurion was always so busy that the only time he could take to read the paper was in the bathroom!

3. Yitzhak Rabin

This is an example of a picture that relies on a single story, a single moment. While your campers can try to guess who is in the picture and what it represents, chances are they won't know, so they'll need you to tell the story.
Start by telling them a few important things about Rabin.
Explain that Piven created this picture just after Rabin's assassination. If necessary, fill in information about his assassination -- including the presence of candles all over Rabin's square immediately after the event:
- Rabin was elected as Prime Minister for a 2nd term in 1992. During his second term in office, Rabin focused on creating peace between the Palestinians and Israelis. He played a leading role in the signing of the Oslo Accords, which granted the Palestinian National Authority partial control over parts of the Gaza Strip and West Bank.
- For his role in the creation of the Oslo Accords, Rabin was awarded the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize. The accords, however, greatly divided Israeli society with some seeing Rabin as a hero for advancing the cause of peace and some seeing him as giving away land they viewed as belonging to Israel.
- On the evening of November 4, 1995, Rabin was assassinated by a radical Jewish man who opposed the signing of the Oslo Accords. Rabin had been attending a mass peace rally in what is now known as Rabin Square, located in the middle of Tel Aviv. When the rally ended, Rabin walked down the city hall steps toward his car, at which point he was assassinated. Rabin’s assassination came as a great shock to the Israeli public and much of the rest of the world. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis came to the square where Rabin was assassinated to mourn his death by lighting memorial candles and singing peace songs.
Ask the campers: Can you figure out why Piven created the portrait in this way? What do you think his head is made of? (Candle wax). This is an example of a portrait that tells the story of one moment in someone's life -- in this case his death.

Stage 3: Creating Portraits

Finding meaningful objects:
- Place a wide array of random objects on a table in front of your campers.
- Ask the campers to take five minutes and to select one item that symbolizes something they like a lot, and one item that symbolizes something they dislike.
- Once everyone has made a selection, invite everyone to share what they chose and their reasoning.
- Navigate this conversation carefully, with an eye toward making everyone feel comfortable sharing and eager to express themselves through these and other objects.

Next, tell the campers that it's time for them to create their own self-portrait.
- Distribute pieces of poster board (about 20" x 24") to each of the campers and invite them to visit the table filled with random objects again.
- Depending on how much you want to guide the outcome of the activity, you can pepper the group with questions and ideas as they work, encouraging them to focus on aspects of their lives and personalities -- or you can let them work as they see fit, emphasizing whatever parts of their lives they choose.
- Art staff should be on hand to help with glue guns, but should be briefed so they encourage campers to express themselves freely and honestly.
- Allow about 30 minutes for campers to create their own portraits, and another 15 minutes for everyone to share their work with the group.

Stage 4: Wrap Up

This activity can be structured in many ways. When you're done with all that you plan to do, encourage campers to discuss the experience.
- What did you learn about yourself?
- What did you learn about your friends and other people at camp?
- How would you describe Hanoch Piven's style if you were talking on the phone to someone who could not see the portraits? What would you say you like or dislike about the style?
- What's the funniest object you saw in your or someone else's portrait?
The takeaways from these activities should include the tangible pride that comes from seeing one's work on display. Portraits and pictures should be featured prominently in a place of pride for the entire camp community to see, and included on the website and parent communication.

Variations:

The possibilities are endless. Several variations are included below. Feel free to try other things, using as many of Piven's works as you'd like. Just be sure to share your successes with us so other camps can benefit from your creativity!

The Israelis We Know

Instead of having campers create portraits of themselves, have them create portraits of their schlichim as a way of getting them to learn more about the Israeli staff.
Ask the group how they would create a portrait of a specific Israeli who they know, but they don't know all that well. Look for suggestions about ways to get to know the person better.
Now, announce the next part of this activity: working in small groups, you will create portraits of the Israeli staff at camp. In order to do this, you will need to interview each Israeli before they set about doing the job.
- Divide campers into small groups and assign each group to one Israeli staff member who they will be interviewing before the next meeting. Work with them to write down some questions that will help them get a better understanding of the person they are going to portray.
- Encourage them to come up with a list of of questions for the schlichim that will help them get to know them well enough to create a portrait.
- Questions might include (use these as a guide, not as a specific list to distribute to campers!):
  - Do you have a favorite sport, food, singer, movie?
  - What did you like best in high school?
  - What did you do in the army? Tell us a story from your army service.
  - What's the craziest thing you ever did with your friends in high school? What would you do if we did the same thing at camp right now?
  - What do you like about camp?
  - What do you like about Israel?
  - What do you miss most from Israel right now?
  - Encourage each group to think up really creative, crazy questions, but remind them be respectful and not to push too hard in the interviews.
- Then send them off to interview the Israeli they're going to portray. Encourage them to bring supplies to the next session, based on what they learn in the interview (maybe a candy wrapper, a button, or anything else they think is appropriate).
- At the next session, each group gets a piece of poster board and access to the table filled with random objects, in addition to the objects the campers brought specifically for this project.
- Allow 30-45 minutes to create the portraits, and this time let the art staff help a bit more so the finishing touches look good.
- Once everyone is done, campers share their work with the Israelis and with each other. You may decide to give the portraits to the Israelis as a gift, or to hang them in a central location in camp. (If you create a display, your camp might decide to give the portraits to the Israelis as going-away gifts at the end of the summer).

Our Israel

This activity also is designed to focus campers' creativity on Israel, but it addresses the group's notions of Israel, rather than the life of one specific Israeli.
Divide campers into groups of 3-5 members and ask them to create a portrait titled "Our Israel."
Don't give too many detailed instructions, so as not to limit creativity, but in response to questions you can say:
- This art work need not portray a person
- There is room for different ideas and perspectives in the artwork
- Base it on your ideas, your knowledge, your dreams, and your jokes
Allow the groups 20 minutes to create "Our Israel" and then 10 minutes to share them with everyone.
Display the creations for all the camp community to see.