The Goodman Initiative - Outdoor Space

Our Camp's Israel Garden: A Guide to Creating and Programming

JAR — Mon, 10 Nov 2014 18:52:20 +0000

Learn the skills of gardening and the history of Israeli innovation as we create an Israel garden in camp -- full of Israeli fruits, veggies, and herbs that we will harvest and eat together!

Curriculum Themes:

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

Physical Space:

Outdoor Space

Number of Campers:

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

How to garden

History of drip irrigation in Israel

What kinds of food grows in Israel

Explanation:

At the beginning of the summer, choose a plot of land to place your garden. The land should have direct sunlight for at least 6 hours each day, and it should be near a water source.

Once you've selected the land, campers can help create the garden. They will need to hoe the dirt, plant guard rails of wood around the garden (laying them down in troughs dug in the ground is an easy way to do this). The point of planting guard rails is to keep the garden dirt firm and in the garden, allowing the garden to be 'boxed in'.

You then need to dig troughs as lines for planting seeds. Determine which items will need to grow where, and how many seeds you want for each item you're planting.

Once planted and watered, there are many interesting ways to integrate Israel into the experience:

Learning about Israeli innovation.
- Start with drip irrigation, one of Israel's claims to fame. You can set up your own drip irrigation system (a long hose with holes in it) or have your campers brainstorm the problem that led to its creation.
- Once you're on the topic of Israeli innovation, learn more about creations that Israel is (and isn't) well known for. Like the cherry tomato strain Israel invented that ripens slowly and stays on the vine, allowing for it to be sold on cluster like grapes, and making shipping easier. (Other examples can be found here: http://www.israel21c.org/technology/israels-top-45-greatest-inventions-o...).
- Have campers look at areas that need innovation in their garden or around camp. How can they use the examples of Israeli innovation to fix their problems? For instance, if the garden is too small for many people to work in it at once, what could they do to maximize the efforts of the whole group? Or if the garden isn't ready to be tended and a group is coming, what could they do with the other campers to help them feel connected to the Israeli garden?
The garden is a great opportunity for campers to learn Hebrew vocabulary. Create Hebrew and English (and transliterated) signage for every kind of plant in the garden. You can even create a poster for a wall near the garden letting everyone see a 'map' of the garden and what is growing where (in Hebrew and English). Also, you can post an enlarged version of the Resource Cards related to Israeli agriculture (Kibbutz, Drip Irrigation) and while you're planting the garden, you can orient the campers to the important role of agriculture in Israel's history.
Talk about argiculture and the landscape of Israel. Part of Ben Gurion's dream was to see the desert bloom. Why did he care about using the desert? Why did Israel spend so much effort in making agriculture work even in the desert? (Hint: The Negev Desert is 60% of the land in Israel).
You can also bring in a lesson about the kibbutz here, discussing with campers the history of the kibbutz movements and its role in agriculture.
You can also learn about the remarkable work of desalination in Israel. Given that much of the water around the desert has high saline content (the Mediterranean Sea), Israel found ways to use the salted water for irrigation of certain crops.

The garden can become the foundation for a wide array of programming (some examples below):

a cabin activity to prune/plant/harvest
a full age group activity to create the garden
an activity to create signage
a cooking class using the harvested foods/herbs
an Israeli meal where campers describe each item using the Hebrew name

Background Cards:

Supporting Images:

Attribution:

Camp Avoda

Tag into the Flag: An Israel Icebreaker

JAR — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 15:35:54 +0000

The campers will participate in an icebreaker that simultaneously engages them in conversation about Israel and puts them surreptitiously into the shape of the Israeli flag!

Curriculum Themes:

A Land & Its People

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

15 Minutes

Physical Space:

Number of Campers:

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

Icebreaker - getting to know other people

The sense that people have all different kinds of relationships with Israel

Explanation:

The faciliator will gather the campers/participants on a large field or in a large open indoor space. They will be instructed that this will be a game of tag, but not a traditional game of tag. The facilitator will ask everyone to follow the directions of each task.

The first task – please find someone from a different city or whom you don't know from home. Great! You should all be standing in pairs, holding hands. (If you are shomer n’giah, you may find an alternative to holding hands, of course.)

Next, please discuss and add up among the two of you how many years you have been at your camp. Now, find another pair that matches (or comes close to) your number. Great! You should now be standing in groups of four.

Next task is to talk amongst yourselves and determine how many times the members in your quartet have visited Israel combined. If you are playing this game with staff and have a shaliach in your foursome, consider yourselves lucky! You have a lifer! And add the number of the non-shlichim in your group and then add 10 to your number. Now find another quartet that matches (or comes close to) your number. Great! You should now be in standing in groups of eight.

Now this gets fun! Please now circle up, huddle, and go over who everyone is in your group and what they love most about Israel (even if they haven't been).

Your next task now is to find another group of eight that has at least one person in that group who has been to Israel! Great! You should now be standing in groups of sixteen.

Our next to last task is to get into 3 groups of 32. In order to do that, please circle up and huddle with your group of 16. A staff member will now bring to your group a slip of paper. Please read the slip of paper and accomplish your task!

SLIPS OF PAPER

(4 groups get this slip) Your task is to stand in a line, shoulder to shoulder with your backs right up against the long end of the open space, facing the space. There will be another group with this same assignment. Please include them in your line. There are three other groups getting this slip of paper. You can only partner with one other group and your two groups must be standing opposite and facing the other two groups.

(2 groups get this slip) Your task is to create a standing equilateral triangle in the very center of the field using all 16 people in your group. There will be another group with this same assignment. Please ensure that their triangle and your triangle overlap to make a Magen David.

The faciliator should be in a place where a picture from above can be taken and the ideal way to end this program is to play Hatikvah on a loud speaker and get everyone to sing along while showing them an Israeli flag so they recognize the shape they're standing in.

Variations:

You can always do this with smaller/less groups.

Curricular Subjects:

Current Events

The Hebrew Alphabet Paparazzi

Joy Langer — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 21:20:08 +0000

Discover you know Hebrew when you look through your camera lens, do yoga, and eat glida! Look for abstracted Hebrew letters around you and photograph beautiful meaningful art. Move your body and get a great yoga workout spelling Hebrew words with your peers. Celebrate what you’ve learned, Ben Yehudah, and have some glida! This Hebrew literacy through art program is great for visual and kinesthetic learners.

Curriculum Themes:

Materials Required:

see attached materials list

Program Duration:

Full-day program

Physical Space:

Number of Campers:

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

To learn kinesthetic and visual ways to approach teaching Hebrew

To use digital cameras to think abstractly

To learn some basics in composing a successful photograph

To learn about Ben Yehudah and the Hebrew language

To learn Hebrew letters and words through photography as medium

To learn how to incorporate yoga and movement into Hebrew literacy

To celebrate our national language with an ice cream party! To use culinary art to teach literacy.

Explanation:

1. Begin with a basic yoga warm up. Start with breathing exercises, mountain pose, downward dog, stretching, etc. Have a large Aleph Bet chart up somewhere participants can see it.
2. The facilitator will ask participants to make the sound of the bet. They will then try to move their body in the shape of an aleph. There are many ways of approaching this. Participants can move their body however they think it makes a bet. Be sure they move in ways that feel comfortable to them as no one should feel any pain. Ask the participants to come up with a few words that start with the letter bet. Repeat with a few other letters. Hand out alphabet sheets.
3. Invite participants to pair up to create letters and then eventually words.
4. Ask a few participants to photograph the poses.
5. Share a few successful photographs from magazines or from famous photographers. Discuss why they are successful. Introduce the terms: composition, contrast, focal point, and depth of field.
6. Share the abstracted photographs of letters from google searches.
7. Participants should make view finders with index cards by cutting a rectangular opening in the center of the index card to look through to search for letters and frame them before shooting.
8. Send participants in groups of 2-4 with a digital camera to photograph. Ask them to find letters of the Hebrew Alphabet and photograph them. Ask them to find as many as possible in the given time. If possible try to find letters that might create a Hebrew word. Give participants a few Hebrew words to “look for” around camp – see handout.
9. After participants photograph 5-10 letters in their groups, facilitator will send them to be printed.

Variations:

1. For younger participants and or beginning Hebrew language learners, facilitator can focus on the letters and create Aleph Bet books. You can do this in various styles. Participants can create group dictionary or individual books. Participants can come up with vocabulary word lists that start with each letter.

2. For older participants facilitator can expand this project into more conceptual art and create poetry or sentences. Each photograph can be thoughtful and used as a visual interpretation of the meaning of the word or phrase they write – example teva – where each letter is found in nature…. or a poem or teffilah about nature where the letters are all found in nature.

3. Participants can create acrostic poems with the letters.

4. Have a photo exhibit for the entire community and invite participants. Have the artists act as guides and explain their work to the viewers.

5. Older or more advanced Hebrew learners can create a yoga dance and tell a story highlighting the main words of the story with Hebrew yoga words and yoga art. They can tell any story or a brief biography of Ben Yehudah.

6. Younger participants can have a Hebrew letter scavenger hunt. To transition campers from one place to another, counselors can ask them to look for letters and photograph on the way. They can do this for a few days until they collect many letters.

Background Cards:

Supporting Materials:

Aleph Bet Handout.doc

Hebrew Literacy through Abstract Art Materials list.doc

Attribution:

Joy Langer

Stories Come Alive Late at Night at the Museum

JAR — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 03:05:28 +0000

Campers will create a sculpture museum demonstrating different stories from modern Israeli history. This is great for a group of campers who like to be physical and/or run around.

Curriculum Themes:

Materials Required:

none!

Program Duration:

1 hour

Physical Space:

Number of Campers:

A Division/Age Group (30 – 50 campers)

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

Campers will learn about the stories behind 4 important events in Israel: the foundation of the state, the Yom Kippur War, the illegal Aliya movement, and the 1977 Maccabi Tel Aviv European championship

A sense of the scope of different events throughout modern Israeli history

Explanation:

Step 1: Introducing the Museum

Introduce a benign concept such as "A Baseball Game" and ask a few volunteers to come up and create a sculpture that represents the theme of a baseball game. Once the sculpture is in place and has been frozen, the leader will invite the rest of the group to come walk around the sculpture (of frozen people) being careful not to get too close to the 'artwork' and certainly not to touch it.

Step 2: Stepping into the Story

The leader will then give instructions for the activity:
- You will be split into groups and each group will be tasked with creating four different sculptures, one for each story on the sheet (see attached resource). The rules stipulate that every member of the group must be a part of every sculpture. There will be four exhibits, and you must create your sculptures in order of the sheet.
- The leader will then split everyone into groups. Each exhibit will get 4 minutes of prep time followed by the groups displaying at once. The leader will walk around and invite one group at a time (and only one group at a time) to release their sculpture to walk around to see the others and then return to their sculpture form in time for the next group to take the tour. This will happen four times.

Stage 3: Wrap-Up

The leader should ask everyone what the experience was like being a sculpture of a frozen scene in Israeli modern history. Did they learn anything new?
How did they decide what moment to portray? Was there disagreement in the group?

IMPORTANT NOTE:

You are strongly encouraged to try coming up with your own moments in Modern Israeli History that you feel would be interesting for the campers to play with. They could be part of a curriculum that already exists, that the campers have been studying, or they could be new for most of the campers. (This activity can be used both as an introductory activity and/or as a review activity, or both).
Engage with your Israeli staff to think of stories they might know that would work in this activity.
If you are choosing new moments for this activity, you should be sure to give a summary blurb of the event along with several key elements and historical facts about the event. The events you choose do not have to be positive, happy events, though that is encouraged.
They should involve several characters, moments of suspense or achievement, and they should be uniquely about Israel.

Variations:

Variations in Format:

If you have campers who are really into drama, you can turn this into a drama program by having them act out a crucial moment in the story instead of creating a tableau.
This can also be done in a photography class. Take pictures of each of the tableaus (including close-ups of different parts) and display them around camp (or on your website) with an explanation of the story.

Variations in Content:

There are endless variations on the type of stories you use. For younger kids, you might want to choose simpler stories, or just places (like the shuk or the Dead Sea).

Background Cards:

Supporting Materials:

Night at the Museum.docx

Oh, the Places You'll Go: A Scavenger Hunt

Rachel Levin — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 21:35:09 +0000

Campers will break into teams and collect information and artifacts related to cities in Israel from counselors, other campers, CITs, and shlichim. The group with the most points at the end wins!

Curriculum Themes:

A Land & Its People

Materials Required:

Program Duration:

1 hour

Physical Space:

Outdoor Space

Number of Campers:

Age of Campers:

Inter Camp (10 – 12)

Core Learnings:

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

Each city is known for its specific historical or religious characteristics/sites (the Kotel in Jerusalem, the Bahai gardens in Haifa, Kabalah in Tsfat, etc.)

Everyone who has visited or knows about Israel has unique personal stories to share

Explanation:

Stage 1: Getting Ready

Divide the campers into groups of 3-5 by handing each of them pieces of a puzzle. Ask them to find their team members who will each have the same color paper as them. Instruct the campers to put their puzzles together upside down and tape the back together. When they flip it over, they will see that it is a map of Israel.
Explain that they will be going on a scavenger hunt to find out facts about different areas of Israel.

Stage 2: The Hunt is On!

Give each group of campers a scavenger hunt sheet (see attached resource).
In order to fulfill the tasks, campers will need to interview counselors, staff, CITs, shlichim, and other campers who have visited or know about Israeli cities and sites.
Each interviewee can only answer two questions. (This may not work for your group. Feel free to change the rules if you need!)
Before the activity, inform people around camp that campers will be approaching them with questions. Before campers ask a question, they must point to the city or site about which they are asking.
Give the campers 30 minutes to complete as many tasks as possible without splitting up as a group. The whole team must stay together!
If each group has a digital camera to record them doing activities then this will help prove their accomplishments (and more challenges can be added to the list).

Stage 3: Wrap-up

At the end, each of the groups will present their findings and share their stories.
Ask what were the most surprising facts they learned or the best stories they heard.
Counselors should add up the points each team achieved.

Variations:

More questions and challenges can be added to the existing list, along with more cities/sites.
Staff members can be assigned to answer certain questions about cities with which they are familiar and the campers will need to find that specific counselor.

Background Cards:

Supporting Materials:

Israel Scavenger Hunt.docx

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

Israeli Schlep

JAR — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 20:11:35 +0000

Schlep is Yiddish for ‘lug stuff around’ and while that might not sound like a lot of fun...it actually IS! In 'Schlep', groups of campers -- perhaps divided by cabin -- are asked to bring to the activity a pillowcase full of random stuff from their cabins. The random stuff then becomes iconic items in Israel as the competition heats up and the cultural funducation ensues!

Program Duration:

1 hour

Physical Space:

Number of Campers:

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

Israeli iconic symbols (menorah, shield, star of david, olive branch, etc.)

Israel's geographic diversity (Eliat, Jerusalem, the Negev, Ein Gedi, kibbutzim, the beach, etc.)

Foods native to Israel (falafel & pita, oranges)

Explanation:

Stage 1: Explaining the Game of Schlep!

Campers should be divided into equal groups and seated around the space in a circle equidistant from the center. (Make sure they are equidistant otherwise one team will have an advantage!)
The leader should stand in the center of the circle with a microphone or loud voice. Once everyone is seated in their groups with their pillowcases full of stuff, the leader should explain the game.
The name of the game is “Israeli Schlep” and here’s the way it works:
- The leader will call out a word that represents something found in Israel or something that represents Israel. Each group then has two minutes to create a representation of that word using people of the group and at least one object from the bag, and schlep it to the leader (or judges table if there is one). Points will be awarded based on speed and creativity.
The leader will then do a test round for no points. The leader should not just say a word from the list included below. Rather, the leader should describe how it fits in Israeli life. For instance:
- Ein Gedi is a beautiful park in Israel that contains a waterfall. Schlep over a ‘waterfall’.
- The national emblem of Israel is actually a Menorah. Bring me a ‘menorah.’
This way, the campers will learn something about Israel (there’s a waterfall? in the desert?) and will have fun at the same time!
The leader should stress that it's not just about putting objects together but using the people in the group to create a picture.

Stage 2: Playing!

THE LIST:

You will need this list to facilitate the program (please add to it and add to this template). Feel free to add your own, especially in consultation with the Israelis on your staff:

In Israel, many people eat FALAFEL AND PITA SANDWICHES. Schlep over a FALAFEL AND PITA SANDWICH.
The national symbol of Israel is a MENORAH. Schlep over a MENORAH.
The symbol on the Israeli flag is the STAR OF DAVID. Schlep over the STAR OF DAVID.
Israel is home to olive trees, lots of them. Schlep over an OLIVE BRANCH
Israel has lots of shoreline where people go to the beach. Schlep over some SAND.
The sun is bright in Israel, especially since the buildings in Jerusalem are all made of white Jerusalem stone. Schlep over some SUNGLASSES.
THE WESTERN WALL is the last remaining exterior wall of the Temple in Jerusalem. Schlep over THE WESTERN WALL
Want to get around in the Negev (the Israeli desert?). Ride a CAMEL. Schlep over a CAMEL.
Another symbol of Israeli strength is the SHIELD. Schlep over a SHIELD.
In the Negev, there are a people called Bedouins. They live in really neat tents. Schlep over a BEDOUIN TENT.
In Israel, there is a park called Ein Gedi which has a WATERFALL. Schlep over a WATERFALL.
In Eilat you can get lots of things...including a SUNBURN! Schlep over a SUNBURN.
In Israel, some people live on a communal farm called a KIBBUTZ. Schlep over a KIBBUTZ.
Motorola developed the cell phone in Israel, and voicemail was invented in Israel too! Schlep over a CELLPHONE.
Israel is home to many fruits and vegetables. One fruit that grows in Israel is the ORANGE. Schlep over an ORANGE.

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 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=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

Whose Line is it Anyway: Israel Edition

JAR — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 22:41:32 +0000

Whose Line is it Anyway: Israel Edition uses the format of the famous and funny TV show "Whose Line is it Anyway?" but replaces the scenarios with those involving characters and storylines from modern Israeli history and culture. The program allows many different participants for each 'game' and is always a lot of fun!

Curriculum Themes:

Materials Required:

see template

Program Duration:

1 hour

Physical Space:

Number of Campers:

Age of Campers:

Core Learnings:

Campers will learn about a series of Israeli innovations, events, foods, and personalities, as determined by each camp.

Explanation:

Each game should take about 15 minutes, but could go longer or shorter depending on the group.

Game 1: News Team

The leader will ask for four volunteers to come stand up in front of the group. Each of these volunteers will be members of the news team, at the foot of Har Hertzl in front of a huge celebration honoring Israel’s 65th birthday. The leader should identify two anchors (who will stand in the middle), one weather person (who will stand to one side of the anchors), and one sports reporter (who will stand on the other side). The leader should inform the ‘audience’ that each of these news team members has a flaw. The leader should go one by one to establish (through suggestions from the audience) what those flaws are. (Examples: this person is allergic to what? This person thinks he/she is which inanimate object? This person thinks this is not a news show, but what kind of TV show?, etc.) Once each news team member has been given a flaw, they should also receive a note card with one fact. These cards should be prepared ahead of time using the facts provided below (or your own Israel facts!). The news team members have to incorporate the info on their cards along with showcasing their flaws.

News fact: Israel is the only country in the world that entered the 21st century with a net gain in its number of trees.

News fact: Voice mail technology was developed in Israel.

Sports fact: Israel's Maccabi basketball team won the European championships in 2001.

Weather fact: In March of 2012 it snowed in Jerusalem for the first time in four years!

The leader should explain out loud that the anchors will begin and end the broadcast and at certain points pass the broadcast over to the weather and sports person, respectively, before signing off for the end of the broadcast. The leader should then say “3, 2, 1, Action!” and let the news team go!

Game 2: Party Quirks

Sticking with the ‘65th anniversary party’ theme, the leader will ask for 1 really brave volunteer. The leader will send that volunteer, who will be called the ‘host of the party’ with another staff member into the ‘sound proof booth’ (far enough away or in another room so that the volunteer can’t hear what’s going on in the space where the game is being played). The leader will then ask for 6 volunteers to come stand up front. Each of these volunteers will be guests at the party that the ‘host’ is throwing. The catch? Each volunteer has to be a famous person or inanimate object in Israel’s history. Get ideas from the audience. (Examples: David Ben-Gurion, Golda Meir, Ilan Ramon, a bolt of lightning (as operation thunderbolt), etc.) Once everyone has their identities picked out, the host can come back in and mock ‘set-up’ his/her party. The leader will say ‘ding dong’ as each new guest enters. And the leader should not let the party get too crowded... space out the arrivals so the ‘host’ has some time to guess the identity of the guest based on the guest’s behavior.

*two tips for this game: either the ‘host’ should be an adult or staff member who knows enough to guess the guests when they come in OR this game should be played at the end of a period of time where the group has learned about different people in modern Israeli history.

Game 3: Quote Bubbles

The leader should ask for four volunteers. Two will stand in the the middle facing each other and be engaged in a conversation in nonsense language, making it up. Behind each person will be standing the ‘translator’ for that person. Every time ‘person A’ speaks, everyone will pause while the translator translates what ‘person A’ was really saying. Then the same for ‘person B.’ The leader will, after assigning roles, ask the audience for suggested scenarios by first asking for a location in Israel, then asking for a scene/conversation that could be happening in that location. A fun thing to do is to have the people switch positions and do a new round with new scenarios/locations from the audience but the same volunteers, just in opposite roles.

Game 4: Press Conference

The leader picks one volunteer to come stand up in front of the group. The volunteer will be speaking behind a podium (if you have a podium, awesome -- if not, no need). The volunteer is at a press conference and must deduce his/her own identity and the event being discussed from the questions posed by the audience/reporters. The volunteer must try to answer the questions appropriately and accurately. The subject of the press conference is a known figure making an announcement about a big event in modern Israeli history. (Options include: 1978 Peace Treaty with Egypt, Omri Casspi becoming first Israeli to join NBA team, Israel winning its first Olympic gold medal, Ilan Ramon enters space as Israel's first astronaut, or any other subject you might choose from the background cards). The questions should be pre-written on note cards.

SAMPLE SCENARIO:

Cornell University partners with Israel’s world famous Technion University to create new Science University on New York City’s Roosevelt Island making it the first U.S. campus for an Israeli University!

SPEAKER: NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg

SAMPLE QUESTIONS TO BE WRITTEN ON NOTE CARDS (YOU CAN HAVE MANY MORE):

1. Mr. Mayor, what is so special about Israeli science and technology?
2. Mr. Mayor, does your city really need another university?
3. Mr. Mayor, will you have to build a new bridge from Manhattan for the students to access Roosevelt Island?
4. Mr. Mayor, Cornell has a great reputation. Why would it need to partner with a science & technology university from another country?

The Leader should have the volunteer guess as he/she goes along answering the questions.

Game 5: Israeli Themed Restaurant

The leader asks for 3 volunteers. Two will be seated at a table, one will be the waiter standing next to the table. The waiter will not have menus, but instead will have to recite the menu to the people sitting down who will have to decide on what to eat. The waiter will then go and come back with the food (leaving a little time for the diners to exchange small talk), and then the diners will have to describe the food they’re mock-eating in great detail. The food on the menu must all be Israeli food (cous cous, hummus, Israeli salad, falafel, rugelach, etc.)

Variations:

You can always switch out different topics as mentioned above, or different games as well. The order doesn't matter. Though I find starting with 'news team' is always a sure first game.

Curricular Subjects:

Current Events

Attribution:

"Whose Line is it Anyway" - the British and US TV shows