Facts, Faces and Facets of Israel-Part 1-Roots

“ROOTS”- LESSON 1 – WHO NEEDS A LAND ANYWAY?

Goal

To show that being Jewish involves more than the observance of a series of religious rituals that can be performed by individuals anywhere; it includes also belonging to the Jewish people, or nation, who were assigned a land within which they are meant to fulfill their national goals.

Materials

Included in the kit: video with excerpts of Bush’s State of the Nation prior to the war in Iraq and landscapes of Israel; triangular “God, People, Land” chart, pins.

Included in the Student Reader: the text from Genesis

Needed: a video player

Suggested lesson Plan

Step 1 (10 minutes)

Begin with the trigger discussion.

Step 2 (10 minutes)

Study and analyze the text from Genesis.

Step 3 (10 minutes)

Classroom activity

Step 4 (10 minutes)

Conclude with the video of Israel landscapes

Suggested trigger

Since our aim is to show the national element in Judaism in which the Land plays a critical role, it is recommended to begin the lesson with a discussion that helps the students understand the difference between personal and national goals.

One way to illustrate this point is to ask the students to list some of their personal goals in life. Then ask to what extent can these goals be fulfilled by you and to what extent must you rely on others to assist you? How much do your goals depend on being in a particular place?

Then shift the focus to national goals. We suggest doing this in one of the following two manners: either A) read the following section from the opening of the U.S. Constitution written by the founding fathers or, B) show the video excerpt from George Bush’s State of the Nation address prior to the war in Iraq (included in the kit).

“We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Then ask, can these statements be described as goals? If so, what are they? What is the fundamental difference between these goals and the goals we discussed above?

A. These are national goals.

B. National goals require the presence of a population committed to a certain set of values or principles

C. One cannot speak of national goals without reference to a particular territory in which the nation’s population resides.

Now the students should be ready to read the text of the lesson and to appreciate its central message.

The Jewish founding fathers were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But what were their goals? Were they of the personal or of the national variety?

Let’s read one of the central biblical texts (included in the Student Reader along with its background) in which these goals are spelled out.

Text Study 

Background

This excerpt is taken from one of the central texts in the Bible as it spells out the basic terms of the covenant between God and Abraham and his descendants. These terms are repeated with slight variations to each of the three patriarchs (See Gen. 14:14-17, 15:1-21, 17:3-8, 26:3-4, 28:13-14, 35:10-12, 48:3-4) This excerpt is immediately followed by the laws of circumcision which serves as a token and reminder of the covenant.

Genesis 17:4-8

Abram threw himself on his face; and God spoke to him further, “As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You shall be the father of a multitude of nations. And you shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I make you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fertile, and make nations of you; and kings shall come forth from you. I will maintain My covenant between Me and you, and your offspring to come, as an everlasting covenant throughout the ages, to be God to you and to your offspring to come. I assign the land you sojourn in to you and your offspring to come, all the land of Canaan, an as everlasting holding. I will be their God.

Analysis

What goals (assuming these are in fact goals) are mentioned in this text? Are they personal or national goals? What is the role of the land?

Abram is to be renamed Abraham as a sign of his God-given destiny to be the spiritual father of many nations and to be the forefather of a particular nation in a particular land which will enjoy a special relationship – called “covenant” – with God.

So we see that, similar to the founding fathers of the U.S., the goals of the Jewish founding fathers were not personal or merely religious in nature; they involved the creation of a nation in a particular land with particular national goals. Unlike the former, however, the goals of the Jewish founding fathers were determined by God and focused on the relationship between Him and the People (covenant).

Thus, to be Jewish is not merely to belong to a particular religion or even to a synagogue. It is first and foremost to belong to a particular people, later to be known as the Jewish people, who are inextricably linked to a particular land, later to be known as the Land of Israel.

Classroom Activity

Show the students the “God, People, Land” chart (included in the kit) and explain how it illustrates the theme of the lesson graphically. The three sides of the triangle represent the 3 essential features of Judaism: God, People, Land, in interaction with one another. Some Jews identify more with one feature than another but being Jewish ultimately should involve some interaction of the three.

At this point the students should be asked to take a pin (included in the kit) and attach it to a place in the chart which they think best represents their own Jewish identity. If any interesting patterns emerge both the teacher and the students should comment on them.

Concluding video presentation

Now that we’ve explained the importance of the land to the Jewish national goals we need to see what is unique about the particular land that was assigned to us. The landscape video (included in the kit) provides a visual guide to the unique features of the Land of Israel.

“ROOTS” – LESSON 2 – THE JEWISH PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMELAND: AT PEACE OR IN PIECES?

Goal

The goal of this, and the following, lesson is twofold: A) to show that the Land of Israel was not merely an ideal or a lofty divine promise but was rather a living historical reality that helped define our identity as a people, B) to connect the students to that historical reality by focusing on two themes which we believe are likely to resonate with our students today.

In the first lesson we will see whether the Jews living in the Land were able to live in peace with one another and in the second we will explore the role of the Temple for the people in the land.

Materials

Included in the kit: a map of Israel, nylon attachment illustrating the division of the Land according to tribes, envelopes on the different subjects containing texts, background to the texts, pictures, maps and questions for thought and discussion

Included in the Student Reader: all of the biblical texts (according to the JPS translation) included in this lesson

Suggested Lesson Plan

Step 1 (5 minutes)

Begin with one of the suggested triggers.

Step 2 (10-15 minutes)

Show the maps and discuss the question posed in the Introduction.

Step 3 (20 minutes)

Text study in 5 groups.

Step 4 (15 minutes)

Reassemble the class and have the students summarize their text and some of the answers to the questions. The summary should be conducted in the order that the texts are presented in the Teacher Guide. If there is not enough time for the students to summarize the text then the teacher should do so.

Opening Trigger

Since the lesson relates to ways in which the Jews were organized as people in their Land it is recommended to raise questions, or a real situation, which touch upon this issue. For example, the teacher may ask the students how they feel about the differences between U.S. states in taxes, in driving age, or in the death penalty. Alternatively, the teacher may cite a recent case in which these differences were highlighted and then ask the students to express their feelings on them. Is it good that citizens of the same country should be divided into states and be subject to different laws? What are the pros and cons of this system?

Introduction to the Lesson

After this brief trigger discussion the teacher should show the students the map of contemporary Israel (included in the kit) and then, with the help of the students, quickly point to the main cities and sites in Israel today (such as Tel-Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and the seas). Then pull down the nylon attachment illustrating the ancient division of the Land according to tribes (included in the kit). Depending on the background of the students it may be necessary to say a few words about the origins and names of the twelve tribes.

At this point it is recommended to have a brief discussion about the division of the Land according to tribes. Then ask, what are the pros and the cons of this division? Keep in mind the landscape video that we saw last week!

Pros: By assigning different tribes to different regions each tribe could benefit from the unique features of each region. Thus, the tribes near the central coast could enjoy the import and export goods via the sea, the fish market and farming and the tribes on the northern coast could benefit from its quality wood, the tribes in the mountains could utilize the various rocks for building stone, as well as iron and copper, the tribes in the south could enjoy the abundant grains and raise sheep, and tribes in the central and northern inland regions could enjoy bountiful and varied fruit and fertile land for agriculture. In this way, the diversity of the tribes could be respected and the expertise that each tribe developed as a result of this expertise can contribute to the welfare of the people as a whole.

Cons: On the other hand, by encouraging this diversity it may be harder to maintain the unity of the people as a whole. How would they be able to preserve a shared culture and religious values and lifestyles? What would happen when an enemy threatens to invade the territory near one of the tribes but does not threaten the others? Would they work together or would each tribe be left to fend for itself? Furthermore, what would happen when internal tensions will arise? Will they be able to work together to solve problems or will each tribe try to defend its own members and its own turf?

After this discussion, teachers should explain that the subject of this lesson is events and issues that relate to the way in which the people organized themselves as a people in their land and whether they were able to live “in peace” or “in pieces”.

Text Study

Given the number of texts necessary to discuss the subject intelligently as well as the time limitations, we strongly recommend dividing the class into groups and assigning one text to each group (the texts and their background can also be found in the Student Reader). In order to facilitate the text study we have placed each text into an envelope along with background information, pictures, maps and guiding questions (included in the kit). In an effort to maximize the learning experience we have also assigned a place for each envelope on the map in accordance with the location where that event took place. Please connect each envelope to the appropriate place on the map. Students should study the subject that is of interest to them. Of course, if too many students choose one subject it will be necessary for the teacher to intervene and arrange a more balanced division of the class.

The groups must be told that they will be given no more than 15 or 20 minutes to complete their text study and that they must appoint a representative who will summarize the substance of the text in front of the class.

The role of the teacher in this text study format is to facilitate and supervise the text study of the students. In order to do so, the teacher’ guide includes the substance of each of the envelopes.

Methodological note for the teacher: keep in mind that we are not necessarily studying Jewish history as such. Rather, we are studying events as they are recorded in the Bible and as they have been transmitted over the generations. Whether or not these events actually took place in the way they are recorded is not a question we wish to address in this context.

Text 1 – “When one tribe is at war with all the others” (Judges 19:1, 14-30; 20:11-17)

Background

The biblical Book of Judges covers the period of after the initial conquest by Joshua, roughly 1200-1025 BCE. During this time, the tribes had no permanent central political leadership. Besides tribal and local elders there appeared from time to time a hero known as a shofet (translated as “judge”, hence the name of the book “Judges”). The shofet’s main role was to lead some, and at times all, the tribes in battle against the various Canaanite kings and against Moabite, Midianite and Ammonite invaders. The story in this text concludes the Book of Judges and seems to be making a statement about the period as a whole.

Questions for thought and discussion:

1. What do you think of the Levite’s behavior?
2. What do you think of the Benjaminites refusal to hand over the guilty members of their tribe for punishment?
3. What do you think about the reaction of the other tribes to their refusal?
4. In what way might a central leadership have been able to prevent this terrible affair?

Text 2 – “A critical debate about the leadership of the people” (I Samuel 8:1-22)

Background

The biblical Book of Judges describes the some of the events that took place during the period after the initial conquest by Joshua, roughly 1200-1025 BCE. During this time, the tribes had no permanent central political leadership. Besides tribal and local elders there appeared from time to time a hero known as a shofet (translated as “judge”, hence the name of the book “Judges”). The shofet’s main role was to lead some, and at times all, the tribes in battle against the various Canaanite kings and against Moabite, Midianite and Ammonite invaders. These shofetim (plural of shofet) disappeared from the scene after the enemy was defeated. As long as the threat was in a particular region of the country and to a particular tribe, or group of tribes, these leaders sufficed. Circumstances however changed with the increasing strength of the Philistines and the threat that they posed to the existence of the nation as a whole. Local “judges” would no longer be able to galvanize the people in a large scale campaign against this powerful enemy. The People turned to the prophet (i.e. the spiritual leader) Samuel and requested a fundamental change in the leadership of the People that is described in this text.

Questions for thought and discussion:

1. What are the various motives behind the peoples’ request for a king?

2. Try to explain Samuel’s reaction to their request.

3. Try to explain God’s reaction to their request.

4. The people said: “That we may be a nation like all other nations”. To what extent should the people in the Land be similar to, and to what extent different from, all other nations?

Text 3 – “Jerusalem the Capital City” (II Samuel 5:4-12; 6:12-19)

Background

The first king of the People of Israel was Saul from the tribe of Benjamin. Saul successfully united the people and led them in battle over their enemies. Saul’s successor was David from the tribe of Judah. The problem was that after David was anointed king over Judah, Abner, Saul’s army commander, decided to anoint Saul’s son Ish-bosheth as king over the other tribes. This led to bitter warfare from which David emerged victorious. Although David succeeded in establishing his authority over the entire people, he would have a very difficult time maintaining it because by this time the People of Israel were no longer a coalition of tribes but a nation divided into the South (the tribe of Judah) and the North (the other tribes). What could he do to solidify his authority over a unified people? One of David’s monumental acts is described in this text.

Questions for thought and discussion:

1. How many of you have been to Jerusalem? What did you feel when you were there? What parts of it do you remember the most?
2. Look at the enclosed map. Why do you think David chose Jerusalem as his capital?
3. What was the significance of his transferring the Ark from Obed-edom’s house to Jerusalem?
4. What do you think of David’s actions surrounding the transfer of the Ark?

Text 4 – “Can the Leader Satisfy Everyone?” (II Samuel 19:42-44; 20:1-2, 14-22) 

Background

Although King David enjoyed immense popularity in the early part of his reign, he introduced some changes which led to a growing dissatisfaction with his regime and, later, to an open revolt led by his own son – Absalom – and by members of his own tribe – Judah. David saw that virtually the entire country was against him, and he was forced to flee Jerusalem and go across the Jordan River. Although David had defeated the rebel forces, there was no guarantee that the people would be interested in allowing him to return to Jerusalem and reclaim the throne. Nevertheless, momentum was building among the People of Israel in his favor. Most people understood that since David was responsible for delivering them from their enemy – the Philistines – he had earned his right to the throne.

David, however, did not sit idly by and wait for the people to control his fate; he decided to solidify his power base by seeking support from members of his own tribe, Judah. First, he emphasized their personal bond and then he allowed (encouraged? ordered?) them to escort him back across the Jordan in his return to Jerusalem. This caused enormous resentment which is described in our text.

Questions for thought and discussion:

1. Explain the source of the tension between the tribe of Judah and the other tribes (referred to as the “men of Israel”)
2. Do you think it is possible for a leader of a nation to satisfy everyone? If not, who should he try to satisfy first, second, third, etc.?
3. The text tells us “All the men of Israel left David and followed Sheba son of Bichri.” Is this statement confirmed by subsequent events?
4. What would you have done if you were from a tribe other than Judah and you were living at the time?

Text 5 – “Two Kings, Two Kingdoms: The Tragic End of Jewish Unity” (I Kings 12:1-20)

Background

One of the central manifestations of the wealth of the kingdom of Solomon (965-928 BCE) was his building projects throughout the land and in Jerusalem – “the royal city” – in particular. There he built the Temple (We will discuss the Temple in our next lesson) and the royal palace, thus reinforcing Jerusalem as the center of the kingdom, a process first initiated by his father David.

These large-scale building projects were implemented through two types of taxes: the corvee (ha-mas) – various types of forced labor and the levy (sebel) – the provision of supplies for the royal court and the army. In order to simplify the tax collection Solomon divided the kingdom into twelve districts and each would be responsible for labor and provisions one month per year. Solomon apparently continued to show favoritism to the tribe of Judah by exempting (or partly exempting) them from these taxes. This tax burden was tolerated as long as the wealth of the kingdom was shared by the masses. However, towards the end of his reign, when his kingdom experienced a political and economic crisis, feelings of resentment and anger became increasingly widespread. After Solomon died and was scheduled to be replaced by his son Rehoboam the people finally spoke up. That is the subject of our text.

Questions for thought and discussion:

1. Try to explain the advice given to Rehoboam by the elders and by the youngsters.
2. Why do you think he chose to listen to the youngsters?
3. What do you think about the behavior of the tribes of Israel in this affair?
4. What are the issues today that threaten the unity of the Jewish people today?

Summary of the key ideas

In this lesson we saw that the Jews living in the Land had a difficult time creating a climate of peaceful relations among themselves. We saw a tragic incident that led to internal warfare, and we saw that even when they were unified, such as in their request for a king, they were not always motivated by a desire to maintain their distinctive identity as Jews. Although one of the highlights of their unity as a people was when King David ascended the throne and established Jerusalem as their capital it didn’t take long before relations among the people disintegrated, and the members of the tribes other than David’s own – Judah – revolted against him. Even when Solomon later managed to unify the people, relations among them disintegrated immediately after his death. By then the people of Israel were irrevocably split into two separate kingdoms. 

“ROOTS’ – LESSON 3 – A TEMPLE LIKE NONE OTHER: THE HOLY TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM

Goal

As we mentioned, the general goal of this and the preceding lesson is to show that the Land of Israel was a living historical reality that helped define our identity as a people, and to connect our students to that historical reality by focusing on themes which we believe are likely to resonate with our students today. In this particular lesson we will try to understand the role that the Temple played in the lives of the Jews in the Land.

Materials

Included in the kit: a video clip of the major events that took place in the Land according to the Bible, a model of the Temple, and envelopes on the different subjects containing texts, background to the texts, pictures, maps and questions for thought and discussion

Included in the Student Reader: all of the biblical texts (according to the JPS translation) included in this lesson

Needed: a video player

Suggested Lesson Plan

Step 1 (5 minutes)

Begin with the suggested trigger.

Step 2 (20 minutes)

Text study in 4 groups. The text study is similar to that of the previous lesson in that we have placed each text in an envelope with relevant background information, maps, pictures and questions for discussion and thought. Nevertheless, unlike the previous lesson, we recommend assigning envelopes randomly rather than allowing the students to choose subjects based on their personal interest.

Here too the groups must be told that they will be given no more than 15 or 20 minutes to complete their text study and answer the questions, and that they must appoint a representative who will summarize the substance of the text in front of the class.

Step 3 (15 minutes)

Reassemble the class and have the students summarize their text and some of the answers to the questions. The summary should proceed in the order in which the texts are presented in the Teacher’s Guide. If there is not enough time for the students to summarize the text then the teacher should do so.

Step 4 (10 minutes)

Show the video clip (included) which summarizes some of the major events of the people in the Land of Israel in biblical times, including the ones that we studied in these two lessons. This enables the students to connect the texts and the stories with actual places and helps bring them to life.

Trigger

Since the goal of this lesson is to offer some insights into the role of the Temple in the lives of the people in the Land of Israel we suggest showing them the model of the Temple (included) and asking them a series of questions that will get them to think about some of the issues that we will study in this lesson.

The following are some suggested questions: Would you want such a building in Columbus, Ohio? If so, how much would you be willing to spend in its upkeep? What impact do you think it might have on the Jewish community as a whole and on the various religious and social groups within the community? Do you think it is possible for one religious center to service the needs of an entire community?

In this lesson we will see the role that the Temple played in the lives of the people in the land at the time.

Text Study

Text 1 – “The Dedication of the Temple” – I Kings 8:1-21, 27-40

Background

According to the biblical account, the Jews built a Tabernacle housing the Ark containing the Ten Commandments that was to accompany them in the journey through the desert from Egypt to the Promised Land. This Tabernacle was placed in the middle of the camp when they rested thus symbolizing God’s presence in their midst. When they finally entered the Land of Israel they set it up as a permanent fixture in Shiloh in the territory of Ephraim where it rested for around 200 years until the people decided to remove it so that it would lead them in battle against the Philistines. However, the Jews were defeated and the ark was captured. Eventually it was placed in Jerusalem by King David. Although David wished to build a Temple for the Ark in Jerusalem God told him that this privilege will only be granted to his son Solomon. Thus, the building of the Temple was the highlight of Solomon’s rule.  

Questions for thought and discussion

1. What was the general mood of the people during the dedication of the Temple?
2. What term does Solomon use to describe the Temple? What is its implication?
3. How is the Temple supposed to help the people in the Land?
4. Can you think of ways in which the Temple still plays a role in our lives as Jews today?

Text 2 – What price should be paid for the building of the Temple? – I Kings 5:15-26; 9:10-13

Background

The Phoenicians located along the northern Mediterranean coast were the unchallenged masters of the sea in Solomon’s day. The city of Tyre led by king Hiram had become the senior power among the Phoenician city states. Furthermore, Tyre was the major player in international commerce and was able to obtain precious metals such as gold, and the Tyrian mountain range of Lebanon was a source of supreme building timber. The Land of Israel under king Solomon sat on several major trade routes. Furthermore, it is a fertile land featuring excellent grains, and well cultivated orchards and vineyards. Thus, when Solomon sought building materials for the Temple (and his royal palace) he could turn to Hiram in the hope that he could work out a deal that would be of benefit to both parties.

Questions for thought and discussion

1. What did Solomon offer in return for cedar trees for the building of the Temple?
2. What are the differences between Solomon’s offer and Hiram’s counter proposal?
3. According to 9:10-13 what did Solomon have to include in the deal to make it worthwhile for Hiram? Despite this was Hiram satisfied?
4. What do you think about the fact that Solomon gave up 20 towns in the Galilee to support his building projects?
5. In general under what circumstances do you think it is okay to give up territory in the Land of Israel? (we will return to this question later in the course)

Text 3 – Can one Temple satisfy all the people? – I Kings 12:25-33

Background

In our previous lesson we discussed the split in the nation into the Northern and Southern Kingdoms that occurred after the death of Solomon. Now, given the fact that the Temple was built in Jerusalem which is in the territory of Judah in the southern kingdom, the question is what would be the relationship of the northern tribes to the Temple? On the one hand, it was supposed to be God’s home on earth and the religious center of the people. On the other hand, how would they be able to maintain their identity as a separate kingdom if they would continue to view the Temple in Jerusalem as their religious center?

Questions for thought and discussion

1. What were Jeroboam’s motives for setting up shrines at Dan and Bethel?
2. What else did Jeroboam do to distinguish between the religious centers that he established in the northern kingdom and the Temple?
3. How do you explain his success in convincing the people to worship at these new shrines?
4. Do you think the Jews would be better or worse off with one religious center and one central religious authority? Do you think there are not enough, enough, or too many synagogues in your community?

Text 4 – The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple – II Kings 24:8- 25:11

Background

The Temple in Jerusalem built by Solomon around the year 950 BCE became the religious and spiritual capital of the Jewish people. It was located in the city of Jerusalem, established by David as the political center of the Jewish people some 50 years earlier. Even after the people were split into two kingdoms, the Temple and Jerusalem remained the centers of Jewish life for the people of the southern kingdom of Judea for over 300 years. However, in the year 609 BCE the Babylonians, otherwise known as the Chaldeans, became the dominant force in the region. In the winter of 598 BCE they invaded Judah and were approaching Jerusalem. The subsequent events are described in this text.

Questions for thought and discussion

1. What is the reason given in the text for the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonians?
2. In your view, which events were the more devastating: the carrying off the treasures of the Temple, the initial exile of the notables of the land, the murder of King Zedekiah, the burning of Jerusalem, the burning of the Temple, or the exile of the remnant of the population? 
3. Why do you think the Babylonians opted for exile as a way of dealing with the conquered population of Judah?
4. Some people refer to continued Jewish existence outside the Land of Israel as life in “exile” (Heb. galut) and others refer to as life in the “Diaspora” (Heb. tefutsot). What is the difference between these two terms? Which term do you think best describes the Jewish community in the U.S.?

Summary of the key ideas

In this lesson we tried to understand the role that the Temple in Jerusalem played in the lives of the people in the Land. We saw that the completion of Temple – regarded as God’s home on earth – was greeted by the people with great fanfare and excitement. However, we also saw that the building of the Temple came at a price. To gain access to the high-quality Tyrian timber Solomon had to offer an annual payment of food and twenty towns in the Galilee. We then saw how quickly the Jerusalem Temple lost its mass appeal. Once the people were split into two kingdoms the people of the north no longer viewed the Temple as their center of religion and set up two alternate centers to replace it. Finally, we saw how the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem was a devastating event which marked the end of Jewish life as it was known until then and which placed the future of the Jewish people in doubt.

“ROOTS” – LESSON 4 – EXILE FROM THE LAND: HOW WOULD WE SURVIVE?

Goal of the lesson

The goal of this lesson is to show the enormous challenge that exile from the Land posed to Jewish survival and the strategies that the Jews developed to overcome this challenge.

Materials

Included in the kit: a video clip of 9/11

Included in the Student Reader: all the texts of this lesson

Needed: a video player

Suggested Lesson Plan

Step 1 (10 minutes)

Begin with the film and the trigger discussion.

Step 2 (10 minutes)

Continue with the Introduction and then explain the term “Jew” and “Judaism” and what it reveals about the problem of survival outside the Land.

Step 3 (5 minutes)

Study text 1 and explain how it relates to the question of the lesson. If there is time it may be worth mentioning the custom of breaking a glass under the Chuppah which is derived from this verse.

Step 4 (10 minutes)

Study text 2 and explain how it relates to the question of the lesson

Step 5 (10 minutes)

Study texts 3 and 4, or if you are pressed for time choose one of the two, and explain how they relate to the question of the lesson.

Step 6 (5 minutes)

Summarize the approaches or strategies for Jewish survival that emerged from these texts. Then ask the students to compare these strategies to the ones they suggested in the Al Qaeda scenario that we discussed at the beginning of the lesson. Then ask them whether they think their strategies would have worked for the Jews at the time? Would the strategies in the texts have helped them preserve American culture in Afghanistan?

Trigger

In order to help the students understand the enormity of the devastation caused by the destruction and the exile we suggest beginning the lesson with a brief video clip of 9/11 (included). Students should then be asked to describe how they felt and how it has affected their lives ever since. At this point, the students should be asked to comment on the following scenario:

Imagine if Al Qaeda had not merely blown up the Twin Towers and the thousands of people inside but had dropped a nuclear bomb which destroyed entire states including Ohio and killed not three thousand people but many millions! Then after dropping the bomb the Taliban destroyed Capitol Hill along with the White House and assumed central command over the entire country. Then, in an effort to rid the land of all opposition and all vestiges of American culture, they took all most of the survivors and forcibly exiled them to Afghanistan.

Now let us imagine that you are among the survivors who have just been exiled. You realize that America has been defeated and you are among the few who have the capacity to keep the memory of America alive. Only you and a handful of others can rescue American culture and values from permanent extinction.

What do you do?

Introduction

After allowing the students to comment and reflect on this horrifying scenario, the teacher should point out that this was not far from the reality actually experienced by the Jewish people in the beginning of the 6^th century BCE.

In our previous lessons we discussed the importance of Jerusalem as the capital city, and of the Temple as the religious center, for the Jewish People in the Land. Thus, we can begin to imagine the devastating effects of the burning of the Temple and the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians at the time. Furthermore, although we do not know exact numbers, it is clear that many of the inhabitants of the city and its surroundings had been killed, and most of the surviving leaders as well as a considerable percentage of the population were exiled to Babylonia. But in order to understand the extent of the devastation we must keep in mind that the Jewish people had been sovereign in their land for roughly 600 years and, up until that time, there had never been any kind of Jewish life outside the Land! Jewish identity and indeed their very idea of God were inextricably linked with the Land.

Thus, the question of whether they would survive as a people and whether they would be able to keep their culture alive was not a question that anyone could take for granted.

But in order to truly comprehend the difficulty of continuing Jewish life outside the Land let us think for a moment about the name of our religion and the name of its adherents.

Ask the students, what do you call yourselves religiously? What is the name of your religion? Does anybody know what the terms “Jew” and “Judaism” derive from?

Both terms derive from the tribe of “Judah”? But why should we, the children of Israel who were divided into 12 tribes, and our religion, be named specifically after the tribe of Judah?

The reason is because roughly 130 years before the destruction of the Temple and the exile of the population of Judah in the south, the Assyrians conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel and exiled its population. And what happened to the ten tribes after they were exiled into Assyria? They were most assimilated into the local culture and eventually ceased to exist as Jews (or more accurately as Israelites).

In other words, we are called “Jews” and our religion “Judaism” because Judah (and perhaps Benjamin as well) was the only tribe to survive the exile from the Land! Thus we see how incredibly difficult it would be to survive as Jews and preserve Jewish culture outside the Land of Israel.

But the Jews did survive! So, what was the key to their survival?  What did they do to avoid the fate of their brethren in the North?

Text Study

Text 1

Psalms 137:1-6

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat, sat and wept, as we though of Zion. There on the poplars we hung up our lyres, for our captors asked us there for songs, our tormentors, for amusement, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” How can we sing a song of the Lord on alien soil? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither; let my tongue stick to may palate if I cease to think of you, if I do not keep Jerusalem in memory even at my happiest hour.

What does this text tell us about Jewish survival after the destruction and the exile?

This text is a dramatic description of the yearning of the Babylonian exiles for Jerusalem: “By the rivers of Babylon there we sat and wept as we thought of Zion.” Indeed, the yearning was so intense that they couldn’t allow themselves to sing the “songs of Zion” while they were dwelling on the “alien soil” of Babylonia. At the same time they realized that, despite the loss of their Temple and their homeland, Jewish life must go on and happy occasions must once again be celebrated. They therefore made a pledge that although Jewish life would resume outside the Land, they will never forget their eternal connection to the Land and Jerusalem: “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither; let my tongue stick to my palate if I cease to think of you, if I do not keep Jerusalem in memory even at my happiest hour.” Thus we see that one of the keys to Jewish survival outside the Land is never forgetting their eternal bond to it.

The following text offers some other keys to Jewish survival outside the Land.

Text 2

Jeremiah 29:1-14

This is the text of the letter which the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the priests, the prophets, the rest of the elders of the exile community, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon…. Thus said the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel… Build houses and live in them, plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there, do not decrease. And seek the welfare of the city to which I have exiled you and pray to the Lord in its behalf; for in its prosperity you shall prosper… For thus said the Lord: When Babylon’s seventy years are over, I will take note of you, and I will fulfill to you promises of favor- to bring you back to this place. For I am mindful of the plans I have made concerning you – declares the Lord – plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a hopeful future. When you call Me, and come to pray to Me I will give heed to you. You will search for Me and find Me, if only you seek Me wholeheartedly. I will be at hand for you – declares the Lord – and I will restore your fortunes. And I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places to which I have banished you – declares the Lord – and I will bring you back to the place from which I have exiled you.

What does this text tell us about Jewish survival after the destruction and the exile?

Although when Jeremiah the prophet wrote this letter in 594 BCE Jerusalem and the Temple had not yet been destroyed and most of the people still remained in the Land, he wanted to lay the foundation for the survival of his people outside the Land and in the absence of the Temple. According to Jeremiah in this text there are 3 keys to Jewish survival in exile:

1. Ensuring their own survival as a people– although the Jews are in a foreign land they cannot despair. They must make every effort to start life anew under the new circumstances and make the best of the situation: “Build houses and live in them, plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons… multiply there do not decrease. Seek the welfare of the city to which I have exiled you and pray to the Lord in its behalf for in its prosperity you shall prosper”. Furthermore, since the exile will last for a while they should not have illusions of a premature return but rather accept their status as foreigners in a foreign land, and pray for the welfare of the country in which they reside because “in its prosperity you shall prosper”.
2. Faith in the eventual return – In the name of God, Jeremiah assures them “When seventy years of Babylonia are over… I will fulfill to you My promise of favor – to bring you back to this place”. In other words, although Jeremiah tells the People to focus their attention on rebuilding their lives in Babylonia, they can take comfort in the fact that the day will come when God will return them to their homeland and they will return to their days of glory once again.
3. Renewed commitment to God and Judaism – Jeremiah tells the people that God will fulfill His promise to bring them to the Land but only provided they learn to invoke God’s name, pray to Him and seek Him wholeheartedly. In other words, there has to be a renewed commitment to God and Jewish life or else their future cannot be guaranteed.

Thus, unlike text 1 which focuses on the memory of the past, this text tells us that the key to survival is to make the most of the present outside the Land, while having faith in the return to the Land in the future.

The faith in the eventual return of the people to the Land is described dramatically in the following two texts.

Note: If you are pressed for time read only one of the following texts. Choose the one that you think is the most appropriate for your students.

Text 3

Psalms 126

A Song of Ascents.

When the Lord restores the fortunes of Zion – we see it as in a dream – our mouths shall be filled with laughter, our tongues, with songs of joy. Then shall they say among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them!” The Lord will do great things for us and we shall rejoice. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like watercourses, in the Negeb. They who sow in tears shall reap with songs of joy. Though he goes along weeping, carrying the seed-bag, he shall come back with songs of joy, carrying his sheaves.

Text 4

From the Amidah Prayer (translated by the Sim Shalom Prayer Book)

Sound the great shofar to herald our freedom, raise high the banner to gather our exiles. Gather us together from the ends of the earth. Praised are You, Lord, who gathers the dispersed of His people Israel…

Have mercy, Lord, and return to Jerusalem, Your city. May your Presence dwell there as You have promised. Build it now, in our days and for all time. Reestablish there the majesty of David, Your servant. Praised are You, Lord who builds Jerusalem.

Bring to flower the shoot of Your servant David. Hasten the advent of Messianic redemption. Each and every day we hope for Your deliverance. Praised are You, Lord who assures our deliverance.

May we witness Your merciful return to Zion. Praised are You, Lord who restores His Presence to Zion.

What is described in these texts?

In these texts, which are featured prominently in the Jewish liturgy (the first is recited prior to Birkat ha-Mazon – the Grace after Meals – on the Sabbath and festive occasions and the second is recited in the daily Amidah prayer), we express our faith and offer our prayers that God will ultimately return us from the many countries of our dispersion to the Land of Israel, that He will rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple, and return His presence to Zion.

Thus, by refusing to surrender our past connection to the Land, and by always having faith in our eventual return to it, we had the strength to survive the trials and tribulations of life outside the Land.

Summary of the key ideas

We began this lesson by discussing the enormous challenge that the exile of the Jews from the Land of Israel posed to their very survival as a people. We then studied several texts that outlined some of the strategies that enabled them to survive nonetheless. According to one text it was the insistence on keeping the memory of the destroyed Temple and Jerusalem alive even at the happiest moment, and according to another it was the conscious effort to rebuild the Jewish community outside the Land, and to renew the commitment to God and Judaism, while maintaining the faith in the eventual return to the Land. We then saw how the faith in the eventual return to the Land has occupied a central role in Jewish hopes and prayers throughout the centuries of Jewish life outside it.

“ROOTS’ – LESSON 5 – “IT IS DIFFICULT TO BE A JEW” – ONE TELLING EXAMPLE AND A FEW KEY SOLUTIONS

Introduction

In lesson 1 we explained that the Land of Israel is essential because to be Jewish does not mean merely membership in a particular faith but belonging to a particular nation which was assigned national goals to be fulfilled in its national homeland, the Land of Israel. In lessons 2-3 we tried to gain some insight into the complexities of Jewish life during their 600 year period as an independent nation in the land. In our previous lesson we saw that, despite being exiled from their land, the Jews maintained a deep connection to it and never lost faith in their eventual return.

It is against this background, and the difficult circumstances of the late 19^th century (as well as others such as the rise of nationalism in Europe which are beyond the scope of this course), that Zionism emerged as a movement. In this lesson we will see these circumstances and three key solutions that were offered, of which one was Zionism.

Rather than simply summarize these circumstances and the solutions we have chosen to capture them as they are played out dramatically in the struggle of a particular (imaginary) family which can be seen as a microcosm of the situation of the people as a whole. The circumstances of the family are described in a story which should be read aloud and the students will be asked to solve the family’s problem according to the approaches which they are assigned to study.

Materials

Included in the Student Reader: the 3 texts of the lesson

Goal

To make the students aware of the problem that the Jews faced throughout their history by virtue of their status as outsiders and how, in the late 19^th century, this problem gave rise to radically new solutions, including Zionism.

Suggested Lesson Plan

Step 1 (5 minutes)

Begin the lesson with a dramatic reading of the trigger story. In order to increase the impact of the drama it may be helpful to dim the lights of the classroom or to read it to candlelight.

Step 2 (10-15 minutes)

The teacher should divide the students randomly into 3 groups according to the three solutions captured in the texts. The 3 groups can either represent the 3 (surviving) siblings or 3 solutions agreed upon by the entire family. Each group should study its text and prepare to defend it against other possible solutions. A representative should be elected to present the group’s solution to the rest of the class.

Step 3 (25-30 minutes)

The class should reconvene and the representatives from each group (or family member if you so choose) should present its solution. Then each group should be allowed to engage in discussion and debate with the other groups.

Note: At this stage students must still represent their assigned positions.

Step 4 (3 minutes)

The students should be asked to vote on what the Binstock family should do.

Note: At this stage the student need not represent their assigned position.

Step 5 (3 minutes)

A recommended conclusion to the lesson is to have the students tell where their grandparents and great grandparents came from. When it becomes clear (as it most likely will) that the majority are of east European origin and that many came at the end of the 19^tth and the early 20^th centuries the teacher should point out that the story of the Binstock family is actually the story of many of their own families. Their families made the decision to come to America along with the vast majority of east European Jewry (some 2,000,000 of the 2,750,000 Jews who left came to America) at the same time that others made the decision to go to Israel.

Trigger

The Story of the Binstock Family

The year is 1881. The city is Kiev in Russia. On a pleasant spring evening soon after sunset a loud noise is heard in the Jewish community. It is the sound of horses pounding on the ground accompanied by hysterical shouting.

The Binstock family glances out their window and they are immediately aware of what is happening. It is a pogrom. Avraham, the father, quickly leads his wife and the two children who were home at the time into the basement. Their eldest son Meacham was out visiting his fiancé’s family along with his little brother Srulik. The Binstock’s waited tensely not knowing what fate would befall their family.

For nearly two hours the terror continued: Windows were smashed. Animals were stolen and slaughtered, homes were set on fire and those unfortunate enough to have been caught outside were savagely kicked and beaten.

When quiet finally returned to the Jewish quarter, the Jews began to come out of their homes, very cautiously at first for fear that the enemy might still be lurking. With numb looks on their faces each family began to assess the damage, provide care for the injured and search for the missing.

The Binstock’s were among the first to enter the narrow road near their home. The scene was horrific. The Jewish quarter was in shambles, the stench of burning flesh was inescapable, and the cries of the injured were heard everywhere.

Although they had emerged unharmed, they were overcome by fear of what may have happened to their two sons. Fortunately, they soon found Menachem lying bruised and battered near the street-corner. However, their relief at having found Menachem alive was quickly replaced by the dread of what might have happened to Srulik.

“I’m not sure” Menachem said with an anguished look. “When we heard the mobs we ran for cover. I dove under a pile of hay just as they were rounding the corner. A horseman saw Srulik – it was so awful! He caught him with a rope and began to tie him onto the saddle of his horse. Srulik struggled – I don’t know how he had the strength to resist a man of that size – and then he fell off the horse. The man rode away dragging poor Srulik behind. O father, I’m so sorry, if only I’d pulled him under the hay with me!”

Avraham Binstock’s throat suddenly went dry. Speechless, he put his arm around Menachem and helped him to his feet, leading him home silently amid the ruins.

Throughout the night the people tried to comfort the Binstock’s and spoke of hope that the boy would be found. But everyone knew the truth: the boy had either died as he was dragged through the Jewish quarter, or he had survived but would be raised as a Christian in a Christian home.

As the sun rose the following day the Binstock family was still awake unable to comprehend what had just taken place. Solemnly, Avraham Binstock called his family together around the dining room table and with a heavy heart shared some of his thoughts.

“What are we going to do? How can we go on? We must find a way to survive but how? Should we try to resume our lives and hope for a better day? Perhaps if this were the first time we had suffered in this way I would be willing to consider it. But I know better. Do you remember how sad grandpa looked when he told us how he and his family were expelled from Kiev in 1835 and was only allowed to return some 20 years later because his good business skills were considered useful to the local economy? But did you know that the Jews were also expelled from Kiev in 1495 and those that survived the Chmielnicki massacres were expelled again in 1667? Did you know that the Jews were not allowed back into Kiev for almost 130 years after that?

But the Jewish problem is not merely in Kiev. Did you know that at the end of the 11^th century Jews in Germany were massacred because they refused to convert to Christianity? Did you know that during the 12^th and 13^th centuries the Jews in England, France and elsewhere in Europe were harassed, beaten and their property confiscated because they were accused of murdering Christian children to use their blood for matzah on Passover? Did you know that in 1290 they were expelled from England and in 1306 from France? Did you know that in 1348 they were butchered in France, Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium because they were believed to have caused the Black Death that killed millions of Europeans? And of course you all know about the expulsion from Spain in 1492.

And what did the Jews do? They moved to the countries to the east in search of a better life. And now look what has happened? Is this the better life that they hoped for? When I see the hatred in their eyes it is clear to me that we have no future here. So we cannot afford to sit around anymore and hope that our situation is going to suddenly improve because that is not going to happen. We have no choice but to take matters into our own hands and take charge of our futures. But what exactly are we supposed to do? Children, please tell me what do you think we should do?

3 Solutions

1. America

Background

Judah Leib Levin (1844-1925) was a Hebrew poet who the first to introduce socialist themes into his Hebrew literature. After the pogroms of 1881 however he despaired of a solution to the Jewish problem in Russia and he advocated emigration to the U.S. His position is articulated in this excerpt.

Judah Leib Levin, “To America or to the Land of Israel”

It is clear that if there were no other proposal for saving tens of thousands of our brothers from their hard and bitter suffering, if there were no other way in which our people could be reborn and fulfill their destiny, then it would be easier to reconcile ourselves to a thousand sacrifices and to the European spiritual abominations in order to live in tranquility without fear of the wrath of tyrants who threaten to disperse and destroy us, without fear that at any moment our lives and property may be pillaged and plundered. But before us lies the prospect of deliverance from evil and national rebirth in the land of America. The intelligent man will, therefore, chose the path, arguing that…although the ancient memories of our souls are not bound up with the American soil, it is nonetheless a suitable land in which to raise up the remnants of Israel, for it is a country settled by enlightened peoples of culture and civilized behavior. Further, there the Jews unconstrained by the commandments enjoined upon them concerning their own soil, would be able to lead a good life. And America has a further advantage in connection with the rebirth of our nation and that is: In the Holy Land our dream would be far from realized; there we would be slaves to the Sultan and the Pashas… But in America our dream is close to fulfillment, for the constitution of that country provides that when the number of colonists reached sixty thousand they have the right to establish a separate state with a governor, ministers, and a constitution, and to determine their own laws, and our hope of attaining our independence and leading our lives in accordance with our beliefs and inclinations would not long be deferred.

Kindly note, my friend, that I speak not only of the advantages in regard to spiritual rebirth; I have not mentioned the material advantages of America, as they are obvious and require no proof…Our brethren beg for relief from oppression… They must find a safe haven. Our rich and generous must… rescue the lost flock of Israel from the dwellings of lions… Let [the rich] find any place which suits them if only they save our wretched brethren.

The eloquence of the Bible, the piteous spectacle of the bereaved daughter of Zion, the emotion aroused by our ancient memories, all these speak for the Land of Israel. The good life recommends America. You know, my friend, that many will yearn for the Holy Land, and I know that even more will stream for America. Let there be no quarrel! Let the writers sharpen their pens, but in the meantime the generous must rise up to rescue their oppressed and persecuted brethren in any way they may choose.

2. Socialism

Background

The Bund (abbreviation and popular designation for the General Jewish Workers’ Union in Poland and Russia) was a Jewish socialist party founded in Russia in 1897. The Jewish workers aimed at removing the disabilities suffered by the Jewish people by fighting for their civil, and eventually national, rights within Russia. The party’s key ideas are articulated in these excerpts.

The “Bund”, Decisions on the Nationality Question

The Third Party Covention (December 1899): …The Bund had inscribed on its banner the demand for equal civil rights for the Jews… After lengthy discussion the following decision was passed: (1) The demand for equal civil rights but not equal national rights should be included among the Bund’s political demands. (2) To enable comrades to express their opinions on the national questions and help clarify the subject.

The Fourth Party Convention (May 1901):…The Convention recognizes the fact that a state of Russia, consisting of a great number of disparate nations, will need to be reorganized in the future into a federation of national groups, each enjoying full national autonomy, independent of the territory in which they reside.

The Convention deems that the term “nationality” applies to the Jewish people.

In view of the fact that it is premature under the present conditions [in Russia] to put forth the demand for national autonomy for the Jews, the Convention finds that at the present time it is sufficient to fight for the abolition of all discriminatory laws directed against the Jews and to protest against all forms of oppression of the Jewish people. At the same time, the Bund will refrain from inflating nationalist feelings among the Jews which can only blur the class consciousness of the Jewish proletariat and lead to chauvinism…

The Convention regards Zionism as a reaction of the bourgeois classes to the phenomenon of anti-Semitism and to the abnormal civil status of the Jewish people in Russia. The Convention views the ultimate goal of political Zionism- i.e. the acquisition of a territory for the Jews- as an objective of little value, because such a territory would be able to contain but a fraction of the whole nation, and thus would be incapable of solving the Jewish question. Hence, to the extent that the Zionists seek to concentrate the whole of the Jewish people, or at least a majority of the Jewish people, in a single land, they pursue a utopian goal.

Furthermore, the Convention believes that Zionist propaganda inflames nationalistic feelings and hinders the development of class consciousness among the Jewish proletariat.

The Sixth Party Convention (October 1905): In accordance with the general principles laid down in the Fourth Convention, the Sixth Convention formulated the program of the Bund regarding the Jewish nationality question as follows: (1) Full civil and political equality for the Jews. (2) The right, guaranteed by law, for the Jews to use their own language in all legal and governmental institutions. (3). National-cultural autonomy [on an extra-territorial basis]: the removal of all functions connected with cultural matters (e.g. popular education) from the administrative responsibility of the state and local government and the transference of these functions to the Jewish nation. 

3. The Land of Israel

Background

Moshe Leib Lilienblum (1843-1910) was one of the leaders of Russian “Enlightenment” which advocated broadening the intellectual and social horizons of the Jews to enable them to take their place in Western society. After the pogroms of 1881 he made a radical about face and became convinced that the only solution to the Jewish problem lay in “Zionism”, the establishment of an independent Jewish nation in its historic homeland. The essence of his argument is found in the following excerpt.

Lilienblum, “The Future of Our People”

No civilization in the world has the power to demand that an alien be accepted by a strange family as if he were a natural-born child of that family. Since all the work that an alien does and any job that he takes is no longer available to the members of the family, the latter can always say to the outsider: “You are causing me harm and I have no room for you, for you deprive me of my livelihood”…. But what is to be done? What remedy can we find so that the Jews will once and for all cease to be material for questions, debates, accusations, and degrading defenses? How can we make them feel completely secure about their future?…

In the Middle Ages the Jews were, for the most part, persecuted at a given time and place. When they were persecuted in one place, they were quickly able to find refuge elsewhere; when, after a while, the oppressions began in the new country, they returned to their original home, for its inhabitants had already begun to feel to loss caused by the absence of the Jews, who were virtually the only merchants. Now it is different. Communication is rapid. The nations of Europe are just as adept in all branches of commerce as the Jews, so that they no longer need us. They are therefore able to apply pressure on us whenever and wherever they will – while we, where are we to flee?…

We must make a visible effort, and if we do not succeed now, which seems unlikely, then we will have to try again at the first opportunity. The main thing is that we ourselves, Jews the world over, recognize beyond doubt the need for this sacred task… Whoever wants to support the national idea will contribute a kopek a week, to be saved for a given period in special boxes placed in every home, for the settlement of Eretz Yisrael.

Work! Lay the foundation for a normal and healthy national life for the Jewish people, which has been persecuted in every time and place, but has never surrendered. Give it back its home, something which no people lacks, except the gypsies… Behold, we are scorned and derided, our blood is being let, we are dying of hunger, we are persecuted everywhere with unbounded barbarity, the whole world contemns us…

There are three paths open to us:

1. To remain in our present state, to be oppressed forever, to be gypsies, to face the prospect of various pogroms and not be safe even against a major holocaust.
2. To assimilate, not merely externally but completely within the nations among whom we dwell: to forsake Judaism for the religions of the gentiles, but nonetheless to be despised for many, many years, until some far-off day when descendants of ours who no longer retain any trace of their Jewish origin will be entirely assimilated among the Aryans.
3. To initiate our efforts for the renaissance of Israel in the land of its forefathers, where the next few generations may attain, to the fullest extent, a normal national life.

Make your choice!

Summary of the key ideas

In this lesson we saw that the pogroms in Russia in 1881 were a turning point in Jewish history. There was a general consensus that something had to be done to solve the problem of the Jews in Russia but there was considerable debate as to what was the best solution. Some advocated a Jewish socialist revolution in Russia, others advocated emigration to America and yet others advocated resettlement in the ancient Jewish homeland. Although those who immigrated to the Land of Israel constituted a small minority of the Jews who left east Europe at the time, the Zionist movement was to gain considerable momentum in the subsequent decades.

The question is how did the fledgling Zionist movement go about realizing its vision? That is the subject of our next lesson.

“ROOTS” – LESSON 6 – THE CHALLENGES OF CREATING A JEWISH STATE IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL

Goal

The goal of this lesson is to try to recreate for the students the challenges that the early Zionists had to face in trying to turn their Zionist vision into a reality. In doing so, it is hoped that the students will feel more connected both to the Zionist vision and to the final result of that vision, the State of Israel.

Materials

Included in the kit: 3 issues and facts sheets, video clip tracing the key developments from the rise of Zionism to the establishment of the State of Israel

Needed: pen and paper, a video player

Suggested Lesson Plan

Step 1 (5 minutes)

Introduce the lesson by briefly reviewing the Zionist solution as described in the previous lesson. Then tell them that for the purposes of this lesson they are all ardent Zionists who are absolutely convinced there is no other solution to the Jewish problem. Then ask them to list some of the issues that they think they will have to deal with in order to make this dream a reality. You may either list the issues on the board or summarize them orally.

Step 2 (20 minutes)

Then the teacher should tell the students that their task in this lesson is to come up with a working plan to create a Jewish state in the Land of Israel. The students will be divided into 3 groups – either based on the subject of their interest or randomly by the teacher – with each group assigned the task of drawing up a working plan to deal with a different question. The questions are: 1. The professional question: what should you do once you get to the Land of Israel, 2. The Jewish question: How do you get your fellow Jews to support the creation of a Jewish state in the Land of Israel?, 3. The political question: How do you go about creating a Jewish state in the Land of Israel that will be recognized by the world community? The teacher should explain that each group will be handed an issues/facts sheet (included) relating to their particular question and that each group must take these issues/facts into consideration in developing their plan. In addition to the issues/facts sheet each group should be given a paper on which they are to write the outline of their plan.

Step 3 (15 minutes)

The class will reconvene and each group will have a representative summarize the issues/facts which they had to address and their proposed plan for dealing with them. Before proceeding from one representative to the other, students from other groups should be permitted to ask a few questions on the proposed plans.

[Step 4 (5 minutes) – optional

The students should be given a few minutes to reflect on this exercise. Did it change the way they think or feel about the State of Israel?]

Step 5 (15 minutes)

Show the video clip which captures in summary form some of the key developments from the rise of Zionism until the establishment of the State of Israel. If there is still time, the teacher should ask the students whether they saw anything that reminded them of their own plans.

Issues and Facts

I. The Professional question: what should you do once you get to the Land of Israel?

The following are some of the issues and facts that you must grapple with in dealing with this question:

1. There is no money available to invest in a massive resettling of the Land.

2. The Jews living in the Land of Israel at the time – the Yishuv – are mostly pious traditionalists supported by charitable contributions raised in the Diaspora. Thus, they cannot offer you jobs.

3. If you do raise money to support your cause the Yishuv might resent you for diverting funds that could have gone to support them.

4. There is no industry, no commercial opportunities and no effective communications with other Near-Eastern countries.

5. Many of you think the answer is in agriculture. After all, the Bible describes the land as “flowing with milk and honey”, rich in natural resources. However, the fact is that for hundreds of years the hillsides had been eroded by rains, and its valleys had become swamps infested with malaria. Furthermore, barely 2% of you have any training or experience in agriculture.

6. Even if you are willing to sacrifice your material well-being to become farmers how do you convince the masses to do the same? This task is particularly daunting given the fact that the vast majority of Russian Jews are determined to fulfill their dream of settling in America which they perceive as “The Golden Land” with great riches and endless opportunity.

7. The Land of Israel, known as Palestine, has been ruled by the Ottoman Turks since 1517 and they have placed restrictions on mass Jewish settlement. They are certainly not going to help you find jobs and get settled.

8. Many of the Arabs living in the Land are hostile to the idea of Jewish settlement and are trying to resist it by disrupting Jewish life.

II. The Jewish question: How do you get your fellow Jews to support the creation of a Jewish state in the Land of Israel?

The following are some of the issues and facts that you must grapple with in dealing with this question:

1. There is no money available to invest in a massive Jewish settlement of the Land.

2. The ancient Land of Israel, now Palestine, has no industry, no commercial opportunities and no effective communications with other Near-Eastern countries, in other words, no jobs.

3. The Zionist movement which you represent is only a tiny minority of the Jewish population. The vast majority of East European Jews see the solution to the Jewish problem in “Golden America” with its enormous riches and the promise of a free and prosperous life. Why should they risk going to a land that offers no material benefits when they have a much better option?

4. Since there are no jobs in Israel how do you convince Jewish philanthropists to support your cause rather than Jewish immigration to America? After all, supporting the latter involves merely supporting Jews en route to America whereas supporting the former will necessarily extend far beyond the journey itself.

5. How can you promote the idea of creating a Jewish state among Russian Jews when Zionism itself is an illegal movement in Russia?

6. The creation of a Jewish state may further imperil the lives of Jews in other countries who might now be told to leave and go to their own homeland.

7. The Ottoman Turks rule Palestine and have become increasingly hostile to the idea of Jewish settlement in the Land. They are restricting the entry of Jews and placing limits on the sale of and leasing of land and the construction of houses. How so you expect Jews to support a cause that seems so thoroughly impractical?

8. You cannot even agree among yourselves about the nature of the state that you’d like to create. Some of you see the state merely as a safe haven from anti-Semitism and persecution. Others see it as a first step in the messianic vision of a return to the ancient Jewish homeland and yet others see it as an opportunity to revive Jewish culture freed from the pressures of conformity to a dominant non-Jewish majority.

III. The political question: How do you go about creating a Jewish state in the Land of Israel which will be recognized by the world community?

The following are some of the issues and facts that you must grapple with in dealing with this question:

1. You represent only a small portion of the Jewish population. How can you expect to set up a Jewish state without masses of Jews? Furthermore, how do you expect international support for the efforts of a fringe group?

2. The world community sees that the vast majority of Jews who seek refuge from the pogroms and anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe are immigrating to America. Why should it support a Zionist enterprise if there is an alternate solution to the Jewish problem?

3. Many of you propose active settlement in the Land in the hope that this will one day lead to recognized statehood. However, you don’t have the funds for a mass immigration nor do you have funds for the purchase of large tracts of land. Furthermore the creation of a state based on large scale immigration and settlement of the land will likely take decades. Can you afford to wait so long?

4. The Land of Israel is known as Palestine and is ruled by the Ottoman Turks. They must consent to withdraw their control of the Land in favor of Jewish statehood. But why should they do that? What’s in it for them? Furthermore, they don’t particularly like the Jews and have already placed restrictions on immigration. Without a substantial increase in the number of Jews in the Land the prospect of statehood even in the future seems bleak.

5. If the Jews don’t succeed in obtaining permission from the Turks you may choose to appeal to more powerful states such as Germany or England to exert pressure on them. But what price would you be willing to pay for that pressure? Or, what if they offer you another country in which to create a Jewish state such as Argentina or Uganda? And if you turn down such offers are you not risking losing their good will?

6. What happens if all diplomacy fails? Perhaps the likelihood of failure on the diplomatic front should be reason enough to avoid it altogether. After all, the state may be created by facts on the ground, i.e. by increased settlement, when the Jews are there in sufficiently large numbers to warrant the creation of a Jewish state? On the other hand is it realistic to expect to create a modern state without cultivating international support?

7. How do you convince the world of a Jewish right to statehood in Palestine based on a claim of your ancestral rights to the Land without generating a parallel claim by the Arab population living there at the time?