GoalsofProgram

educatemembersaboutexternalandinternalproblemsinIsrael
causememberstoquestiontheirconnectiontoIsraelanddelvedeeperintodiscovering
thisconnection
givememberstheinformationtobeabletoadvocateforIsraelandunderstandher
situation
Materials
signsforeachsideofanissues
5longpiecesofstring
tape

Intro

(Whatwillyousay?Describewhatyoudidthissummer.)1min

Israelhasalwaysbeenveryimportanttome,sowhileIwasatKallahthis
summer,Iwantedtotakeadvantageoftheopportunitytoimmersemyself
inIsraeleducation.Imsuremostofyouarelikeme,whogrewuploving
Israel,thinkingitwasaperfectJewishhome.Perhapsalsolikeme,asyou
gotolder,yousawthatIsraelwasbeingconstantlycriticizedanddidnt
knowhowtospeakupforIsrael.Inthisprogramwewillbediscussing
someexternalandinternalproblemsthatIsraelhas.Iamgoingtopresent
bothsidesofanissuetoyouandyouaregoingtostandbythesidethat
youmostagreewithandthenIwillaskpeopletosharewhytheystoodat
thatside.

Activity
15min

Askpeopletoshareeverytime.Attachapieceofstringbetween2sidesofanissueafter
discussingtheissueattheendoftheactivityawebforms,aphysicaldemonstrationofhow
complexIsraelis.

WomenoftheWall
background:womenhaveasmaller,separatesectionoftheKoteltoprayon.By
IsraelilawwomenarenotallowedtoreadtorahorweartallitotattheKotel.
Pro:
mission:AsWomenoftheWall,ourcentralmissionistoachievethesocialandlegal
recognitionofourright,aswomen,towearprayershawls,prayandreadfromtheTorah
collectivelyandoutloudattheWesternWall.
WomenoftheWallssolegoalisthefreeprayerofwomenattheWesternWall.Weare

proudthatourworkhasbecomeabeaconforthehopeforpluralisminIsrael.Itisan
honortobeashiningexampleofthestruggleagainsttheexclusionofwomeninthe
publicsphereinIsrael.

Con:
Womenofthewallusesveryextrememeasurestopushforwomensrights.Their
leader,AnatHoffmanandotherwomeninthegroupoftentrytogetthemselvesarrested
tobringattentiontothemovement.ThisdisturbsthepeaceattheholiestsightforJews
intheworld.

OrthodoxJewishintheIDF
Pro:
IsraelisconstantlytargettedforwarandterrorismthuseveryIsraelishouldserveinthe
IDFandsupporttheircountry.

Con:IsraelisaJewishstateandsotheOrthodoxhavearighttolivetheirlivesinaway
theythinkisproductiveforIsraelprayingandstudyingJewishtexts.

TwoStateSolution
Israelis/JewsandPalestiniansbothwanttooccupythesameterritorybecausetheyfeel
thatitbelongstotheirgroup.Jewsrecievedtheland5,000yearsagoandhadntlivedin
itfor2,000years.Palestinianshavelivedinthelandforthepast1600years.TheTwo
statessolutiongivesthewestbankandgazatoPalestineandleavestherestofthe
countryasIsraeliterritory.

Pro:BothIsraelisandPalestiniansshouldhaverightstohomelands.Thissolutionwill
givebothpeoplelandandthusminimizetheconflictbetweenthetwo.

Con:Israelissimplygivingupmorelandandwillnotresolveanyconflictoverallofthe
territoryasawholeandIsraelwillhavelesspower.IfIsraelagreestothissolution,itwill
showthatIsraeliswillingtomakesacrificesforpeace,leadingthePalestinianstotry
andtakemoreland.SomeevensaythatthePalestiniansdontwantland,theywantto
destroyJewry,thusgivingthemlandwouldnothelpeithercause.
otherissues:whowouldgetjerusalem?howwouldthegovernmentwork?

IsIsraelaJewishstateorademocraticstate?
Background:Israelhasnoconstitution.

JewishState:
gaymarriagewillnotbeperformedinIsrael
theRabbinut,agoverningbodyofrabbisinIsrael,hasalotofpowerandinfluence.
Theymaintainhalacha,performweddings,ensurethatfoodiskosher
bussesdontrunonShabbat
JewsmaintainmorerightsthanArabssuchastherightofreturn,rightimmigrateto
Israelwithease.
OrthodoxdonthavetoworkorgototheIDFbecausethegovernmentsupportstheir
studyingandpraying

DemocraticState:
Israelhasmultiplepoliticalpartiesandholdselectionsinwhichcitizensvoteforaparty
andforacandidate.
Israelhasaparliamentarydemocracy.peoplevoteforaparty,ifapartygets30%ofall
ofthevotes,thantheygettofillthehousewith30representativesfromtheirparty.
Israelisdonotknowwhothecandidatesareuntilaftertheseatsarefilled.

ShouldisraelbejustaJewishstateorjustademocraticstate?
Jewishstate:IsraelwastheJewishhomelandthatwaspromisedtousintheTorah.It
existsfortheJewsandshouldfunctionasaJewishstate.

Democratic:Israelneedstobecompletelydemocraticandegalitarian,Israelshouldnot
givespecialprivilegestoJewsbecauseotherpeoplearelivingthereaswell.

Debrief

(Endtheprogramwithsomethingstrongquestions,explanation,etc.)4min
Goaroundandsayonewordthatdescribeshowyourefeeling.
DidthisactivitychangeyouropinionsaboutanyissuesinIsrael?
DoyouseeIsraelasawholedifferently?
Wereyouawareofalltheseissuesthatwerehappening?Howdoesthatchangeyour
perspectiveonIsrael?