Decisions, Decisions.

 

WHAT DOES ISRAEL MEAN TO YOU

Being Jewish  and the State of Israel: Where do you stand?

1.     To practice Judaism properly, a Jew must  live in Israel.                

Agree/ Disagree

2.     Israel is my  homeland.         

Agree/ Disagree

3.      The purpose  for Israel’s existence is to function as a shelter for Jews who need it.

Agree/Disagree

4.      The rise of the state of Israel is part of  the dawning of the Messianic era. Agree/Disagree

5.     Diaspora Jewry has nothing to offer Israel in the spiritual or religious realm.

Agree/Disagree

6.      Every Jewish family should spend at least a summer or long vacation  in Israel. 

Agree/Disagree

7.      As it was 60  years ago, it is still critical  to buy Israeli products.

Agree/Disagree

8.     Secular Israeli Jews  are more Jewish than many American  Jews who occasionally come to their Conservative synagogues.       

Agree/Disagree

9.     Every Jewish adult should give living in Israel a try at least once.             

Agree/Disagree

10.   The purpose of the State of Israel is to allow Jews to truly be free as Jews.

Agree/Disagree

 

YOU MAKE THE CALL!

1.    A)  Your Religious School teacher, who will be moving to Israel at the end of the year, explains to the class one day the reasons for her decision.  “The only real Zionist is one who lives in the Jewish state,” she argues.  “Jewish life here is doomed.”  The school board hears about what she has been saying and decides to fire her immediately. Do you agree with the Board’s decision? Why or why not?

 

2.    B) During a current events review in Social Studies class, you mention that Israel’s Independence Day is coming up. “You mean the Nakbah?” your teacher asks.  After saying that yes, there is such a day as Israeli Independence day, your teacher then proceeds to spend a few minutes on how Palestinians call the day the Arabic term for “the disaster ,”  and mentions how the Palestinians have suffered terribly since Israel became a state. How does  this make you feel? What do you do?

 

3.    C) You overhear the two editors of your school website speaking negatively about Israel.  ”We have got to post an article about all the injustices that Israelis have perpetrated against the Palestinians,” says one.  “All the Jews in the school support Israel against the best interest of the United States, and we should post something about that,” replies the other  In what ways could you respond?  How would you respond in particular?

 

4.    D)  So a cousin of yours, who was born and grew up in America was very active in his USY group and synagogue.  After high school, he  went on an Israel trip, and when it was over, he made Aliyah (moved to Israel) . He joined the IDF, and was killed  a  year later in Lebanon fighting Hezbollah terrorists.  Your parents are still distraught and say that he never should have gone and that he wasted his life. “Don’t you agree?” they ask you.  Do you agree with their assessment?  Do you think that they would have felt the same way had he died fighting with the US armed forces?  Do you think your cousin’s parents feel the way your parents do?

 

5.    E) At the Passover Seder,  your Uncle  Phil (Grandpa Louie’s son) starts saying some very harsh criticisms about the Israeli government under  the Natanyahu Administration and how they deal with the Palestinians.  Uncle Ed and Aunt Myra (Uncle Phil’s sister)  get very angry with Phil, saying that his kind of criticizing Israel is  wrong and call him anti-Semetic.  Do you join in with Uncle Ed and Aunt Myra and tell Phil off? Do you sit quietly and say nothing? Or do you defend Uncle Phil?

 

6.    F) The student council of your school has invited supporters of Hamas to come and speak. Some Jewish students are organizing a boycott of the lecture.  Others argue that the principle of freedom of speech should be upheld. You have been asked to join the committee organizing the boycott.  What will you do?