Note to Teachers: Your students can appear in ZimZoom! We seek contributions from, or about, your kids in the following forms:

1. Please encourage your students to write letters to the editor, Yigal Tzadka, at yigal@hebrewtoday.com. They can respond to articles in the magazine or make suggestions. Every month we’ll choose 1-3 letters to publish from around the country.

2. We are always looking for stories about Jewish kids in the 8-18 age range who have done, or are doing, something extraordinary, be it a chessed project, a business, a scientific project, etc. If you would like to nominate one of your students to be profiled, please contact the editor.

3. If you would like one of your students to contribute a d’var Torah for the Parashat Hashavua section, please contact the editor.

4. Always feel welcome to send us digital photos of your students, with parental permission of course. They’ll love seeing themselves in the magazine.

Themes in this Issue

The “holiday” theme in this issue of ZimZoom is Purim. Even though Purim is not for till next month, we thought it would be nice to get a head start on the festivities. The articles that deal with Purim are: From the Editor’s Desk (pg. 2), Taking Laughter Seriously (pg. 8), Preparing for Purim (pg. 9) Wigs…Not Only for Purim (Pg. 11) and the Quiz, (page 14).

Discussion: Though we do touch upon the “fun” aspects of the holiday of Purim (Preparing for Purim, pg 9), we also included a series of articles that discuss the more “serious” aspects of the holiday. The note from the editor (pg. 2) broaches the idea that existential miracles, like the miracle of Purim, are with us everyday. In the article Taking Laughter Seriously, (pg. 8), we raise the idea that happiness is good for your health, even “fake” happiness. And in the article about wigs (pg. 11), we remind students that while it’s fun to dress up and to wear wigs, for some kids wigs are a sad necessary part of their life. Each one of these subjects can be used as a starting point for further discussion:

The letter from the editor brings the existence of the State of Israel as an example of one of the everyday miracles we witness – what other “everyday” miracles do the students see in their daily lives? Why is it important that they pay attention to them? You can use the article on laughter to introduce the Rabbinic maxim –מִתוֹךְ שֶׁלֹא לִשְׁמָה, בָּא לִשְׁמָה  – which loosely translates as – “in doing something not for its own sake, one comes to do it for its own sake.” What do the students think this saying means? Do they think it is true? How does it relate to the article on laughter? And finally, the article on wigs is a reminder that not everything related to Purim is happy. What are other ways to help cancer patients?

Another theme in this issue of ZimZoom is following your dream, and helping the world in the process. This theme appears in the following articles: You Say You Want a Revolution (pg. 3), Adopt a Flower (pg. 6), Climbing the Big Seven (pg. 7), From the Nobel Prize to Kindergarten (pg. 10) and Around the World in a Solar Taxi (pg.13).

Discussion: Ask the students what their dream is. Then ask them how that dream is going to make the world a better place. You can use the opportunity to introduce the topic of

תִיקוּן עוֹלָם, fixing the world. Challenge them to think about responsibility – does a bigger dream mean a greater responsibility to help the people around you? Is it incumbent on celebrities, athletes and people in power to invest more in their communities, or to give more charity? Does great power equal great responsibility? Or are we all equally responsible regardless of how much money, power or fame we have? You may also, at this point, want to discuss the Dvar Torah (pg. 6). Is there a difference between the way

G-d metes out responsibility and the way humans do? Is this a good thing?

A Food Revolution (pg. 3)

Discussion: What do the students think about Jamie Oliver’s food revolution? What is the responsibility of a school towards its students? One of the criticisms of Jamie’s program is that in some schools where new, healthy menus have been instituted, a “black market” for junk food has blossomed.  Does this change the way they think about Jamie’s program?

Activity: Have the students build a healthy (and delicious) menu for their school cafeteria. Have them take into account nutritional concerns as well as economic concerns.

Greeting People at the Airport (pg. 5)

Activity: Divide your students into groups, have each group develop a special vending machine for airports. Then, have groups “pitch” their product to a jury of panelists. After all the groups have presented, the jury should vote on the best idea and the best pitch.

Adopt a Flower (pg. 6)

Activity: Have students pick an endangered flower in Israel. Ask them to do some research about the flower – what is its habitat and why is it endangered. Have them come up with creative suggestions as how to save that flower.

Dvar Torah (pg. 6)

Discussion: How does the half a Shekel show that everyone is equal in the eyes of G-d? Why do students think it was important for the Torah to emphasize that fact while building the Mishkan (portable Tabernacle)?

Have them think about how people donate money nowadays? Point out to them that many institutions are in fact named after a person, or corporation. How does that figure into this discussion?

Climbing the Big Seven (pg. 7)

Discussion: One of Jordan’s pet projects is to get America’s kids off the couch and out into the great outdoors. What are your students’ favorite ways of getting outdoors and getting some exercise? How much exercise do they get on a weekly basis? What are some creative ways they can add exercise to their daily routine? What do they think they would have to do in order to be able to climb the Big Seven?

Prepping for Purim (pg. 9)

Activity: Have the students decorate their desks. Chose a theme for the classroom (moving beyond the jungle theme mentioned in the article) and let each student choose an aspect of that theme and use it to decorate their desk. Then, throw a themed pre-Purim party. Ask the students to dress up in costumes that also reflect the theme.

Israel’s Olympic Team Mascot (pg. 10)

Discussion: Use this article as an opportunity to introduce the students to the idea of copyright law. How can a company, or a person, have the right to an image? What does it mean to own the rights to something? Can you own an idea? Challenge the students to think about the conflict between copyright law and free speech – how do we find a balance between the two? In light of the discussion, what do they think of the controversy surrounding Shpitzik?

From the Noble Prize to Kindergarten (pg. 10)

Discussion: What are the students’ favorite science experiments? When do they first remember learning about science in school? Do they like science? Why? Why not?
Do they think that if they had been exposed to a science curriculum early on their attitude towards science would be any different? Would they like it more? Less?

Cormorants vs. Fishermen (pg. 12)

Discussion: At the end of the article, the students are asked to think about how the fishermen should deal with the cormorants. Expand this question. As the article noted, one little change can throw off the balance of nature. Take for instance, the upswing in the sardine population. So how do the fishermen deal the cormorants and save their livelihood without causing a major upset to the delicate natural system?
Why is it important for the environment that there be a healthy Amnon population in the Kinneret? What is the connection between a healthy economy and a healthy environment?

Vocabulary

decimate – le’hash’mid, le’hach’chid – לְהַשְׁמִיד, לְהַכְחִיד

campaign – mivtza – מִבְצָע

non-profit – sheh’lo limatrot revach – שֶׁלֹא לְמַטְרוֹת רֶוַוח

ostracized – menudeh – מְנוּדֶה

laurels – zerey dafna – זֵרֵי דַפְנָה

nomination – mu’amadut – מוּעֲמָדוּת

ambitious – she’aftan – שְׁאַפְתָן

mimic – le’chakot – לְחַקוֹת

simulate – le’damot, le’za’yef – לְדַמוֹת, לְזַיֵיף

stimulate – le’garot, le’orer – לְגָרוֹת, לְעוֹרֵר

caveat – azhara – אַזְהָרָה

generosity – nedivut – נְדִיבוּת

implement – leyasem – לְיַישֵׂם

urbanization – iyur – עִיוּר

Issue No. 18 – November 2011

Note to Teachers: Your students can appear in ZimZoom! We seek contributions from, or about, your kids in the following forms:

1)     Please encourage your students to write letters to the editor, Yigal Tzadka, at yigal@hebrewtoday.com. They can respond to articles in the magazine or make suggestions. Every month we’ll choose 1-3 letters to publish from around the country.

2)     We are always looking for stories about Jewish kids in the 8-18 age range who have done, or are doing, something extraordinary, be it a chessed project, a business, a scientific project, etc. If you would like to nominate one of your students to be profiled, please contact the editor.

3)     If you would like one of your students to contribute a d’var Torah for the Parashat Hashavua section, please contact the editor.

4)     Always feel welcome to send us digital photos of your students, with parental permission of course. They’ll love seeing themselves in the magazine.

Themes in this Issue

THANKSGIVING

One major theme of this issue is the American holiday of Thanksgiving. It is discussed in the article Israelis Who Celebrate Thanksgiving (pg. 8), in the Quiz (pg. 9), Beyond the Turkey (pg. 10) and the Dvar Torah (pg. 11). There are numerous discussions to be had regarding the holiday of Thanksgiving.
Discussion: Ask students why they think a magazine about Judaism and Israel includes articles about Thanksgiving? Refer to the Dvar Torah - what do they think the connection between Judaism and thankfulness is? Do they think Jews should celebrate Thanksgiving? What about Israelis – does the holiday transcend its American roots?
Discussion: In the article about Israelis who celebrate Thanksgiving (pg. 8), Ms. Kadesh mentions that celebrating Thanksgiving in Israel has helped her to think more critically about the holiday and the history behind it. What do the students think she means by that?  What do they think she is critical of? Ms. Kadesh also says that she hopes more Israelis begin to think critically of their own history. What do your students think she means by that?
Discussion: On a lighter note, you can ask your students how they celebrate Thanksgiving. What foods do they eat? Do they eat with friends, or family, or both? Do they have set traditions – watching the Macy’s Parade or football games, or do they do something different every year?

ISRAEL’S SECURITY

Israel’s security is mentioned both in the article about the Iron Dome system (pg. 5) and in the article about Israel’s Egyptian Dilemma (pg. 6).
Discussion: What do your students think Israel should do about its Egyptian Dilemma? Should they allow the Egyptian military into the demilitarized zone? How much do they think Israel can trust the new Egyptian government? Is it too early to tell?

Activity: Have students design their own Iron Dome system. How would they protect a city from rocket attacks?

Heroes in Holon (pg. 3)

Discussion: Ask your students who their favorite superhero is, and why?

Activity: Further expanding the point to ponder, have students draw a picture [or build a 3D model] of a new superhero they would want to be, explaining what super powers they would have and why.

A Bittersweet Month (pg. 4)

Discussion: Is Cheshvan a bitter or happy month for your students? Do they miss the holidays, or are they happy to get back to school? Why do they think the month has two names? You may bring up the fact that the names of the Hebrew months are actually based on ancient Babylonian month names. Does this change the way they think of the months?

Iron Dome + Israeli Wins Nobel Prize (pgs. 5-6)

In his Editorial, Mr. Tzadka makes the claim that Israeli ingenuity and success is the result of education and philosophy, as opposed to genetics. The success of the Iron Dome system as well as the tenth Israeli Nobel Laureate, are examples of Israeli ingenuity at its best.

Discussion: What do students think is the secret to Israeli success? Is it genetics or education, or a little bit of both? Recently, a book called “Start Up Nation” made the claim that it is the 3 years of mandatory army service that gives Israelis the tools to become successful in the high-tech world. During their time in the army, young Israelis learn how to think on their feet and innovate quickly. Does this ring true to your students? How does it relate to the Iron Dome system? Do they also think this is true for Israeli innovations in science?

Discussion: If your students could win a Nobel Prize – which category would they like to win for – science, literature, economics, peace etc.? Which Nobel Prize winner do they most admire?

Facebook (pg. 7)

Discussion: First, go through the checklist at the end of the article with your students. Do they know their privacy settings, and when to accept friend requests?
Have a discussion about social media marketing – how do marketers target people? How does one keep personal information from those marketers? Why is being targeted a bad thing?
You can use this discussion as a lead in to a discussion about online bullying.
Do the students think that Facebook is harmful, or helpful? How and why do they use it? How much time do they spend on it? Does it take away from other activities?

Cookie Baking Robot  (pg 9)

Activity: Divide the students into groups and have them collaborate to design their own robot. Each group should be assigned a room in the house and design a robot for that room. For instance, if they are assigned the bedroom, they could design a robot that could make your bed for you, or hang your clothes. Their designs should include how the robot will look, what its functions are and how it is programmed.

Dictionary List:

developed – putach; pitchu – פּוּתַח; פִּיתְחוּ

lab – ma’bada – מַעְבָּדָה

humanity – enoshut – אֱנוֹשׁוּת

scanner – sorek – סוֹרֵק

camera – matzlema – מַצְלֵמָה

identify – lezaho – לְזַהוֹת

butter – chem’ah – חֶמְאָה

ingredients – markivim – מַרְכִּיבִים

color – tzeva – צֶבַע

shape – tzura – צוּרָה

cookie – oogiya – עוּגִייָה

fully – legmarei – לְגַמְרֵי

functional – tifkudi – תִפְקוּדִי

Dvar Torah (pg. 11)

Discussion: In his famous commentary on the first two plagues, Rashi, makes the claim that Moses felt הַכָּרַת הַטוֹב (hakarat hatov- recognizing the good) toward the Nile, and so could not carry out the plagues that affected it. How does the imperative to be grateful, play out in our everyday lives? Does it have a limit? Can one really feel grateful towards something inanimate like a river? Does this have applications for things like environmentalism and conservation?
What are the students grateful for in their lives?

Jon Scheyer (pg. 12)

Discussion: What role does perseverance play in Jon Scheyer’s life? How does the story about Jon and his free-throw quest illustrate this? Do students think that Jon is disappointed in how his career has developed? Would they be? Jon recently made aliyah (immigrated) – what does that say about his dedication?

Silent Disco (pg. 14)

Activity: Have students draw up their own Israeli silent dance party playlist. It should include songs from 5 modern Israeli artists and 5 older ones. Then, hold a dance party and try not to disturb the neighbors!

TEACHERS’ RESOURCE

Issue no.15, April 2011

Note to Teachers: Your students can appear in ZimZoom! We seek contributions from, or about, your kids in the following forms:

1)     Please encourage your students to write letters to the editor, Yigal Tzadka, at yigal@hebrewtoday.com. They can respond to articles in the magazine or make suggestions. Every month we’ll choose 1-3 letters to publish from around the country.

2)     We are always looking for stories about Jewish kids in the 8-18 age range who have done, or are doing, something extraordinary, be it a chessed project, a business, a scientific project, etc. If you would like to nominate one of your students to be profiled, please contact the editor.

3)     If you would like one of your students to contribute a d’var Torah for the Parashat Hashavua section, please contact the editor.

4)     Always feel welcome to send us digital photos of your students, with parental permission of course. They’ll love seeing themselves in the magazine.

General Themes in this Issue

There are a few themes that run through this month’s edition of ZimZoom. The first is, obviously, Passover, and the concepts related to it. The themes of freedom, redemption and justice appear is several Passover-related articles.

In the article about Rabbi Heschel and Dr. King (page 3) the idea of social justice as a religious and theological imperative is discussed.

The idea of Passover as a time of redemption is raised in the article about Elijah at the Seder (page 8).

And the concept of freedom appears both in the article about Rabbi Heschel (page 3) and in the Letter from the Editor (page 2). These ideas can be discussed together, or separately.

Another theme that appears in this edition is that of non-Jews taking interest in Judaism. This idea appears in the article about Ketubot (page 7) as well as in the article about Ricky Williams (page 12).

Activities & Discussions Related to Articles in this Issue

PAGE 3 – Rabbi Heschel and Dr. King

Use this article as an opportunity to discuss the concept of social justice. What are some current issues that necessitate speaking out? What are legitimate forms of protest?

Bring in Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience (if the text itself is too hard for the students, summarize it for them). What do they think about it? Discuss the arguments for and against civil disobedience.

What did Rabbi Heschel mean when he said: “In a free society, some are guilty, but all of responsible”? In what way are we responsible? Is it fair to be responsible for something we didn’t do? Are there other ways to think of responsibility?

Why does Rabbi Heschel modify his statement – “In a free society”? What is it about the nature of a free society that makes us responsible? What is the connection between responsibility and freedom?

In the Passover story the Jews leave slavery in Egypt only to become “slaves” to God. How does this connect back to the idea of responsibility and freedom?

PAGE 4 – The Four Sons

Activity: Split the class into 4 groups having each one represent one of the sons. Have them act out the scenes as described in the Haggadah.

PAGE 4 – Illustrated Haggadot

Activity: Have students create their own illustrated Haggadot

Discussion: How does art reflect the society we live in? What can we learn about society from art? Can the students come up with any theories as to why the artist who drew the “Birds’ Head” Haggadah chose to represent humans as birds?

PAGE 6 – The Disappearing Lake

Discuss environmental policy- should Israel be using the lake to support agriculture? Take into account the long term effects as well as the immediate effects: How will the local farmers support themselves if they don’t have access to water? Is there a way to balance the needs of the farmers with the need to protect the lake?

PAGE 7 – K’tubah or not K’tubah?

Should the trend toward non-Jews getting married with a Ketubah be encouraged? Is this an implicit approval of intermarriage? Can the students think of other religious rituals or artifacts that are shared between religions?

PAGE 8 – Elijah Comes to the Seder

The Haggadah is composed of liturgy, but it is also a pedagogical tool. The skit so often performed in Sephardic households is also a pedagogical tool. What other pedagogical tools can be added to the Seder or what special things do students’ families do at their Seder? Why is it so important to engage the children? Do the students feel engaged by the Seder?

Activity: Based on the discussion above, have the students create their own Seders. What would they include? What would they take out? How would they make the Seder more interesting?

PAGES 10-11 – Nachlaot and Machaneh Yehudah

Additional Vocabulary

colorful –  צִבְעוֹנִיִים (tziv’oni’yeem)

sites – אֲתָרִים (ata’reem)

group – קְבוּצָה (kvutzah)

expanded – הִתְרַחֲבוּ (hit’ra’cha’vu)

prices – מְחִירִים (mechi’reem)

location – מִיקוּם (mikum)

apartments – דִירוֹת (dirot)

establish – לְהָקִים (le’ha’keem)

immigrants – מְהַגְרִים (meh’hag’reem)

border – גְבוּל (gvul)

permanent –  קָבוּעַ(kavu’a)

retain – לִשְׁמוֹר (lishmor)

fishmonger – סוֹחֵר דָגִים (socher dageem)

imported – מְיוּבָאִים (meh’yu’va’eem)

worshippers – מִתְפַּלְלִים (mit’pa’leh’lim)

PAGE mitpaleh’lim – Ricky Williams

Discussion: Who are the students’ sports heroes and why? What should be expected of athletes? Should they be role models?

How should we relate to people who become interested in Judaism? Why do they think that so many athletes and celebrities have become interested in Judaism in the last few years?

Wishing you all a very Happy Passover!

TEACHERS’ RESOURCE

    Issue No. 14, March 2011

Note to Teachers: Your students can appear in ZimZoom! We seek contributions from, or about, your kids in the following forms:

1)     Please encourage your students to write letters to the editor, Yigal Tzadka, at yigal@hebrewtoday.com. They can respond to articles in the magazine or make suggestions. Every month we’ll choose 1-3 letters to publish from around the country.

2)     We are always looking for stories about Jewish kids in the 8-18 age range who have done, or are doing, something extraordinary, be it a chessed project, a business, a scientific project, etc. If you would like to nominate one of your students to be profiled, please contact the editor.

3)     If you would like one of your students to contribute a d’var Torah for the Parashat Hashavua section, please contact the editor.

4)     Always feel welcome to send us digital photos of your students, with parental permission of course. They’ll love seeing themselves in the magazine.

THEMATIC UNITS OF THIS ISSUE

The major theme in this issue is Purim. As such, there is a large amount of silliness in this edition. But there are also a few serious ideas included in the magazine. One theme is the theme of Superheroes. This theme appears in the article “Jews in the News” (pages 12-13) as well as in, “Real-Life Superhero” (page 10).

Thematic Activities and Discussions

1)     In the article about Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel (pages 12-13), we touched upon the theory that Superman’s sense of alienation may have had something to do with the alienation that his creators felt as Jews in America. Talk about the feeling of being “different”. Is this a precondition of being a Jew in America? What other sorts of people may feel alienated in American society? Is alienation a necessary component of creativity?

2)     The article also touched on the idea of copyright and intellectual property. Have the students “recreate” the lawsuit between DC Comics and Shuster and Siegel. Why would DC have the rights to Superman? Why would Shuster and Siegel?  Why is it so important to have the rights to a creative work? Do the students think that Shuster and Siegel were treated fairly?

3)     Activity: Hand out note cards with emotions – both good and bad – written on them. Have the students use that emotion to create a character/storyline using that emotion in a symbolic and/or metaphorical way.

4)     The article about superheroes in Seattle deals with vigilantism. Discuss this idea.

Is vigilantism good or bad?  Is Phoenix Jones good, bad, or just foolish?  Can they think of examples of vigilantism in the Bible? (You can bring up the story of Samson – is he a hero, or a villain?)

Activities & Discussions Related to Articles in this Issue

** The Tombs of Mordechai and Esther (Page 3)

Discussion: How can it be that there are two tombs for Mordechai and Esther? Which gravesite is the “real” gravesite? How do traditions about the nature of various places get started? What makes a given site “holy”?

** Purim Costumes (Page 4)

Activity: Have students create their own themed costumes and mishloach manot.

This can also be an opportunity to discuss the social aspects of mishloach manot.

What was the original purpose of the custom? Should people include candy, or food?

Why is it important for us to send food to our friends? How does this connect with the story of Purim?

** From the Megilla (Page 5)
Discussion: This piece touched upon the idea of not blindly following leaders. Use this to discuss politics and political rhetoric.

How is this related to the idea of Free Speech? Why are there different political leaders? How do we know when to follow our leaders and when not to?
“Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely”- How can this statement be related to the discussion?

** The Prisoner’s Noisemaker (Page 6)

Discussion/Activity: Have the students do some research about the Jewish life of the deportees on Cyprus. What was life like for the Jews of Cyprus? How was the community organized? What are some other Jewish artifacts that were made there?

** Weird Foods (Page 7)

Discussion: What foods that we eat now can be considered weird? What is the weirdest food the students have ever eaten?

** Funny Purim Spread (Pages 8-9)

Activity: Have students create their own future news. What do they think the world will look like in a thousand years? They can discuss serious topics such as global warming, pollution, war etc, or more lighthearted ones such as technology, culture and food.

Activity: Ask the students to compose Purim poems. Choose three types of poetry (Limerick, Haiku, Couplet, etc) and have the students write one of each type.

** Carnivals Around the World (Page 11)

Activity: Assign each student with a country. Have them research and present the carnival customs in the respective countries.

Discussion: What are the similarities and differences in the ways Jews celebrate Purim and the way Carnival is celebrated around the world? What does this mean?

Activity: Have the students design their own masks. Ask them to come up with an anthropological explanation as to the use of their mask: Is it used ritually? For theater? For fun?

A FEW MORE COOL VOCABULARY WORDS FOR THIS ISSUE

Page 3

Graves – קְבָרִים (k’vareem)

Buried –  קְבוּרִים(k’vureem)

Rumor – שְׁמוּעָה (shmu’ah)

Prayers –  תְפִילוֹת(t’fillot)

Journal – יוֹמָן (yoman)

Pages 8-9

Galaxy – גָלַקְסְיָה (galak’tzia)

Robots – רוֹבּוֹטִים (roboteem)

Planet – כּוֹכָב לֶכֶת (kochav lechet)

Tourists –  תַיָירִים(ta’ya’reem)

Treasure – אוֹצָר (otzar)

Wishing you all a very Happy Purim!

TEACHERS’ RESOURCE

Issue No. 13, February 2011

Note to Teachers: Your students can appear in ZimZoom! We seek contributions from, or about, your kids in the following forms:

1)     Please encourage your students to write letters to the editor, Yigal Tzadka, at yigal@hebrewtoday.com. They can respond to articles in the magazine or make suggestions. Every month we’ll choose 1-3 letters to publish from around the country.

2)     We are always looking for stories about Jewish kids in the 8-18 age range who have done, or are doing, something extraordinary, be it a chessed project, a business, a scientific project, etc. If you would like to nominate one of your students to be profiled, please contact the editor.

3)     If you would like one of your students to contribute a d’var Torah for the Parashat Hashavua section, please contact the editor.

4)     Always feel welcome to send us digital photos of your students, with parental permission of course. They’ll love seeing themselves in the magazine.

Themes:

One of the themes that appears in this issue is the theme of time and how we mark time. The theme appears in the article “The Problem With Leap Years (pp. 6-7), the story “Rekindling the Fires after 2000 Years (p.7), the article “Israel’s Stonehenge” (p.11) and the trivia quiz focused on the space and the solar system (p.14)

Activities and Discussions related to the theme of Time

1)     Use “The Problem With Leap Years” to discuss the holidays and the seasons. Talk about the agricultural aspects of Jewish holidays – Sukkot is חג האסיף- the holiday associated with the harvest; Pesach is  חג האביב- the holiday associated with spring and Shavuot is חג הקציר- the holiday associated with reaping. Ask the students if they can identify the elements of the holidays that are meant to commemorate the season. Continue this discussion with the addition of leap years- what happens when the seasons and holidays are out of joint?
Do people who celebrate the holidays in Australia and New Zealand still experience the full extent of the holiday?
Discuss the meaning of the holiday beyond the seasonal aspect.

2)     Create a “calendar” activity. Lead a discussion about different calendrical systems. Discuss the difference between a solar calendar and a lunar one. You can talk about the Mesoamerican calendars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesoamerican_calendars), the Chinese Calendar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_calendar), and obviously, the Hebrew and Gregorian Calendars.  Ask the students to get into groups and represent a calendrical system. Have them make a case for why their system should be adopted.

A second theme that appears in this edition of Zim Zoom is that of important sites in Israel. This theme is touched upon in quite a few articles in this volume: “Israel’s Stonehenge (p.11), “Jerusalem’s ‘Lost’ Street is Found” (p. 10) and “The Most Frequently Visited Sites in Israel (p.9).

Activities and Discussions related to the theme of Israeli Sites

1)     If your classroom has access to the internet you can have the students take a virtual tour of Israel at- http://www.goisrael.com/vt/-  have them visit the Cardo and the Israel Museum- both of which were mentioned in this edition.

Activities and Discussions related to articles that appear in this edition.

Gabriel Giffords (p.3)

There is a lot to talk about regarding the shooting in Tuscon.  Here are a few ideas as to how widen the discussion to include Judaism:

1)     One of the issues that has been raised in wake of the Tuscon shootings is the role that extreme political rhetoric may have played in the events. You can take this opportunity to talk about לשון הרע- malicious talk. The rabbis say that there is no forgiveness for malicious talk. Why might that be?
For more about the prohibition against malicious talk see

-http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/Speech_and_Lashon_Ha-Ra.html

2)     Seeking justice and תיקון עולם- how did Gabby Giffords incorporate those Jewish concepts into her work and life?
re there other ways to seek justice?
hat does it mean to repair the world? Is the world broken?

3)     Being Jewish and American- do Judaism and Democracy work together?
In what ways might they clash? How does Israel fit in to the mix?
Do the students feel more American, or more Jewish?

David Blake (pp. 12-13)

1)     David Blake chose to coach the Russian national team. How does one relate to governments and countries where Jews were treated badly? Should Germans of this generation be held responsible for what their grandparents did?
Should Jews buy products made in Germany?
Is David Blake’s choice to coach in Russia an insult to his Jewish heritage or is it a chance to build some bridges?

Hummus

1)     Activity- have the students come up with a marketing campaign for hummus. The campaign must include a slogan, a design and a gimmick. The students can then vote for the best advertisement.

Israel’s Controversial New Water Project

1) Lead a discussion that outlines the various viewpoints of those for and opposed to the new water project. What are the pros and cons?
Do the advantages to be gained from the water project outweigh the the possible damages? 
his can also be an opportunity to discuss the draining of the Hula Valley in the 1950′s. At the time it was considered a great accomplishment that benefited the agriculture of Israel. Over time the environmental costs of the drainage of the swamps became clear. For more on the Hula Valley see

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hula_Valley

2)     Vocabulary List

Here is a list of English-Hebrew vocabulary words relating to the environment that you can include in your discussion.

▪    Conservation- 

▪    Recycling

▪    Clean Energy

▪    Wind Power

▪    Climate Change

▪    Desalination

▪    Evaporation

▪    Drought

▪    Drainage

Issue No. 12, January 2011 

Note to Teachers:

At ZimZoom, we love to receive contributions from our readers. Here are some ways in which your students can get involved.

1. Encourage your students to write a letter to ZimZoom editor Yigal Tzadka at yigal@hebrewtoday.com. Students may respond to articles in the magazine or make suggestions of their own. Every month we’ll publish a few of the letters we’ve received from students.

2. We are always looking for stories about young Jewish people who have done something extraordinary. This may be a chessed project, a business enterprise, a scientific experience or more. If you want to nominate one of your students to be profiled, please contact the editor.

3. If you would like one of your students to contribute a d’var Torah for the Parashat Hashavua section, please contact the editor.

4. We’d love to receive digital photos of your students (with parental permission of course) doing some special project or activity. Make sure you send the photos along with the students name and geographic location, so that we can represent them properly. We’re sure they’ll love seeing themselves in the magazine.

For more information, please contact our editor Yigal Tzadka (yigal@hebrewtoday.com).

Thematic Units in this Issue

The January 2011 issue focuses on Tu Bishvat, the beautiful holiday in which Israelis celebrate nature and the environment. This is an excellent occasion for talking with students about the importance of protecting the nature of the holiday, of planting new trees, and about living an environmentally sound life.

This year, we celebrate Tu Bishvat just a few weeks after a huge fire burned in the Carmel region of Israel. Many people were killed during that fire, and a great sorrow was felt over this loss. Thus when we talk about the holiday of trees this year, the recent event of the fire resonates even stronger.

In addition, we talk about Martin Luther King and his unique struggle. He was joined in his struggle by many Jewish people, a fact which symbolizes the feeling of solidarity that was felt by many Jews for black people in the United States at that time.

As always, we urge you to encourage your students to send us letters and interesting articles. This will help them strengthen their connection with ZimZoom and with the Land of Israel.

We wish everyone a pleasant reading!  

Ideas for Class Activities

PAGE 2 – News in Hebrew

This article talks about a strong storm in Israel that destroyed parts of the shore. In addition to destroying things, the storm also caused an ancient sculpture to be exposed in the sand.

Ask students to consider other events that can have both positive and disastrous results. The term “every cloud has a silver lining” may help them to consider such phenomena.

PAGES 3-4 – Thousands of Acres

This article discusses some of the disastrous results of the forest fire in the Carmel. It also discusses some positive elements that were revealed due to the fire; for example, the fact that other countries came to Israel’s aid during this time of environmental disaster. Ask students to examine the article and find information about the following issues.

- What damage was caused by the fire?
- Who was killed by the fire?

- How were these people killed?
- Who started the fire?

- What were some factors that exacerbated (made worse) the fire?

- Which countries helped Israel put out the flames?

Based on this article, ask students to write a list of things Israel should do in the future to make sure such a tragedy does not happen again.

PAGE 4 – Noa and Noam

Students read about the most common Israeli names this year: Noa and Noam. Ask students to do research on these names. Where do they come from? What do they mean? Engage students in a conversation about common Israeli names and common North American names.

For your information, the top 10 Israeli names for boys this year were:

Noam, Itai, Uri, Daniel, David, Yonatan, Yosef, Ido, Moshe, and Ariel

The top 10 Israeli names for girls this year were:

Noa, Shira, Maya, Tamar, Yael, Talya, Sara, Hila, Noya, and Michal

PAGES 6-7 – Blood Brothers

This article discusses the complicated relationship between Jewish people and Black people in the United States.

Discuss the following issues with your class. [Of course, many of the questions below may lead to other topics of conversation, which is excellent, as well.]

- – What is a major source of identification between Jewish people and black people in the United States? (Jewish people were once slaves in Egypt, and black people were slaves in the United States; in the early 1900s, it was hard to be a Jew and hard to be black in the USA; Black people trusted Jewish people more than other white people during the 1960s, etc.)

- – In what way did Jewish people participate in the struggle for equality during the 1960s? (Jewish people were among the founders of the NAACP, more than half the civil rights attorneys in the American south were Jewish, many Jewish Americans traveled to Mississippi to protect racial laws there).

- – Why did the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968 change the relationship between Black people and Jewish people in the USA? (The African-American community shifted away from his ideals of non-violence and of blacks and whites working together)

PAGE 7 – Parashat Yitro

This parasha has many important lessons to be learned. It teaches us to listen to others, to take advice, and to be modest. It also teaches us that even wise people can learn something from others.

Ask pupils to think about a moment when they had something to teach someone older than them. Perhaps they helped their parents or older siblings see something in a new light. Now ask pupils to think about when they learned something from someone younger than themselves…perhaps from a younger sibling.

PAGE 8 – Tu B’Shvat Tales

Trees aren’t just important in the forest. They are also important in cities and suburbs, yards and even rooftops. Ask students to guess how many trees they will pass on their way home from school. Now ask pupils to actually count the number of trees. Did they guess a higher or lower number than the actual number?

PAGE 8 – A Rose by Any Other Name

In Hebrew, it’s quite common to have names derived from nature. It’s a bit less common in other languages. Write the names of all the students in the class on the board and write the meaning of the names (if there is one) beside each name.

PAGES 10-11 – Israeli Inventions and Innovations

The articles on these pages are about great Israeli agricultural inventions. There are lots of vocabulary words from a variety of fields in this story. Here are some of the words. Discuss them with your class, in the context of Israeli innovations.

מִדְבָּר – midbar – desert

כְּרָמִים – krameem – vineyards

לְהֵירָגַע – leheraga - to relax

אֲזוֹרִים – azoreem – areas

בְּעָיָה – be’aya – problem

שִׁילוּב – shiluv- combination

יָבֵשׁ – yavesh – dry

חַשְׁמַל – chashmal – electricity

תִקְשׁוֹרֶת – tikshoret – communication

TEACHERS’ RESOURCE

Issue No. 11, December 2010

Note to Teachers: Your students can appear in ZimZoom! We seek contributions from, or about, your kids in the following forms:

1. Encourage your students to write letters to the editor, Yigal Tzadka, at yigal@hebrewtoday.com. They can respond to articles in the magazine or make suggestions. Every month we’ll choose 1-3 letters to publish from around the country.

2. We are always looking for stories about Jewish kids in the 8-18 age range who have done, or are doing, something extraordinary, be it a chessed project, a business, a scientific project, etc. If you would like to nominate one of your students to be profiled, please contact the editor.

3. If you would like one of your students to contribute a d’var Torah for the Parashat Hashavua section, please contact the editor.

4. Always feel welcome to send us digital photos of your students, with parental permission of course. They’ll love seeing themselves in the magazine.

THEMATIC UNITS IN THIS ISSUE

The December issue contains two major themes related to Chanukah:

The Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple)

- “Where the Temples Stood” (page 3 and 11)

- “Did You Know?” (page 5)
- “Menorah and Other Miracles” (page 11)

- “How Long Does it Take to Rebuild the Temple?” (page 11)

Light and Dark

- “How Cheerful Are You?” (page 7) (metaphorical connection)

- “Different Ways of Looking at Light and Dark” (pages 8-10)

Other Chanukah-related articles are

- “Make Your Own Jelly Doughnuts” (page 4)

- “Factories Preparing for Chanukah” (Hebrew article, page 5)

- “Be a Miracle Maker” (page 14)

FOR CLASS DISCUSSION

A)  Judaism places great importance on our being sensitive to the needs of others, especially the needs of people who are disadvantaged in some way, such as widows and orphans. Have students read the article on page 10 and teach them the commandment “not to place a stumbling block before the blind.” Discuss the metaphorical ways that this commandment is interpreted, both in the sense of not making fun of others, and in the sense of tricking people (blind or not).

B) Have students read “Be a Miracle Maker” on page 14 and discuss the concept ofהִשְׁתַדְלוּת (hishtadlut) – human effort. What is the nature of miracles in Judaism? What did the Sages mean when they said that we should not rely on miracles?

WRITING EXERCISES

A) Have students read “A Bar Mitzvah Man” on page 5 and write about the significance of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony to them and to the Jewish community. Technically, there is no need to do anything special when one turns 12 or 13; one is simply considered an adult who is responsible for his or her own mitzvot. Why do people create rituals around the bar/bat mitzvah? What rituals do different communities do? (You might want to point out the very different kinds of parties and religious services expected in different religious denominations and in different parts of the world.) Why would someone want to do a classic bar mitzvah ceremony so late in life, rather than create his own way to mark his happiness about being a Jew?

B) Have students read “Our Readers Write” on page 6, and decide together on a writing exercise you could do, to submit to ZimZoom. We can’t promise to publish all submissions but we’ll try!

FOR CLASS DEBATE

A) Many Jews dream of the day that the Third Temple will be built on Har Habayit (The Temple Mount). Some are actively working toward such a day, doing what they can to build the utensils for the next Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple) and training members of the Cohen (priestly) families to perform their duties. The knowledge that we would ideally like to build our own Temple on Har Habayit is one reason that Muslims don’t want us to have control of it. What should we do about this? Give up our dream? Destroy the mosques on the Temple Mount, as some Jews want to do? Wait for the Messiah to come? Something else?

B) For many decades, the Jewish community, at Chanukah time, has mostly focused on the miracle of the oil that lasted for 8 days. But for much of Jewish history, the oil miracle was considered a minor point, and the focus was on the miracle of the military victory over the Romans. Why would our focus change over time? What do the two miracles represent? What should be our focus today? Why?

ADDITIONAL VOCABULARY EXERCISES

EXERCISE 1

In Hebrew, plural nouns (for example “children” or “books”) end in either “eem” or “oht.” Usually, “male” nouns end in “eem” and “female” nouns end in “oht,” but there are many exceptions.

The following exercises are based on words found in the December issue of ZimZoom. Use the magazine to help you fill in the blanks.

* Every morning I check the day’s headlines online, so I’ll know the ______. (news, page 2)

* December is holiday time for people of many different ___________. (religions, page 2)

* To make jelly doughnuts, you need ___________. (egg yolks, page 4)

* It is interesting to visit _________ (factories, page 5) to see how things are made.

* At night I love to look at all the _________. (stars, page

* The five ______________ (senses, page 10) are taste, sound, smell, touch, and sight.

* _____________ (blind people, page 10) often can hear better than sighted people.

* Our forefather Jacob gave his son Joseph a coat of many ____________. (stripes, page 10)

* Among my favorite zoo animals are the __________. (zebras, page 10)

EXERCISE 2

The following words are written in plural. In the spaces, write them in singular form.

בָּתֵי הַמִקְדָשׁ (the Holy Temples, page 3) ___________________

אֲבָנִים (rocks, page 3) ___________________

רִיבּוֹת (jams, page 4) ___________________

סוּפְגָנִיוֹת (jelly doughnuts, page 4) ___________________

חַגִים (holidays, page 5) ___________________

נֵרוֹת (candles, page 5) ___________________

כּוֹחוֹת (powers/forces, page ___________________

תַרְבּוּיוֹת (cultures, page 9) ___________________

שְׁמָשׁוֹת (suns, page 9) ___________________

עוֹלָמוֹת (worlds, page 13) ___________________

EXERCISE 3

This exercise will help you learn the verbs in the December issue of ZimZoom. For each word, write a sentence that uses the word correctly, writing the word in Hebrew. Advanced students should write the whole sentence in Hebrew

Page 2 – הִתְפַּלְלוּ – prayed (plural/past)

Page 2 – צְרִיכִים – need (plural/present)

Page 5 – מַדְלִיקִים – light up or turn on (plural/present)

Page 5 – עוֹבְדִים – work (plural/present)

Page 9 – כּוֹלֵל – includes (singular/present)

Page 13 – מִתְכּוֹנְנִים – getting ready (plural/present)

Page 13 – דוֹמֶה – looks like (singular/present)

Page 13 – לִרְאוֹת – to see (infinitive)

Page 13 – אוֹמְרִים – say (plural/present)

HAPPY CHANUKAH!

TEACHERS’ RESOURCE

Issue No. 10, November 2010

Note to Teachers: Your students can appear in ZimZoom! We seek contributions from, or about, your kids in the following forms:

1. Encourage your students to write letters to the editor, Yigal Tzadka, at yigal@hebrewtoday.com. They can respond to articles in the magazine or make suggestions. Every month we’ll choose 1-3 letters to publish from around the country.

2. We are always looking for stories about Jewish kids in the 8-18 age range who have done, or are doing, something extraordinary, be it a chessed project, a business, a scientific project, etc. If you would like to nominate one of your students to be profiled, please contact the editor.

3. If you would like one of your students to contribute a d’var Torah for the Parashat Hashavua section, please contact the editor.

4. Always feel welcome to send us digital photos of your students, with parental permission of course. They’ll love seeing themselves in the magazine.

THEMATIC UNITS IN THIS ISSUE

The November issue includes stories on a variety of subjects, including a multi-page feature about the Golan. An activity that would encourage your students to explore the entire issue is an assignment to choose one topic related to the magazine, do independent research, and prepare a short oral presentation in Hebrew. The topics you allow (or assign) would differ depending on the age and skills of your students. Possible topics include:

• What is a kibbutz? (page 3)
• Traditional Thanksgiving foods (pages 4-5)
• My plans for Thanksgiving (pages 4-5)
• Skiing tips (pages 8-9)
• Waterfalls of the world (page
• Tips for keeping your room neat (page 11)
• How to make chocolate (pages 12-13)
• Yosef as a role model (page 14)
• Notable American Jews (page 14)

Ideas for Class Activities

PAGE 2 – News in Hebrew

The Hebrew Headlines on this page include the word מַדָע (mada) science. Take this opportunity to point out the relationship between מַדָע and לָדַעַת (la’daat) to know, and the difference between

לָדַעַת (to know information) and לְהַכִּיר (le’hakir) to recognize, or know a person.  A small fill-in-the-blank exercise at your students’ level will help reinforce the usage of these three words.

PAGE 3 – Let’s Kibbitz about the Kibbutz

Have students write a paragraph in Hebrew explaining what a kibbutz is. The following words might be helpful:

Verbs:

לַחֲלוֹק (la’chlok) to share

לְהַחֲלִיט (le’hach’leet) to decide

לְהִיפָּגֵשׁ (lehi’pa’gesh) to meet

לְתַכְנֵן (le’tach’nen) to plan

לְהִשְׁתַמֵשׁ (le’hish’ta’mesh) to use

לַעֲבוֹד (la’avod) to work

You can also connect the kibbutz vocabulary to the Hebrew Headline on page 2 – everyone on a kibbutz knows (מַכִּירִים makirim, not יוֹדְעִים yod’im) each other

Nouns:

רְכוּשׁ (re’choosh) property

חָוָוה (chava) farm

הַחְלָטָה (hach’la’ta) decision

תוֹכְנִית (tochneet) plan

מִפְעָל (mif’al) factory

קְהִילָה (kehilah) community

Activity

Divide the class into groups of community-5 and have each group represent a kibbutz. Give each group a budget, a location in Israel, an industry, and a profile of costs and profits. Each group must decide by consensus how to “invest” their funds and how to use any profits.  After each group presents the decision it made, have the students discuss the challenges they faced in making group decisions about money, how it felt to be financially connected to others, and what the advantages and disadvantages are of kibbutz life.

PAGES 4-5 – Giving Thanks for Turkey

These pages are about Thanksgiving. Discuss with your students the meaning of Thanksgiving for American Jews. Possible points for discussion:

• Is Thanksgiving a religious holiday or a secular/national one?
• What do your students think about Jews who have their turkey the day after Thanksgiving, for Shabbat dinner?
• See last year’s November issue of ZimZoom, where an article discusses the concepts of seudat hodaya (meal of thanks) and turning the Thanksgiving dinner into a Jewish event by making it kosher and saying brachot (blessings) and birkat hamazon (Grace after Meals).

Portmanteaus

Students enjoy learning portmanteaus because each portmanteau teaches them three words.

In addition to those on page 5, you could teach the following:

מַד (mad – meter) + חוֹם (chom – heat) = מַדְחוֹם (madchom – thermometer)

עֲרָפֶל (arafel – fog) + פִּיחַ (piach – soot) = עַרְפִּיחַ (arpiach – smog)

מִדְרָכָה (midracha – sidewalk) + רְחוֹב (rechov – street) = מִדְרְחוֹב (midrechov – pedestrian mall)

רָם (ram – loud) + קוֹל (kol – sound; voice) = רַמְקוֹל (ramkol – loudspeaker)

PAGES 6-10 – Go to the Golan

Our section on the Golan is the first of what will be several region-related features this year, to help your students better understand Israel’s geography, and perhaps better imagine and understand a country they may have never seen.

We started with the Golan on purpose in order to establish to students that ZimZoom is willing to address controversial topics in Israeli history and society. We attempted to keep the tone of the articles as neutral as possible, explaining all the reasons Israel is keeping the Golan while also acknowledging the reasons that the annexation of the Golan is controversial.

We urge you to present your opinions honestly and openly while also making it clear that students are free to ask questions and express their own opinions without censure from you or classmates.

Activity

Older students can research the legal, military, and historical significance of Israel’s presence in the Golan and have a debate in class about whether Israel should return all or part of the region to Syria. This activity would require them to have more information about Syria itself, Israel’s wars with Syria, and the exact text of UN Resolution 242. The resolution declares the Golan Heights occupied, rather than annexed (weakening Israel’s claim), but Israel points out that the resolution also calls for “safe and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force” (strengthening Israel’s claim).

Activity

Have students write a paragraph in Hebrew explaining whether Israel should be willing to return all or part of the Golan Heights to Syria, and why. The following words might be helpful:

Verbs:

לְוַותֵר (le’vater) to compromise

לְסַכֵּן (le’saken) to risk

לְנַצֵחַ (le’na’tze’ach) to win

לִשְׁמוֹר (lishmor) to keep

לִשְׁלוֹט (lishlot) to control

Nouns:

שְׁלִיטָה (shlita) control

סוּרְיָה (soor’ya) Syria

הָאוּמוֹת הַמְאוּחָדוֹת (ha’umot ha’me’u'chadot) the United Nations

בִּיטָחוֹן (bi’ta’chon) safety

עָתִיד (a’teed) future

Additional Information

If you would like to teach your students about Jews’ historical or Biblical connection to the Golan, refer to the following textual sources:

- Mount Hermon as northern boundary of Land of Israel:

  Deuteronomy 3:8

  Joshua 11:17, 12:1, 13:5

- Conquering Golan from Emorim: Deuteronomy 3:1-7

- Golan (“Bashan”) inhabited by tribes of Dan and Menasheh: Deuteronomy 33:22

- King Solomon appoints ministers in the Golan: Kings I, 4:13

Other references to Mount Hermon (“S’nir” or “Sirion”):

Deuteronomy 3:9 and commentary by Rashi

Psalms 29:6

Chronicles 5:23

Song of Songs 4:8

Ezekiel 27:5

PAGE 10 – Winning Wines

It is unusual for a kids’ magazine to include an article about wine. We decided to include this piece because wine plays a role in many Jewish rituals, such as Kiddush, havdala, and the Passover seder.  Jewish tradition has long seen wine as a useful and important drink, when used moderately for sacred purposes. Rather than pretending wine does not exist, Zimzoom gives teachers a space for discussing the role of alcoholic beverages in Jewish traditions – and the dangers of drinking too much.

PAGES 12-13 – Chocolate-y Coolness

Make hot chocolate Israeli style, by putting a mekupelet bar on the bottom of a thick glass and covering it with hot milk. Use the activity to teach relevant words such as:

Nouns:

שׁוֹקוֹ (shoko) chocolate milk

כּוֹס (kos) cup

כַּפִּית (kapeet) spoon

תַחְתִית (tach’teet) bottom

חָלָב (chalav) milk

Verbs:

לְהָמִיס (le’ha’mees) to melt

לִמְזוֹג (limzog) to pour

לָשִׂים (la’seem) to put

לְכַסוֹת (le’cha’sot) to cover

לְעַרְבֵּב (le’ar’bev) to stir

TEACHERS’ RESOURCE

Issue No. 9, September 2010

Note to Teachers: Your students can appear in ZimZoom! We seek contributions from, or about, your kids in the following forms:

1)                                                                                                                                Please encourage your students to write letters to the editor, Yigal Tzadka, at yigal@hebrewtoday.com. They can respond to articles in the magazine or make suggestions. Every month we’ll choose 1-3 letters to publish from around the country.

2)                                                                                                                                We are always looking for stories about Jewish kids in the 8-18 age range who have done, or are doing, something extraordinary, be it a chessed project, a business, a scientific project, etc. If you would like to nominate one of your students to be profiled, please contact the editor.

3)                                                                                                                                If you would like one of your students to contribute a d’var Torah for the Parashat Hashavua section, please contact the editor.

4)                                                                                                                                Always feel welcome to send us digital photos of your students, with parental permission of course. They’ll love seeing themselves in the magazine.

Please be in touch with our editor, Yigal Tzadka (yigal@hebrewtoday.com) for more information.

IMPORTANT NOTICE – This issue is for September-October, in order to give schools a chance to order and renew their orders. The next issue will come out in November.

THEMATIC UNITS IN THIS ISSUE

The September 2010 issue focuses on the holiday of Sukkot and themes surrounding that holiday:

** Why we sit in a sukkah, facts about the holiday, etc. (Sukkah Surprises pages 6-7; Ushpizin page 8; Dvar Torah page 13)

** Hospitality (Bee Hospitable page 8; Ushpizin page 8; Host a Fantastic Sleepover page 9)

** Consumerism/materialism vs. spirituality and simplicity, appreciating our material wealth, etc. (Shrek page 5; Dvar Torah page 13)

Ideas for Class Activities

PAGE 2 – News in Hebrew

The Hebrew Headlines includes a note about the new building going up in Sao Paulo Brazil, which will be a copy of the Holy Temple. What the headline does not mention, and which you might want to discuss with your students, is that the new building will be a Pentecostal church. There has been a fair amount of debate about this in Jewish media, with some Jews enraged that the Church will be a mockery of our most sacred site and a Christian blasphemy of Jewish ideals, and others thinking it is either cool or just irrelevant to the Jewish community. It would be interesting to hear your students’ reaction to the matter, and an excuse to talk about the importance of the Holy Temple and why Christians might be interested in it. This headline is conducive to setting up a formal debate in your class.

PAGE 3 – Room for Debate

The way you approach this article about intermarriage will largely depend on the make-up of your student body. It is especially important to note, before discussing this article, whether any students in your school have a non-Jewish parent, and to be sensitive to the fact that you might have students from mixed-marriage homes who feel that their Jewish identity has not been compromised in any way.

We recommend that you stress that the controversy is not about racism (people of all races and ethnicities are welcome to convert to Judaism, there are Jews of all colors and ethnic backgrounds, etc.) and not even about Jewish culture (first because there are many Jewish cultures, and second because people from different cultures often have good marriages). Rather, this is about preserving the Jewish religion and traditions, and also about educating the next generation of Jews so that their religious heritage and values are a top priority for how they want to live their lives.

This article is conducive to having a formal debate in the class about the best methods for combating intermarriage. Be sure to keep the kids’ discourse civil – they should never make sweeping assumptions about Jews who intermarry, or their children.

PAGE 4 – Four Years of Waiting for Gilad

This article is conducive to setting up a debate or discussion in your class about whether Israel should release hundreds of terrorists and other prisoners in exchange for one soldier.

PAGE 4 – Conflict At Sea

Our goal in writing this article is to explain the flotilla incident without judgment, and to give your students a chance to consider Israel’s point of view. Tread carefully so as not to distort facts. If you are researching this topic before presenting it, consider including dover.idf.il/IDF in your range of source material.

PAGE 5 – Kids like Onions?

The Hebrew story about Shrek and onions lends itself to a discussion about how people are affected by advertising. In the course of this discussion you might want to teach the following vocabulary:

סֶרֶט – movie – seret

דְמוּת – character – d’mut

פּוֹפּוּלָארִיוּת – popularity – po’pu’lariyut

טְרֶנְד, אוֹפְנָה – trend – trend, ofna

פִּרְסוֹמֶת – advertisement – pirsomet

תִקְשׁוֹרֶת – media – tikshoret

לְשַׁכְנֵעַ – persuade, convince – le’shach’neh’a

הִתְנַהֲגוּת behavior – hitnahagut -

קְנִיוֹת – shopping – kniyot

PAGE 6 – Sukkah Surprises

Decorating a sukkah brings, to many Jewish families, the same sense of fun, family history and aesthetics that Christian families feel about decorating their Christmas trees.

Consider having your students make decorations (for their own sukkot or for the school’s) that weaves together pretty decorations with their thoughts about the holiday or something else meaningful to them, such as paper chains wherein each link represents a different holiday, value or family member and is decorated accordingly.

PAGE 8 – Ushpizin Activity

You can create a unit about Ushpizin by teaching your students the relevant excerpts from Tanach (Bible) that are referenced in this activity. Perhaps have the students put on a play in which each one of the “guests” comes into the “sukkah” and converses with the stunned family who is eating there.

PAGES 10-11 – The Floo Network

If all of your students have read the Harry Potter books and are fans, you can create a vocabulary unit in which each student writes a summary of one of the books, or a “fan fiction” story about the characters – be imaginative! Students can also use their Potter-related vocabulary to give oral presentations, playing different characters or even writing a script of one of the scenes in Hebrew!

This article presents the following vocabulary words:

Dream, Rumors, Experience, Castle, Films, Room, Hut, Love (verb, plural), Stores, Letters

Notice that some of the nouns are plural and other singular. We suggest teaching both the singular and plural forms and having the students write paragraphs using each of the words.

There is also a more simple activity on Page 15 wherein students match each word to its meaning.

PAGE 13 – Activity Answers

1-a, 2-e, 3-b, 4-c, 5-d

PAGE 14 – Making a Good Impression on Teachers

This article about classroom behavior provides opportunities to talk about the concept of “middot,” (traits, characteristics) and the importance in Judaism of being kind to others, while also taking care of your own needs. For example:

* Accepting that everyone makes mistakes sometimes, including you, and owning up to them.

* Contributing your views and intelligence as often as you can while also giving other people a chance to contribute and shine.

* Not being jealous

* Modesty/tzniut – understanding and feeling that you are terrific, so that you don’t need to show off out of insecurity.

* Anticipating the needs of others (a theme which comes up also in “How to Host a Fantastic Sleepover,” page 9)

PAGE 15 – Activity Answers

1-c, 2-i, 3-e, 4-a, 5-g, 6-f, 7-j, 8-d, 9-b, 10-h

PAGE 15 – Activity Answers

1. September; 2. New York; 3. Florida; 4. campus;

5. archaeology; 6. genealogy; 7. cool, 8. Chinese