Presentation Transcript

1. Poster Activities

   7th – 9th grade
2. Stamp: Invite the students to walk among the posters and read the info. Divide the class to groups, and ask each group to prepare a “Gush Katif Stamp” according to the info and the posters. Explain that the stamp has to illustrate Gush Katif’s characteristics. Finally, present them with the real Gush Katif stamp.
3. Gush Katif Stamp View of Gush Katif and of its houses prior to the destruction. Hot houses and cherry tomatoes representing the agriculture. The uniquely structured Yamit Yeshiva which was moved from Yamit to NeveDekalim. Children playing representing the community spirit. The names of the Gush Katif communities. The orange ribbon. A verse from the biblical book of Amos
4. The 1,000.00 Shekel Bill Invite the students to walk among the posters, to look at the photos and to read the info. Tell them that there is a plan to create a 1,000.00 shekel bill representing the settlement in Gush Katif. Explain to the students the words and visual elements that go into creating money. Present examples from existing bills. Divide the class to 6 groups and give each a frame for the bill. Have them decide what will appear on the bill, and why. Gather the class, and have a representative of each group explain his group’s creation.
5. Money, money, money… Former Israeli President ZalmanShazar. The Menora symbolizes the presidency, and the poems represent him being a poet and author. Baron Rothschild, pioneers and vineyards. The Baron established the first communities, and built a winepress in ZichronYa’acov. Sir Montifiori, the MishcenotSha’ananim neighborhood and the windmill he established in Jerusalem.
6. Gush Katif Bill 1000 One Thousand New Israeli Shekels
7. Info for the teacher: How “Orange” was Born, by RavKobi Bornstein When we first heard of the Disengagement Plan, we were shocked and horrified. Slowly, we understood that we need to act, and not wait for some outside event to occur. We didn’t know what to do; we are regular people, who just wish to lead our day-to-day life and not get mixed up in political matters. A group of people met, who later became known as “the Gush Katif Headquarters against the Disengagement.” They decided that the struggle is not only about everyone’s personal home, but also about the Israeli nation’s moral character. The struggle, they realized, would be decided not only in the political halls and in the newsrooms, but also in the hearts of the Israeli public. This is why the first action was a march by Gush Katif people all the way to Jerusalem by way of Sderot, Ashkelon and Kiriat Malachi. Part of the logistic planning for this march was deciding what color shirts they should have for the marchers. Past experience had taught them that women did not like white shirts. Yellow shirts had already been used during demonstration in PM Barak’s time. In the end, they chose orange. We decided to sleep the first night of the march in Sderot. Many media men told us that this was a mistake, that we should camp out opposite PM Sharon’s farm. We replied that we cared more about the man in Sderot than we did about the man in Shikmim farm. This was how the “orange” started. It continued in the Israeli chain – the largest demonstration Israel’s had. Orange became the official color of the struggle against the Disengagement Plan, and became an icon. The orange ribbon we decided on toward Israel’s Independence Day doesn’t cancel out the flag; it just adds a touch of orange to it. We believe that though Gush Katif was destroyed, the orange spirit cannot be stopped.
8. Facing Challenges Aims: Becoming aware of the daily routine of life for Gush Katif people. Understanding the difficulties involved in founding a pioneering community. Becoming aware of the dilemmas and the incredible challenges and the great difficulties that lay before the Gush Katif people due the Arab terror. Summary: Which challenge do you feel was the easiest to face? What other ways could one react to these challenges? (despair, leave, rebel, leave the State) How do you feel about the way the Gush Katif people faced these challenges? Do you think it is right that they are considered heroes? What do you think about the fact that they wish to return to Gush Katif even though none of the challenges that made their life difficult have been removed
9. Dilemma 1 This year we joined a community in Gush Katif. We came from a city in the center of Israel. Next week my twin sister and I have a birthday, and like every year we’ve invited all my cousins to come to the party. At first they were excited, but then they said it was too far, and finally only one cousin has promised to come. Everyone else has canceled. They said that if we come to them, they’ll be delighted to celebrate with us… We debate what to do: Obviously we can’t cancel our party. But to celebrate like this will be really depressing. We’ll invite the gang and have a good time! Our cousin will have such fun that he won’t mind the long journey to us, rather the opposite. We’ll travel back to the city where we came from, and be considerate of our family. This way we can celebrate with all our cousins.
10. Dilemma 2 These are the first days of establishing the community. The sea breeze blows in my hair and everything is full of hair. My parents build a hothouse to grow eggplants. They work hard all day long. The place looks like a desert. I can’t see a single flower anywhere. The new residents get organized and plant meters of grass, trees and flowers. Tourists from abroad come to see our new communities. One of them asks me whether I believe that after so many years in which nothing has grown, something will grow for us. I debate what to answer: You’re right, I don’t believe something will grow, but let’s at least try. You’re wrong. Since the days of our forefather Avraham, every time that Jews settled here the land flowered and everything was green. You’ll see! I won’t answer. I guy like this isn’t even worthy of an answer.
11. Dilemma 3 Yesterday there was a piece on TV about Gush Katif and the people that live there, and it didn’t really show us in a positive light. It presented us kids as if we’re constantly suffering and our parents our people who don’t care about their kids and choose instead to endanger them. It really bothered me that I can’t show what a great life I have here. All the fun I have, and how I wouldn’t choose to leave this place for a minute. More than that, even if my parents did decide to leave (which they never would) I’d stay with Oshrey, my best friend. I called the TV station. They invited me to come on air and respond at 5:00 in the afternoon. My cousin says that if I don’t say what they want to hear, and if I talk about my strong belief in my way, they’ll cut me off. I don’t know what to do. If I’m going on air, I’m not going to sit and be silent: I’ll sit on the show and respond to every word they say. I won’t let them silence me. Let them see that Gush Katif people also have what to say. I’ll sit quietly and I won’t emphasize my path and my beliefs. I’ll only answer what they want to hear. I’ll answer their questions in a civilized manner. I’ll present my views and beliefs and won’t be ashamed.
12. Dilemma 4 Lately, there’s been a rumor that the Arabs might start bombing us with mortars. I told my brother that if they really do start shooting mortars at us, we should ask our parents to move. My brother responded: “We don’t leave our home. Today they fire at us here, tomorrow in a different city. What are you thinking – that we end up leaving the State?!” All night I thought about what he said, and in the morning I decided that: He’s right. One doesn’t leave one’s home. We’ll stay here despite everything, and take whatever security measures we can. He said a lot of rubbish. Life is precious. If they shoot – I’m leaving. I’m staying and ignoring any danger.
13. Dilemma 5 Tomorrow I have a huge math test. I’m sitting in front of my notebooks, but I can’t concentrate. I keep thinking about a beloved teacher of mine, who was injured badly by Arab snipers some days ago. Since then she has been hospitalized without regaining consciousness. I can’t stop thinking about her kids who’re good friends of mine. I’m debating whether to take the math test or not: Of course to take the math test. I’ll make a big effort and take the test. That’s exactly what the terrorists want – to destroy our lives. I won’t let them! I’ll postpone the test by a week, two weeks, maybe until the situation here calms down and I can concentrate better. I’m not planning on taking any more tests until the end of the year. It’s impossible to continue this way. No normal kid would continue going to school when he’s being shot at!!!
14. Dilemmas for 10th – 12th Grade
15. Activities Gallery: look at the posters, gaze at the photos and read the info blurbs. Ask student representatives what characteristic stands out, and have them explain their choice. (20 min.) Gush Katif and I: have the students walk among the posters, photos and info blurbs. Divide the class to groups. Have each group choose a character that appears on a poster and compose a monologue, describing her life in Gush Katif; her motives for living there; and her feelings after the Disengagement. A Letter to the Gush: have the students walk among the posters, photos and info blurbs. Divide the class to pairs. Have them draw up a list of characteristics that appear in the posters and are unique to Gush Katif. Have them choose a figure from the posters that interests them, and compose a letter to that person. Ask the students to pay attention to the special Gush Katif characteristics. End by reading a letter from a Gush Katif resident – see appendix.
16. Appendix A letter from a gush katif resident Hello, My name is Shlomit and I lived in Gush Katif for 20 years. I moved to the Gush from a community in northern Israel, together with my husband and 4 children. I vividly remember my first days in Gush Katif: my children wandered around without their shoes on, sliding down the sand dunes, going to the sea, and enjoying the pastoral freedom of the place. As time passed, our family grew and I gave birth to two more children. They learned from their older siblings how to slide down sand dunes, how to gather sea shells in winter and how to get to the beach when their mother is busy and can’t take them… Life was good in Gush Katif. My husband and I found work we enjoyed. Our children liked their schools and youth groups. Their young life was full of sport tournaments, the beach, and giving cake and coffee to soldiers. The Disengagement Plan was announced just as were making plans to enlarge our living room. We debated whether to continue or not, and in the end decided to wait and see before we started building. I don’t want to say much about the actual Disengagement. It is too painful, and I doubt that someone who didn’t experience it firsthand can understand such pain.
17. continuation But I do want to tell you what I felt when I heard of your activities. I am amazed and pleased every time I hear about your interest, the interest of the young generation. It’s a wonderful thing that people who don’t know me should give of their time and thought to events that I went through. You have your own life, with your own challenges and experiences which occupy you. The fact that you find time for the Gush Katif story- is a great deal for me, and I wish to thank you. Moreover, to see you read, discuss and relate to my story – our story, moves me. It shows how we’re all connected in the great chain of Jewish history. Thank you for joining us: for making our story one that is yours too, and one that is full of hope. May you pass on these words to the next link in the chain, Shlomit
18. Dilemma: Settlement Chaim and Chana and their two children lived in Jerusalem by Chana’s parents. They finished their studies, and in the early 80s toured Gush Katif and checked out the possibility of moving there. Chana was excited over the pioneering aspect of the place, but worried over the distance from her parents and from all cultural and commercial services. Chaim felt there wasn’t any future in a place full of Arabs, and doubted his ability to find a job in the area. When they met the secretary, it was suggested to them that they purchase a plot of land and deal in agriculture. Help Chaim and Chana decide: Leave the city and move to a remote community? Forget your degrees, despite the money and hard work you put into them, and become farmers? Take the children away from the grandparents and the relatives? How will you have fun, and how will you go shopping?
19. Dilemma: agriculture Rafi has been a farmer in Gush Katif for many years. Lately, he has started to grow bug-free vegetables, known as “Hasalat.” After investing tens of thousands of shekels in building the hothouses, an inspector came to check if there were any insects. Sadly, he found some among the lettuce leaves. Rafi cannot sell his vegetables to the bug-free company he wished to. This means that he is out a lot of money and has to start growing a crop all over again. His wife Ruti, told him to sell this crop as regular, not bug-free, vegetables. But Rafi doesn’t feel able to sell leaves he knows have insects. If so, said his wife, maybe you should quit farming, since it’s so difficult to make a living. Help Rafi and Ruti decide: Uproot the crop and start all over again. Start growing regular, not bug-free, vegetables. Maybe it isn’t worthwhile being a farmer.
20. Dilemma: a security crisis The Reuvan family from KfarDarom gathered for dinner. After the terror attack on the children’s bus from KfarDarom in which two people had been killed and many had been injured, including the Cohen children, 8 years old Danny had been scared of getting on the bus to school. His mother Chana had to go to work and didn’t want to leave the children home alone. Sara, the 10 years old, suggested that tomorrow father would take mother to work in NeveDekalim, and take the kids to school in Atzmona. The parents go into another room and discuss things between them. They debate whether it’s okay to have the entire family travel in one car, or if it’s too dangerous following what happened to the Hatuel family where the mother and her 4 daughters were killed. Help the Reuvan family decide: Send the kids on the school bus. The family should travel by car, together. The kids should stay home, alone.
21. Dilemma: Uprooting On Rosh Chodesh Av, two weeks before the Disengagement date, Mr. Israeli came home with a load of boxes. His wife Rachel got upset and asked him to remove the boxes from the house. Danni, the 18 years old son, brought the boxes back inside. After a loud argument, the family quietly started thinking about “the day after.” Tamar, the 16 years old, sat and cried, and said that one must believe that G-d will cancel the decree. In the meantime, Danny quietly packed. Hanan, who was 8, asked his mother to take him to grandma in Jerusalem, because he didn’t want to see the soldiers removing his family from their home. Haim, the father, downloaded documents so he could sign for a caravilla in Nitzan. Rachel hid her inner turmoil but asked Haim not to act unilaterally, and to wait and see what everyone does. How do you think this family should act? Pack their belongings. Leave their community and fend for themselves. Send the young children elsewhere. 4. Wait for the soldiers or leave beforehand.
22. Word search 1 GushKatifCommunities Words: Atzmona, Bdolach, Gadid, Gan-Or, Ganei-Tal, Dugit, Eli-Sinai, Katif, Kfar-Darom, Kfar-Yam, Morag, Neve-Dekalim, Nisanit, Netzarim, Netzer-Hazani, Peet-Sade, Rafiah-Yam, Shirat-HaYam, Slav, Tel-Katifa.
23. Word search 2 Words: Avnei-Eitan, Amatzei, Ariel, Ashkelon, Beer-Ganim, Bostan-HaGalil, Bnei-Dekalim, Bnei-Netzarim, Ganei-Tal, Tena-Omerim, Neve, Neve-Yam, Neta, Nitzan, Netzer-Hazani, Mavkim, Mesciot, Palmachim, Shomria NEW GushKatifCommunities