Movie: Israel: The Vision and Venture of the Jewish People – A Short Film by Beit Hatfutsot

Synopsis

In this short, but fast-paced movie, the story of the State of Israel is told. In this telling the State of Israel grew out of the global and historical vision of the Jewish Peoplehood to return to their homeland. And together, as a joint venture, and with a great deal of effort, the Jewish People realized its dream, building a modern, vibrant and exciting state that can absorb immigrants from all over the world, lead the world in innovation and allow Jews to participate in the global project of nation-building.

The movie is 7 minutes long.

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Find and watch the movie

You can watch the movie here.

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Questions for Discussion

Watch the movie (7 minutes) and start with the following questions:

• What are the central dilemmas or conflicts in the movie?
• Do any of those dilemmas/conflicts resonate with you?
• What is the Jewish vision for the State of Israel built on?
• Who is/are the hero/es in the movie? What can we learn about Israel and the Jewish People from the stories of their heroes?

Then move onto a discussion focused on the part of the movie which talks about Israel’s role in the world, where the issue of particularism and universalism is most relevant.

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Israel and Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World)

The movie highlights with pride the role that Israel takes occasionally when disasters strike in other parts of the world. Israel has deployed soldiers, medical personnel and relief workers to help in crisis situations, when their expertise is of particular value. And in offering humanitarian help to all – a universal value – the pride that some people feel (and certainly as it appears in the movie) is couched in particular terms. Israel is helping as a Jewish State, as an expression of particularly Jewish values. What do you think of this combining of both the particular and the universal?

• How do you feel about Israeli involvement in aiding people in crisis in faraway corners of the world?
• Does it matter that Israel is a Jewish State when it acts to assist in disaster situations? Is there a particularly Jewish way of being involved?
• Do you relate differently to Israel in these situations than you would to humanitarian assistance offered by the US (or whatever country you live in)?
• How do you feel when Israel is being portrayed negatively, rather than positively?

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A Tale of Two Zions

Synopsis

In his 2014 ELI talk, Rabbi Mishael Zion reflects on two zions, or two promised lands – America and Israel.  He argues that the Jewish experience in both the United States and Israel is profound and contains within it aspects that can inspire and enrich dilemmas that Jews in the other place feel.  Taken together they can form the ying and yang of Jewish life.  He characterizes the American experience as tending toward the universal and the Israeli experience as tending toward the particular.  Instead of seeing these ideas in conflict, he presents them as two halves of the same whole.

Watch the Clip

Cue from 9.22 to the end.

Questions

1. What are the values that we can honor about the American Jewish experience and the Israeli Jewish one?
2.  As a Jew living in the Diaspora, how does the Israeli Jewish experience help you answer your own questions around “Why be Jewish?”
3. Think about an Israeli Jew you know – how does his/her life/ identity as someone who speaks Hebrew and lives out the Jewish calendar inspire you?  Now think about an American Jew you know.  How does his/her commitment to individual choice and personal dignity inspire you?  What is one concrete step you might take in your own life journey to put that inspiration into action?

For a more extended activity on the topic go to A Tale of Two Zions

Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story (2010)

Synopsis

Directed by Peter Miller, “Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story” is a celebration of the contributions Jewish major leaguers made to American baseball and the ways in which their involvement helped shape the identity of American Jews.  The following clip depicts a moment in major league baseball player Sandy Koufax’s life when he made the decision to abstain from pitching during the 1965 World Series which took place on Yom Kippur.

Watch the Clip

Questions

1. What do you think about the decision that Sandy Koufax made?  If you were in his shoes what decision would you have made?
2. Speak to someone who lived at the time that Sandy Koufax made the decision not to pitch on Yom Kippur.  They might be your parents or grandparents.  Explore how it impacted their Jewish identities.  In particular, how did it affirm their particular Jewish identities at a time when assimilating into American life was the norm?
3. Is there a parallel dilemma in your own life today?  Do you remember a time you had to choose between affirming your Jewish values over “fitting in” to what everyone else was doing?

For a more extended activity on the topic go to Jews and Baseball.

AJWS – Public Service Announcement

Synopsis

American Jewish World Service is a New York based international development organization whose goal is to ‘help end poverty and promote human dignity around the globe.’  Founded in 1985 it supports community-based organizations in over 35 countries in the developing world.  Another organizational goal is to bring awareness and education about global justice to the American Jewish community.  To help celebrate the organization’s 25th anniversary, Judd Apatow produced this funny and edgy public service announcement about the mission of the organization, and other stuff.

Watch the Clip

Questions

1. Think about the last time you gave charitably.  Who did you give to?  What motivated your desire to give?
2. When you hear about a natural disaster that takes place somewhere in the world, how do you react?  If by giving money, what kind of organization would you choose to give to? (a Jewish relief organization?  A general relief organization?)
3. Does this video provoke you to think differently about your charitable giving? If so, how?

For a more extended activity on the topic go to Tzedakah Priorities and Global Giving.