Important note regarding the copying of programmes

Aims / Objectives :
To educate about Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jews

Trigger :
Posters up at Breakfast with various things on, about possibly Jews from all over the world – thus incorporating the Diaspora aspect of the peula. Two jews, one Sephardi, one Ashkenazi are meeting in the middle-ages. They talk a little about their communities and what life is like for them. Emphasized especially are the differences between the lives of people in the communities (see attitudes/culture/traditions).

Main part of the programme :
Camp in split in half one lot are Ashkenazi and one lot are Sephardim.

Then split again into groups of 10.

They play a teambuilding game – trust circle? Showing how everyone in a community depends on everyone else. Possibly use the linking-your-hands-and-then-unraveling-yourselves-game.

Attitudes, cultures, traditions:

Ashkenazi: keep group identity – isolated. Less accepting. Rabbinical authority is much stronger.

Sephardic: work with the communities around you, learn things from different people merchants rather than peasants. Bigger on Tzadakah/social action than Ashkenazi.

They put together a list of rules for their community to run by. Specific depending on Ashkenazi or Sephardim.

Madrichim have freedom to individualize the group.

The do a role play using these rules with different members of the group being different members of the community – the madrich/a is the rabbi. Each chanich/a should really try to get a feel for their character and work in their own best-interests e.g. the dimond-cutter will not want to give all of his money to social action, he will want all the pay equally. The Rabbi’s wife, on the other hand, will want everyone to give to social action problems and to pay according to their means. She will also support the arguments the Rabbi makes. I.e. it is kind of like a game of hidden agendas.

Roles in community:

Ash:
Rabbi – 500s,
Rabbis were the absolute foundation of the community. All decisions on matters of Law, commerce, ethics etc. were decided by them. They are meant to act ethically and will be more focused on equality and moral behavior than on money. He/she is the leader and should take charge of any discussion. He will always obey the Law and encourage others to do the same.

Mohel - 400s,
The mohel performed circumcisions in the community. This is a very well-respected position, but not well paid. Because of this, the mohel will be keen on social action within the community, but will not be as keen on strangers since he/she will have little to do with them. They do not have a lot of money, but will be willing to put it all forward for a good cause.

Rabbi’s wife - 50s,
The rabbi’s wife had a key role, acting as a social leader for the women of the community. She will always support the rabbi.

Goldsmith-3000s,
The goldsmith is one of the richest men in the community. He has got there through hard work, and will be unwilling to give up his money. He has little respect for the Law though he understands that to openly speak out against the Rabbi would lead to unpopularity. He is good friends with the butcher.

Farmer-200s,
The farmer is very poor and has little time to visit the synagogue and pray. He has a lot of respect for the Rabbi, and so- whilst he won’t want to give money away- he will do so if the Rabbi tells him to. However he has absolutely no liking for the non-Jewish communities outside the Shtetl.

Matchmaker-600s,
The matchmaker arranges the marriages of the young men and women in the community. This gives her a huge social role. She will side against the Rabbi’s wife who is her rival.


Shepherd-400s,
The shepherd is one of the only members of the community who ever goes outside the Shtetl. This means that he is familiar with, and likes, the non-Jewish communities. He will be keen on increasing the amount of interaction with them.

Butcher-1500s,
The butcher is one of the richest men in the community. He has got there through hard work, and will be unwilling to give up his money. He has little respect for the Law though he understands that to openly speak out against the Rabbi would lead to unpopularity. He is good friends with the goldsmith, but is not as rich.

Carpenter-50s,
The least educated member of the community. On any discussion he will take the common-sense approach, not worrying too much what the Rabbi says. He will just take the most logical route. He has no money to give to social action projects.

Rabbinical student-10s.
Will always support the Rabbi, but has no money to give. He has little status in the community, but is enthusiastic about anything the Rabbi suggests.


Sep:
Rabbi-500s,
Rabbis were the absolute foundation of the community. All decisions on matters of Law, commerce, ethics etc. were decided by them. They are meant to act ethically and will be more focused on equality and moral behavior than on money. He/she is the leader and should take charge of any discussion. He will always obey the Law and encourage others to do the same.

Man of learning-1000s,
Spain produced some of the most interesting and radical Jewish thought in history. It was a golden age for philosophy. This means that the Man of Learning will try to adapt what the Rabbi says to be practical and solve real problems.

Merchant-4000s,
The merchant is one of the richest men in the community. He has got there through hard work, and will be unwilling to give up his money. He has little respect for the Law though he understands that to openly speak out against the Rabbi would lead to unpopularity. He recognizes the need for interaction with other religions and cultures.

Merchants wife-2000s,
Will support the merchant. Has little like for the Rabbi’s wife and will disagree with anything she says.

Clerk-1000s,
Works for the merchant, so will mostly agree with him. However is also torn since also believes in the Law and the Rabbi.

Diamond cutter-5000s,
The diamond cutter is one of the richest men in the community. Spanish Jews got rich through the diamond trade after they discovered diamonds in the area they were living. He will be unwilling to give up his money to social action projects. He has little respect for the Law or the Rabbi and is not afraid to say so. He is afraid of strangers and those outside of the community since he has no experience of them, and is afraid that they might try to take his diamonds.


Rabbi’s wife-10s,
The rabbi’s wife had a key role, acting as a social leader for the women of the community. She will always support the rabbi.

Assimilated Jew-300s.
Sees absolutely no point in the Rabbi or the Law. Wants to marry a non-Jewish girl from outside the community.


Role plays:

Halacha- do we always have to obey the Law?
(s) Community- who should pay/how much towards the Rabbi and the Shul
(a) Tzedakah/Social action question- Should we go out into the world and do social action, or stay and try to make our own community the best we can?
(s)Assimilation- The assimilated Jew wishes to marry out, should his family disown him?
(a)Pogroms- anti-Semitic communities around the Shtetl are demanding a tithe of 5000s to leave the community in peace. Who should pay/how much?

Conclusion :
Jewish food from around the world. Explain what the various groups decided – madrich/a if none of the chanichim will do it properly then they should do it (this would be fine since they do have the role of Rabbi- community leader- but enabling the Channies would be better if possible).

Characters from the sephardi and askenazim – in modern clothes. They talk about what it is like being a Jew now in the modern world. We have the cultures of both and the problems of both heritages.

Resources:
http://countrystudies.us/israel/49.htm

http://www.sephardicstudies.org/intro.html

Notes:
Sugar paper - A3 for posters x 10

Black sugar paper and bin liners to make all madrichim rabbi's approx 20 of each

20 A4 sheets of Paper and 20 pens for writing down rules of groups.

Something to act as money.. Green paper will do...

Jewish Food from around the world, enough to act as nibbles for all the chanichim