Introduction

Presented in the Educational Kit are materials designed to engage your congregation with Israel through authentic and familiar stories and to expose them to a unique dimension of Reform involvement with Israel. Insided you'll find the faces and voices of North American Reform Jews who have linked their faith and future with Israel. Some have expressed that connection by making Aliyah and relocating their lives to Israel, some divide their time between Israel and North America, and others are still wrestling with the options. Those who took part in this initiative have shared their personal stories as well as the motivating forces behind them, both in front of the camera and through written materials.

Cost: $36

The materials in the Educational Kit include:

• A DVD/Video (nine minutes): Recently filmed in Israel, this short presentation gives us a glance into the lives of a selection of families and young people who have made Aliyah. It shows us new Aliyah models, such as dividing time between Israel and the U.S and Aliyah at retirement. This video also provides insights into Israeli life beyond the politics of conflict, and presents an accurate and attractive perspective on contemporary Reform life in the Jewish State.
• A Resource Booklet: This resource includes nine autobiographical texts portraying different angles and views on the subject. In this booklet you will find stories that share the dilemmas and conflicts behind the decisions and their outcomes. In addition to Aliyah stories, in their many variations, there are stories of those still wrestling with the idea of Aliyah as well as a mothers' point of view about her son's Aliyah, a twelve-year-old's Aliyah experience and more. Each story begins with a quotation from various Jewish sources and concludes with thought-provoking discussion questions. The booklet includes and expands upon most of the stories presented in the film. Click here for sample stories.
• Posters Series: This beautiful set of posters shows the people at the center of the "Faces of Reform Aliyah." Each poster presents a visually stimulating set of pictures of the authors of the autobiographical stories, and a core concept connected to their Aliyah story. They can be used to enhance Israel programming and are suitable for display in your congregation.
  

The stories bring forth a thoughtful and honest conversation about:

• The experience of life in Israel, both the challenges and the rewards of choosing this option;
• Individuals’ connection to Israel and the role it plays in their Jewish identity;
• Religious Pluralism in Israel and the beautiful aspects of Reform Judaism in Israel;
• Judaism as a peoplehood and a nationality in Israel and the United States.
  

How to implement these materials?

Target Audience:
The stories are suitable for: youth, young adults, adults and senior programs. The materials should be selected according to what the group might find most interesting or relative to their concerns. Discussion questions should be chosen and adapted accordingly.

The Educational Process:
The materials were designed so that each of the tools in the kit (the video, the posters and the booklet) reveals an additional layer of the story. The posters provide a general idea of the story and are intended to trigger an interest in the individual people. The movie brings the participants into the people's lives, and the booklet shares a deeper, more personal view, exploring the dilemmas and thoughts behind the
individuals' decisions. Note that the booklet includes more stories than the movie.

Ideas for implementing the various Kit components:
The materials can be used for a one time activity or for a series of activities, with participants taking a deep look into one or two stories and considering the ideas it raises and their interrelation with the opening quotation.

We recommend planning the opening activity around the posters. The posters are engaging visual accessories, which can be hung in the days prior to the program in order to raise a curiosity and develop interest. During the program, participants may walk through the area where the posters are displayed and choose a poster/title they are drawn to and would like to explore.

Following the opening activity, we suggest showing the DVD. Obviously, both the DVD, as well as the posters can stand on their own as useful resources and can serve as a basis for an interesting discussion.

In terms of using the booklet, there are several options:

• The study group can focus on discussing one story (or more).
• Each individual may choose a text according to the posters s/he had encountered beforehand. After studying the story, each participant will share her/his main thoughts and feelings with the group.
• If the group enjoys drama - you may want to ask individuals to tell their own stories as if they were the characters in the booklet. Perhaps there might even be room for a dialogue between the different characters (for example - a twenty-something making Aliyah on her/his own, talking to his/her parents).

Program Enrichment Ideas:
Some of the key characters in these stories are sometimes invited for speaking tours. There may be an opportunity for you to invite them to speak in your congregation/organizations and have them share their experiences. If you are interested in exploring this possibility, please contact lgazit@arza.org.

For further information and comments, contact Liran Avisar Gazit at: lgazit@arza.org.