The month of November holds a large number of critical dates in modern Israeli history and that recognition has compelled a team of educators from Unpacked for Educators to call for the branding of Israel History Month in November each year.
“Connection without literacy is superficial,” Noam Weissman, Senior Vice President of Education at Jerusalem U. told Arutz Sheva.
“Literacy without connection is hollow. In terms of Israel education, how do we ensure our young people both have a deep knowledge about Israel and a thoughtful connection to Israel? How can we cultivate mature love for Zionism and Israel?”
That mission lead the team to launch a series of five videos, accompanying lesson plans and experiential activities where teachers and community organizations can find new ways to teach about some of the key moments that shaped modern Israel’s history. Unpacked for Educators, a project of Jerusalem U, offers other resources, films and weekly educator-focused newsletters year round to help transform the Israel and Jewish teaching experience in the Diaspora.
“As educators who are so busy with running the day to day of our schools, camps and youth groups, we often relegate so much of our Israel education to the big days - to Yom Hazikaron, Yom Ha’atzmaut, and for some, Yom Yerushalayim,” Weissman continued. “Although those days can be sort of the “high holy days” of Israel education, it is our educational obligation to ensure that between these big anniversary dates, our students receive a consistent, meaningful Israel education. “
November is a period of both tragedy and triumph in the chronicles of modern Israeli history. The November 1994 assassination of Yitzhak Rabin which in many ways defined Israeli history and society ever since. The Balfour Declaration, which provided the early Zionists with an official stamp of approval and set the stage for the events that would eventually lead to Independence, was released in this month. Recognizing that Jewish statehood violently clashed with the wishes of the local Palestinian population, the United Nations proposed the ill-fated “Partition Plan” in November 1947, to split this small strip of land into two states for two people.
History also marks a telling low-point for Israel in global affairs when the infamous ‘Zionism is Racism’ UN Resolution 3379 was passed on the 10th of November 1975, as well as the triumph of the start of Operation Moses in 1984, airlifting thousands of Ethiopian Jews to the Jewish homeland.
Weissman continued, “Imagine how meaningful it can be to use a Hebrew language class to explore the backstory of the Balfour Declaration? For a Jewish history class to unpack the UN resolution which declared Zionism racism? Think about the impact it can have on a youth group to study the life and times of Yitzchak Rabin by watching our video about him and then reflect on the magnitude of his assassination. Consider how a whole school can use an assembly time to celebrate Operation Moses and then have a sophisticated conversation about different ethnic groups in Israel. And, a synagogue can commemorate November 29th each year by watching our video on UN Resolution 181 and learn about the values of compromise.”
“While we believe Israel history should and must be taught all year - and not just for Yom Hazikaron (Memorial Day) and Yom Ha’atzmaut (Independence Day) - November offers a compelling glimpse into that complex and dueling identity where victory and achievement are intertwined with tragedy and frustration. This is the story of Israel.”