Guidelines for Madrichim

“And in the seventh year… there shall be a year of rest for the land. And the Shabbat produce of the land shall be food for you: for you and for your manservant and for your maidservant and for your hired servant and for your stranger, who dwell

with you; and for your cattle and for the beast that is in your land shall all its produce be, for food.” (Leviticus 25:4-7)

Dear teachers and madrichim,The approaching Shmitah will make 5755 (2014-2015) a special year and offer a unique opportunity to inculcate Jewish and Zionist values among all students at Jewish schools in the Diaspora. During the coming Shmitah year we will connect with Shmitah, the environment, nature, and social and Zionist values. We will connect with the past and fill ourselves will strength and energy for the present and the future, through a fascinating and uplifting learning experience.

During Shmitah, which occurs every seventh year, man is commanded to loosen his grasp on his material possessions, to desist from cultivating the ground, and to give it rest. At the same time, he is commanded to enjoy the produce that grows naturally, and to allow both his fellow man and animals access to this natural abundance.

Among its other social and spiritual aspects, the commandment of Shmitah concerns the relationship between man and the ground. The commandment to ensure rest for the land, to protect it, and to make the produce that is not needed by the owner of the land available for the poor and for the beasts of the field, also creates the possibility of rehabilitating the ecological system, improving the soil, and – most importantly – nurturing the proper respect that man should feel towards the ground that sustains him.

These concepts coincide with the core principles of KKL-JNF – first and foremost among them ecological Zionism and sustainable development, which call for conservation of natural resources with consideration for man’s needs.

Background material about Shmitah, the reasons behind it, the values that it represents, and its connection to KKL-JNF and to ecological Zionist activity can be found in the PowerPoint presentation “Man and the Ground – an Ecological Zionist Shmitah” and in the accompanying document.

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For your convenience we have gathered a range of ideas for activities, links and sources that may be used as tools to incorporate the subject of Shmitah into lessons and activities during the 5755 Shmitah year.

The aims of the program are to inculcate among students the values arising from the concept of Shmitah, to relate them to the ideology and activity of KKL-JNF, and to present students with opportunities for implementing these values.

Over the course of the year, further links, information, activities and games will be posted on the Green Window website and on the madrichim’s website. You are all invited to have a look!

Suggested activities

Activity 1: Shabbat for the land

Age group: grades 3-9

Duration of activity: one lesson

Aids: projector and screen, approx. 20 objects of varying sizes, candies

a. Film – “No-Man’s Land”

The film exposes the students to the story of Yonatan, a boy walking home from school via the fields belonging to his family. When he reaches the field he finds a surprise that will open a window onto values and experiences that are new to him.

b. Questions for discussion

For younger grades

1. What did Yonatan think of the person he sees in the field? Who is he really?

2. Who gave this person permission to eat from the fruit of this field? Why?

3. Why is Yonatan’s father not working in the field?

4. What effect does the prohibition on working in the field have on the ground?

5. Will Yonatan’s father be going back to work soon? Why? What will he do instead of working in the field?

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6. Would you like your Dad or Mom to take a year’s leave from work? What would you like to do with them?

7. What values do we learn from the Shmitah year?

8. How can these values be implemented in our own day-to-day life?

For older grades

1. What does Yonatan find when he reaches the field?

2. Why is Yonatan’s father not working in the field?

3. What effect does the prohibition on working in the field have on the ground?

4. What does Yonatan think of the person he sees in the field? Who is he really?

5. Who gave him permission to eat from the fruit of this field? Why?

6. How do poor people feel during a Shmitah year, in comparison to a regular year? What does this tell us about the commandment of tzedakah (charity) and our attitude towards the poor?

7. How does the Shmitah year contribute towards family life?

8. In our times, it is not generally possible to put one’s work on hold for an entire year. In what ways can the social and family benefits of Shmitah nevertheless be implemented in our reality?

9. What other values do we learn from the Shmitah year?

10. How can we implement these values in our day-to-day life?

c. “Stop” game

Objects of different sizes are scattered around the class, and 3-5 volunteers are chosen (depending on the size of the group). The volunteers are sent out of the classroom and then enter one by one. Each volunteer, as he enters, is told that all the objects scattered around the class are his, but only for a limited time. The volunteer is then given one minute in which to collect as many of the objects as possible and place them on his desk. Each object is worth one point to him. The volunteer who collects the greatest number of objects receives that same number of candies as a prize.

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Following the awarding of the “prize”, ask the volunteers:

1. How did you feel as you were rushing to collect the objects?

2. Were you considerate towards your classmates, who were sitting in their places, or did you view them as a hindrance?

3. Did you think about anything else as you were rushing about, or were you focused exclusively on collecting as many objects as you could?

4. How did you feel when your time was up?

5. Ask the winner: What do you intend to do with all the candies that you received? Will you keep them all for yourself? Will you share some with siblings at home? With classmates? Why?

In our everyday life, most people try to collect or acquire more and more from their environment, to attain wealth. Sometimes they are not very considerate towards other people, or even their own family. On one hand, Shmitah is challenging because of the difficulty of “stopping”, but on the other hand it opens up opportunities: the “stopping” allows us to rise above ourselves, to act for the sake of others and to be sensitive towards our environment.

d. Summary thus far

Shmitah values: So what does a person do during the Shmitah year?

Go back to the story of Yonatan and focus the students on the benefits of the Shmitah year, in terms of the individual, the family, society, and nature.

• Shmitah encourages a special connection with the land

• Shmitah encourages a special connection with the family

• Shmitah encourages awareness of giving and social justice

• Shmitah encourages listening to nature

e. KKL-JNF activity during Shmitah

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Activity 2: Giving and the Blue Box

During this lesson the students encounter the value of giving which receives significant expression during Shmitah, when a person not only gives part of his wealth but in fact leaves his entire produce for the poor. We will examine this idea and study the principles of Jewish giving. We will tell the story of the Blue Box, a story of giving that changed history.

a. Film “To Give”

In this film we meet Natan Mugzami, a person who goes overboard when it comes to giving.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkWZku-f67Q

• Do you think that Natan Mugzami is fulfilling the commandment of giving as he should? Explain.

• What do you think the boundaries of giving should be?

b. “Give and take” game

Through experiential learning of the laws of Shmitah, the students will absorb the “principles of giving” that arise from these laws and will offer ideas as to how they can be implemented in our own, non-agricultural reality. They will discover different strengths and come to understand that everyone has something to give.

The class is divided into groups of 3-5 students. Half of the groups receive cards that present one of the principles of giving arising from the laws of Shmitah and the laws of charity (one card per group). The other groups receive cards that present the laws of Shmitah and of charity which represent the implementation of the principles of giving within Judaism. Following a brief explanation of the laws and principles, each group must find its partner – i.e., the group that holds a card with a certain law must find the group whose card presents the value that this law expresses.

Equality - In the Shmitah year, the status gap between rich landowners and poor people who have no estate, is erased

Opportunity to start anew - In the Shmitah year all debts are cancelled (“shmitat ksafim”) and there is an opportunity to start over.

Forgoing - During Shmitah a person must give up the produce of his field for the poor; he is forbidden from making money from this produce

Maintaining the dignity of the poor - Ideally, charity should be given in such a way that the giver does not know who he is giving to, and the receiver does not know who he is receiving from. That way, the poor person is not embarrassed when encountering the giver.

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Helping the poor to improve their situation instead of being dependent on charity - The highest level of giving involves providing employment or an interest-free loan, so that a person can support himself with dignity or open his own business and not be dependent on contributions from others.

c. Summarizing the Jewish principles of giving

Display the above table and explain that giving to others is a way of helping them, but at the same time it can humiliate the receiver and damage his self-esteem, thereby reducing his chances of finding employment.

The principles of giving, both during the Shmitah year and in general, teach us that along with material assistance we must maintain a person’s dignity and strengthen his self-confidence. We can show our faith in him (by offering him a job or a loan) and give him an opportunity to regain economic independence. Even if we are not able to help him in this way, we are still commanded to respect him as a person and to strengthen his self-image.

d. Blue Box film – a story of giving that changed history

Using the KKL-JNF film we tell the story of the Blue Box, and through it the story of hundreds of thousands of Jews the world over who contributed towards the efforts to develop the land in Israel.

e. Constructing a Blue Box

Students receive a kit for building a Blue box out of cardboard, by folding and gluing.

f. Special time

Shmitah affects not only the individual. It connects the Jewish People as an overall system that “takes a break” together and in which people help each other. There is special national significance to the fact that the entire nation is engaged in kindness and in matters of the spirit. An entire nation that engages in kindness achieves special strength. The entire nation is consolidated around lofty aims – a mission, action, and kindness.

Each student places a note in the Blue Box that he has constructed, detailing his own giving to others and to the Jewish People and the Land of Israel. The student feeds his personal project into the “Special Time” initiative. When he carries out the “giving” that he has chosen, he shares photos and his experience of the giving on the program’s website.

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Activity 3: Welcoming the Seventh Year

Age group: Kindergarten – 2nd grade (this activity requires prior planning and coordination with the teacher)

Duration: 1-2 lessons

Play Ehud Manor’s song, “Mi Ohev et ha-Shabbat” (Who Loves Shabbat?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OweQknoxn9w&feature=youtu.be

A few volunteers are asked to share what activity they most enjoy about Shabbat. Ask: Why is Shabbat important to us?

Talk about Shmitah, which is also known as “the seventh year”, a Shabbat for the land. Ask: Why does the land need a Shabbat? What does it need to rest from? Explain the need for rehabilitation of the soil after years of cultivation and agricultural work; talk about the various types of pollution that man creates and the effects of man’s activity on the land.

Ask: Who knows what KKL-JNF does to rehabilitate the soil and to reduce pollution? (Use core aids and talk about carbon sequestration by trees, water reservoirs, developing advancing agricultural methods, etc. Use the pictures to illustrate.)

Prepare a decorative map (painting and drawing on a white synthetic cloth) that includes elements inspired by nature: pictures of leaves, animals, stones etc.

Hold a “Welcoming the Shemittah Year” ceremony together with the kids: a festive table is set with candlesticks and candles, challah, and wine (grape juice), and the map that the kids have created for decoration. A large bowl of fruit is placed on the table. Each child is asked to choose an animal that he invites to partake of the fruit of the land. (The children can perform a pantomime impersonation of the animal, and the rest of the group can guess which animal he has chosen.) Each child in turn offers his wish for the land – how the land should enjoy its Shabbat. Everyone shares the wine and fruit, and together sing the song “Eretz zavat halav u-devash” (A Land Flowing with Milk and Honey).

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Activity 4: To let go or not to let go

Age group: Grades 3-7

Duration: one lesson

Each student receives a balloon with an inscription describing human activity that has a positive or negative impact on the environment (for example, driving a private vehicle; stone quarrying; cutting down forests; recycling; rehabilitation of rivers; building water reservoirs; using solar energy; conserving water; planting trees, etc.).

The class is divided into two groups, with an equal number of positive and negative activities in each group.

Each group is then asked to organize itself into a line, with students standing one behind the other, each holding his balloon. A race is held between the two groups with the aim being to pass all the balloons to the end of the line, where only the “negative” balloons are to be dropped, while the “positive” balloons are passed back to the front of the line.

The balloons are passed from hand to hand over one’s head, all the way to the back of the line, without letting them fall. The participant at the back of the line must drop only the balloons describing activity that has a negative impact on the environment. He passes the balloons describing positive activities from hand to hand back to the front of the line.

The winning group is the one that finishes the task first with no mistakes.

All the balloons discarded at the back (showing negative activities) are gathered up, the activities they represent are read out, and then they are popped. The students are invited to blow up more “positive balloons” by proposing additional positive activities.

The Shmitah year is explained, with an emphasis on this year as an opportunity for rest and rehabilitation for the soil during one year out of every seven, when we “let go” of our negative impact on the land, just like in the game. Ask: Is this enough? Explain the concept of sustainable development and talk about KKL-JNF activity. (You can use the “positive” balloons and attribute the appropriate activities to KKL-JNF.)

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Links and sources

A range of sources, articles and activities concerning Shmitah, for different ages, may be found on the Teva Ivri website:

http://www.tevaivri.org.il/Resources-main3-%D7%A9%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%98%D7%94

Materials about Shmitah may be found on the KKL-JNF Green Window website:

http://greenwin.kkl.org.il/features/holidays/shmita/

A film about the never-ending rat-race of life and about Shmitah values:

http://youtu.be/agrzWT_-zic

A song about Shmitah:

http://youtu.be/hlgqFo-4yCs

Article about Shmitah on the Gesher website:

http://mikragesher.org.il/titles/encyclopedia/300/shmitta.htm

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