The Jewish Lens



1

2

3 The Jewish Lens

Photography

and Jewish Values

Summer 2015

Introduction

About The Jewish Lens

This project uses the work of renowned photographer Zion Ozeri as a stimulus for an investigation of Jewish values, identity, and tradition with middle-school and high-school students. Mr. Ozeri’s photographs capture the unity and diversity of the world Jewish community—reflecting the values and traditions that have defined Jewish existence across the globe for centuries. His work is a natural springboard for campers’ explorations related to Jewish values, identity, community, and tradition.

The curriculum introduces campers to the medium of photography through Mr. Ozeri’s work, and encourages them to make important links between the images, key Jewish values, and traditional Jewish texts. They then focus on their own community, documenting their communal values on film and curating an exhibit of their work.

Although photography is fundamental to the program, The Jewish Lens is not primarily a photography curriculum. It’s a curriculum that uses photography as a medium (a lens, if you will) to help students relate to the content—which is Jewish values. We’re not out to train the future Zion Ozeris of the world. If your campers find a passion for the photographic arts, that’s great. But the primary aim is to get at the meaning of Jewish community and the essence of Jewish values.

The Jewish Lens is designed to actively engage campers in their own learning about the values that are important in their community. Along the way, campers will develop skills in visual literacy, text study, and photography. Ideally, by the end of the program, students will also gain a sense of competence and accomplishment in creating and displaying their own work.

Curriculum Goals:

Through their participation in this project, campers will:

▪ explore values that are central to Judaism

▪ consider the nature of their own Jewish communities

▪ analyze Jewish texts and connect them with aspects of contemporary Jewish life

▪ cultivate their visual literacy skills

▪ develop beginning competence in the art of photography

▪ experience a personal connection to Jewish values through artistic expression

▪ relate their investigation of Jewish values and notions of community to their own emerging identities

Key Concepts:

During this course of study, campers will gain a deeper understanding of the following concepts:

▪ Community groups share core values that help guide the behavior of their members.

▪ Individuals often follow personal values, as well, that help guide their behavior toward others. One’s values play an important role in his or her sense of identity.

▪ Core Jewish values are reflected in the biblical and rabbinic texts of the Jewish tradition.

▪ Jewish communities around the world often have different traditions and customs, but share the same core values.

▪ Photography can be a powerful communication tool; for example, depicting Jewish values, traditions, or elements of communal life.

▪ The meaning and emotional impact of a photograph is influenced by many factors, including the content, context, composition, personal partiality, and intention of the photographer.

Session 1:

Intro to The Jewish Lens & Learning How to Read a Photograph

Aims:

❑ Campers will be introduced to The Jewish Lens.

❑ Campers will practice close observation of a photograph.

❑ Campers will learn to make objective observations and subjective interpretations of photographs.

Materials:

❑ Photographs to be shared with group

❑ WORKSHEET A: Objective vs. Subjective

Activity Overview:

❑ Introduce The Jewish Lens project.

❑ Select Ozeri’s photograph called The Cave for observation and discussion.

❑ Discuss with students the meaning of the terms “objective” and “subjective.” If necessary, explain that an objective observation is something that doesn’t change from person to person. It’s a fact you can see. A subjective observation, on the other hand, is an opinion, a feeling, or an interpretation based on what you see. Relate this idea to “pshat” & “drash”: How we think about written Jewish texts – the simple meaning vs. the interpretation – is similar to how we “read” and think about a photograph.

❑ Working in pairs and with worksheet A, have students make their own observations about the photograph. You may choose to use more than one photograph. [This is an exercise in visual literacy. As is the case with written texts, one must first analyze an image’s objective surface meanings in order to get at the more subjective inferences and interpretations. The ability to discern fact from interpretation, and the ability to draw inferences based on what is observable are important skills that have relevance beyond the realm of the visual arts.]

❑ Come together as a group and discuss.

Worksheet A: Objective and Subjective

Record your observations of the photograph on the chart below. List your “objective” and “subjective” observations separately in the columns. Objective observations are things you can see that no one could disagree with. Subjective observations involve opinion or interpretation. Use the back if you need to.

|Objective |Subjective |

| | |

❑ To explore how we all bring our own frames of reference (partiality) to any work of art, have pairs or small groups of campers look closely at the picture of The Cave by Ozeri and compare it to the photograph called Summer Camp. Ask how they believe the experience of relating to these two pictures was both the same and different. They then can select a different photograph (from camp) and individually write a brief caption for it. Campers can share the differences in perspectives their captions reveal. (The above activity is based on a lesson suggested by Matthew Goldstone in his adaptation of the Jewish Lens Curriculum.)

Note: The above activity could also be done after activity #2 of session 2.

1 Session 2:

2 Values

Aims:

❑ Campers will look at some of Zion Ozeri’s photographs and discuss the values they see in the images.

❑ Campers will also look at some camp photos and discuss the values in them and in their camp community.

❑ Campers will participate in a discussion and brainstorm of Jewish values.

❑ Campers will begin to take their own photographs.

Materials:

❑ Photographs by Zion Ozeri and photos from camp

Activity Overview:

❑ Discuss values: What are values, “arachim”? (Allow for a number of responses, but do not give your own definition. Allow a definition to emerge as you move through the lesson.)

o Have campers briefly tell the story of Rebecca at the Well. (You can have one begin and then another continue.) Ask what is the key value the Torah is teaching through this story. (The key value is Chesed/lovingkindness. Some may suggest, kindness to animals,/tza’ar ba’alai chaim. That should be acknowledged as a value too.) Another story one could use would be the Creation story, which tells us, for example, that we are all equal, as we came from the same source. It also teaches that we should value a day of rest.

o We can also point out that values can be negative, as well. Ask students to brainstorm negative values. (These might include, for example, dishonesty, obsession with money, or racial purity, as proclaimed by the Nazis.)

o Continue by asking why values are important?

How does the concept of values relate to the words “value” or “valuable”? Are values different from rules, customs, or ideals?

In small groups or pairs, have campers look closely at a variety of photogrphs by Zion Ozeri. In their groups, have students list the values they see represented. Then come together in the large group to share and discuss.

o What values did they find?

o How can an abstract concept like a value be captured in a photograph?

❑ Next, look at photographs from camp:

o What values do they see in the images of these photographs?

o Are the same values represented as in Zion’s photographs? Why or why not?

o Are the values Jewish values? Are they universal or American values? Is there a difference?

❑ Create a group list of Jewish values.

❑ Hand out cameras and explain that campers will take their own photos to reflect the values that are important to their community.

o What Jewish values will you try to capture in your photographs?

Session 3:

Crafting Photographs – How do you express your vision and ideas through a photograph?

Aims:

❑ Campers will begin to learn that photographs can tell a story.

❑ Campers will learn how formal elements contribute to the effectiveness of a photograph.

❑ Campers will think about how point of view, framing, and composition will affect the photographs they take.

Materials:

❑ Zion’s photographs to be shared with the group.

❑ WORKSHEET B: The Second Commandment

Activity Overview:

❑ Explain to campers that as they take their own pictures, it may be useful to think together about what goes into making a good picture. Taking a picture is like writing a story or an essay; the author must think carefully about what he or she wants to convey.

o Have campers brainstorm what makes a good picture.

❑ Look at a few of Zion’s photographs – now with an eye toward the composition and formal elements in his work. For example:

| |

|Photograph # 2, “Klezmer Duo.” |

|Sample Questions: |

|What mood is created by the placement and pose of the subjects in this photo? Why do you think the photographer |

|chose to do it this way? |

|What kinds of shapes and lines do you see in this photo? How do the lines and shapes add to the power of the |

|picture? |

|Why do you think the photographer chose to include the child in the frame? What effect does that have? |

| |

|Photograph # 11, “Jewish Quarter.” |

|Sample Questions: |

|What shapes do you see in this photo? How do they relate to each other? How do they affect the impact of the |

|picture? |

|What effect does the perspective of the photo have on your reading of it? |

| |

|Photograh # 13, “Summer Camp.” |

|Sample Questions: |

|What point of view does Ozeri give you in this photo? What feeling does it create? What other points of view |

|could he have used instead? |

|What is the focal point of the picture? How does Ozeri draw your attention to it? |

|What is the setting like? Why do you think the photographer chose to include this background in the frame? |

❑ Incorporate some of the following vocabulary into your discussion:

o Composition – arrangement of the different features within a photograph

o Framing – how an image is situated within the rectangle of the camera’s eye; what is kept in and what is left out

o Point of View – the position of the camera relative to the subject

o Scale – the relative size of the features in a picture

o Candid vs. posed vs. staged – whether or to what extent the subjects and settings have been intentionally arranged by the photographer

o Use of symbolism, patterns, shapes, light, and colors.

❑ In pairs, have campers discuss the pictures they’ve already taken or plan to take. Have campers articulate to each other what they want to capture in their photographs, what stories they hope to tell.

❑ What does Jewish tradition say about taking photographs? Have campers work on or discuss Worksheet B.

❑ Campers will take their photos by the end of this day and hand them in for developing.

Worksheet B: The Second Commandment

The Bible prohibits Jews from making images. It seems like this could be a problem for Jewish photographers—and other kinds of Jewish artists.

This is what it says in the Second Commandment:

“You shall have no other Gods besides me. You shall not make for yourself a sculptured image, or any likeness of what is in the heavens above, or on the earth below, or in the waters under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them…”

Exodus 20:3-5

1. What is the p’shat (surface) understanding of these verses, in relation to art?

2. Does the context of the prohibition against images help you interpret the rule?

Later in Exodus, God chooses a man by the name of Bezalel to design the Tabernacle (portable temple). Here’s what it says:

“And Moses said to the Israelites: ‘See, the Lord has singled out by name Bezalel, son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. God endowed him with a divine spirit of skill, ability, and knowledge in every kind of craft and has inspired him to make designs for work in gold, silver, and copper, to cut stones for setting and to carve wood—to work in every kind of designer’s craft—and to give directions. He and Oholiab son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan have been endowed with the skill to do any work—of the carver, the designer, the embroiderer in blue, purple, crimson yarns, and in fine linen, and of the weaver—as workers in all crafts and as makers of designs.’”

Exodus 35:30-35

3. Clearly, some kinds of artistic production are allowed. Do the two quotes contradict each other? How is Bezalel’s work different from the images described in the Second Commandment?

4. Bezalel and Oholiab were endowed with “hohmat lev” – literally, “wisdom of the heart” – in order to be able to carry out their tasks. How do you understand this phrase?

The prohibition of the Second Commandment has been understood differently in different times and places. Here’s how the scholar Rabbi Moses ben Maimon (also known as Maimonides or the Rambam) interpreted it 900 years ago:

“It is forbidden to make images for [the sake of beauty] even though they are not to be used for idolatry, because it is said in the Bible “You shall not make…” [Exodus 20:4]. This [prohibition] includes even images of silver and gold which are made only for beauty, lest those who worship idols be misled by them and think they are for purposes of idolatry. However, this prohibition against fashioning images for beauty applies only to the human form and, therefore, we do not fashion a human form in wood or plaster or in stone. This holds when the form projects like the murals and paneling in a reception hall and the like. If one fashions these, he should be punished. However, if the form is sunken, or of a medium like that of images on panels or tablets or those woven in fabrics, it is permitted.”

Rabbi Moses ben Maimon (Maimonides), Mishneh Torah, 12th century

5. What distinctions does the Rambam make in terms of the types of images that are allowed or prohibited? What would he say about photographs?

6. Why do you think interpretations of the rule have changed over time? Why do you think most people today find it acceptable for artists to create images?

7. We may also think of creating images that reflect how we see God acting in the world, as opposed to images of God. Ask for examples. How is this connected to values?

3 Session 4:

4 Jewish Values, Community, and Text

Aims:

❑ Campers will explore traditional texts to help support their beliefs about Jewish values and strengthen their sense of Jewish values and community.

❑ Campers will connect text, value, and image.

❑ Campers will relate text and values to their own community.

Materials:

❑ Text reflecting Jewish values and community [see “Sample Texts” at the end of this packet]

❑ Previously shared photographs by Zion Ozeri

Activity Overview:

❑ Discuss the relationship between value, text, and community:

o Where do Jewish values come from?

o Values that guide our Jewish living come from traditional Jewish texts – the Tanach, Mishnah, Talmud and other rabbinic writings. How do the values derived from these texts help shape the communities we are a part of?

o Create a list of the communities campers see themselves as a part of in life and at camp (bunk, edah, chugim, swim group, etc.)

❑ Text study:

o Have students work in small groups (2 or 3) with different texts for 5-10 minutes. (See “Sample Texts” at the end of this packet.)

o Come back for group discussion on values from the text they studied that are alive in their community today. Focus on the values of community, environment, identity. With 6th grade especially, focus on small scale—bunk, class community. How are values reflected in these micro-communities? What issues arise?

o Do any of these texts resonate with any of the photos we’ve looked at? Can you link each of the photos with a text, such that the two support, complement, or explain each other?

5 Session 5:

6 Choosing a Photo

Aims:

❑ Campers will receive their developed photographs.

❑ Each camper will choose one photograph to exhibit.

❑ Campers will work in chevruta to make and discuss their choices.

Materials:

❑ Campers’ photographs

❑ WORKSHEET C: Choosing a Photograph

Activity Overview:

❑ In chevruta, campers will look through the photographs they took and had developed. Each pair will consider all the photographs and choose one by each partner that will be exhibited in the culminating exhibition.

❑ Campers can use the following criteria to help them make their choices:

o Is the photograph visually compelling?

o Does it make a strong statement or tell a good story?

o Does it reflect a value that you have discussed?

o Does it effectively represent your vision and intent?

o Does it show the essence of your community in some way?

❑ After campers have chosen their photographs, they will respond in writing to the following questions. This will eventually be developed into the campers’ “artist statements”:

o Why did you choose this photograph? What do you like about it?

o What does it represent to you?

o What title will you give it? Why did you choose this title?

o What value or aspect of community does it reflect?

o Are there any texts you’ve studied (either in the previous session, or elsewhere) that resonate with this photograph?

Worksheet C: Choosing a Photograph

I. Work in chevruta to choose one photograph you will exhibit. As you discuss your photographs with your partner, try to answer some of these questions:

❑ Is the photograph visually compelling?

❑ Does it make a strong statement or tell a good story?

❑ Does it reflect a value that you have discussed?

❑ Does it effectively capture your vision and intent?

❑ Does it show the essence of your community in some way?

II. After you’ve chosen a photograph, answer the following questions about the photo you selected:

❑ Why did you choose this photograph? What do you like about it?

❑ What does it represent to you?

❑ What title will you give it? Why did you choose this title?

❑ What value or aspect of community does it reflect?

❑ Are there any texts you’ve studied (either in the previous session, or elsewhere) that resonate with this photograph?

7 Session 6:

8 “Commentary”

Aims:

❑ Campers will be able to share their ideas about their own photographs.

❑ Campers will be able to discuss the connection between their work and the Jewish values they captured.

❑ Campers will provide constructive feedback on each other’s work.

Materials:

❑ Camper Photographs

Activity Overview:

❑ Each Camper will present his or her photo in a small group. (Groups ideally won’t include campers’ chevrutot from the previous session.) Campers will talk about the values they found in camp and captured in their work.

❑ Just as written texts have numerous interpretations—sometimes not even noticed or intended by the authors—the same is true of photographic texts. After campers present their work, others will offer their commentaries on the work. [Note: This is an opportunity for campers to consider how values are part of our everyday life. In their feedback, campers must strive to uphold the values of respect and not embarrassing or hurting the feelings of others.] Encourage campers to frame their comments in thoughtful and constructive ways. For example:

o “I like your photograph because…”

o “Your photograph reminds me of…”

o “I see you made the following choice in taking your photograph…

Can you tell me more about that choice?”

o “I see the value of _________ represented in your photograph in this way…”

❑ Each group will create a list of the values they found in the photographs they discussed.

❑ Return to large group and discuss the values found in all of the photos.

o How does this compare with the initial list of values you created?

o Are there any values missing? Why do you think that is?

o Do you think the essence of your camp community has been fully captured in the photographs?

9 Session 7:

10 Artist Statements

Aim:

❑ Campers will create their own individual artist statements for their photography.

Materials:

❑ Camper Photographs

❑ Examples of artist statements (i.e. captions from Zion Ozeri’s work) for campers to see.

Activity Overview:

❑ Campers will develop one-page artist statements to be included with their photographs in the camp exhibit (and in the photo journal if you choose to create one). These should be carefully written and fully thought out. Campers should base their statements in part on the writing they did in Session 5 and on the comments they received in Session 6. You might show campers some of the photo captions at the end of the packet to give them some ideas.

❑ Campers may include the following in their artist statements:

o Where their idea for the photograph came from

o What Jewish value(s) they sought to capture

o The “story” they think the photograph tells

o How they felt using photography to convey their thoughts and feelings

o A traditional text that resonates with the photograph

11 Sessions 8, 9 & 10:

12 Creating the Exhibition

Aim:

❑ Campers will work together as an edah to create a camp-wide exhibition of their work.

Materials:

❑ Camper Photographs

❑ Mat boards and/or oak tag (materials to frame and display photographs)

❑ Tape, glue, clips, etc. for mounting and hanging work

❑ Printed artist statements

Activity Overview

❑ The entire edah will be divided into specific interest groups that will work together to create the exhibition. The exhibition will feature the campers’ photographs, as well as their artist statements, and any additional text (e.g., introductory or organizational text) that may be necessary. It should be installed somewhere in the camp where others will see it. You may wish to have a special opening celebration and offer tours of the exhibition to other edot.

❑ Campers should have the opportunity to select (at least a preference) as to which group they would like to be a part of. Groups should include, but do not need to be restricted to:

o Publicity – responsibilities to include notifying campers, staff and families at home about The Jewish Lens and the exhibit – as well as where and when photographs will be on display.

o Education – responsibilities to include preparing information about The Jewish Lens and the program the campers went through to create this exhibit.

o Design – responsibilities to include how the photographs will be displayed, the order and layout of the entire edah’s work.

o Curatorial – responsibilities will include leading tours throughout the exhibit at designated times for other edot in camp and hopefully for families in camp on Visiting Day.

o Exhibition Set-Up – responsibilities should include logistics for setting up the exhibit at camp – the how, where, and when of the planning.

o Photo Journal Team – responsibilities should include creating the layout for a photo-journal – a photocopied book of all of the photographs for each camper to bring home.

❑ See “Tips for Mounting an Exhibition” at the end of this packet for some practical ideas. You may also want to engage the help of the arts-and-crafts staff in creating the exhibition.

|[pic] | |

|Photograph #1 |http:// |

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|“Honorable Discharge,” | |

|Ben-Gurion Airport, Israel, |Look at the expression on this man’s face. How would you describe it—fear, sadness, confusion, joy? He has just |

|1992. |arrived in Israel from the former Soviet Union. Under communism, Soviet Jews were not allowed to practice their |

| |religion openly and were often denied the right to immigrate to the U.S. or Israel. But after Gorbachev (the Soviet |

| |president) opened the doors to emigration in 1989, hundreds of thousands of Jews from the former Soviet Union flocked to|

| |Israel, with the help of Jews around the world. |

| | |

| |These immigrants often arrived with very little and faced many challenges in their new home. But the man in this |

| |picture has brought something very precious with him: the military medals he wears with pride. They serve as a |

| |reminder of his previous life, of the risks he took fighting for his country. They might not mean much in his new life |

| |in Israel, but these medals clearly have a very personal significance to him. |

| | |

| |Here is what the photographer, Zion Ozeri, had to say about this picture: “I call it honorable discharge. He was |

| |obviously discharged from the Russian army. And many Jews, by the way, either sacrificed their lives or fought |

| |heroically during WWII…. I always look for the image that would define the moment, so to speak. So I sort of saw it in|

| |his face…. You see the flag, you see El-Al, and that look.” |

| | |

| |Connections: Israel, Aliyah, Former Soviet Union |

| | |

|[pic] | |

|Photograph #2 |Klezmer is the traditional music of Eastern European Jews. Although many people think of it as old-fashioned music, |

| |young Jewish musicians all over the world have started playing klezmer again. The two men in this picture are from |

|“Klezmer Duo,” Buenos Aires, |Buenos Aires, Argentina. Although the photo was taken at their studio in Argentina, their band plays all over the |

|Argentina, 2002 |world. What mood did the photographer create in the way he posed the musicians? |

| | |

| |Argentina has the largest Jewish population of all the countries in Central and South America. But because of recent |

| |economic problems, many young Argentine Jews have emigrated to Israel and elsewhere in search of new opportunities. |

| | |

| |The photographer, Zion Ozeri, had this to say about klezmer music today: “It’s interesting—there is a big revival in |

| |klezmer music. At some point, we all looked at it: ‘Oh, it’s very Diaspora, very old, very ancient. It cannot speak |

| |to today’s audiences.’ And you’d be surprised; if you’re good at it, you can really take it to a new level. And it’s |

| |popping up all over the world.” |

| | |

| |Connections: Music and the arts, Tradition, Argentina |

| | |

|[pic] | |

|Photograph #3 |During the 1980s and 1990s, many Jews came to Israel from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union for religious freedom and|

| |a better life. These immigrants often lived in special apartment buildings, called “absorption centers,” until they |

|“The Secret,” M’vaseret Zion,|could find more permanent homes. The two boys in this picture are in a kindergarten class at an absorption center near |

|Israel, 1990 |Jerusalem. One boy is from Ethiopia; the other is from the former Soviet Union. |

| | |

| |Connections: Israel, Children, Ethiopia, Friendship |

| | |

|[pic] | |

|Photograph #4 |Jews have lived in Ethiopia for hundreds and hundreds of years. But in the 1970s and 1980s, life became very difficult |

| |for them. They were no longer safe. So, in 1984, the Israeli government organized a secret operation—known as |

|“Backpack,” Ben Gurion |“Operation Moses”—to bring Ethiopia’s Jews to Israel. In six short weeks, almost 8,000 Ethiopian Jews were rescued |

|Airport, Israel, 1991 |through the Sudan. It was a difficult journey, and many suffered or died along the way. When the operation ended, |

| |about 15,000 Jews still remained in Ethiopia. |

| | |

| |In 1990, Israel and Ethiopia reached a deal that would allow Ethiopia’s remaining Jews to move to Israel. But before |

| |anything could be done, rebel forces threatened to topple the Ethiopian government. So in May 1991, as the rebels |

| |seized control of Ethiopia’s capital, the Israel government organized an unprecedented rescue operation, called |

| |“Operation Solomon.” Beginning on Friday, May 24, and continuing non-stop for a day and a half, 36 El-Al jumbo jets and |

| |military transport planes carried over 14,000 Ethiopian Jews to freedom in Israel. |

| | |

| |The people in this photograph were part of “Operation Solomon.” The man carries his mother on his back as they enter |

| |the land of Israel for the first time. Look at the expression on their faces. How do you think they feel? |

| | |

| |Here’s what the photographer, Zion Ozeri, had to say about the experience: “I was here [in the United States] at the |

| |time. Reading carefully through the Israeli newspapers and the New York Times, I felt that something was going to |

| |happen—some kind of an airlift. I smelled it in the air. So I called someone I knew at the Jewish Agency in Jerusalem,|

| |and I said, ‘What’s happening? Is it what I think is going to happen? Is there going to be an airlift?’ He said, ‘Are|

| |you crazy? I can’t talk to you about this over the phone.’ I said, ‘I understand. But tell me, should I just buy a |

| |ticket to come to Israel right now?’ And he said, ‘Yeah.’ I bought a ticket and I got there Friday afternoon. I put |

| |my luggage down at my parents’ house, took my camera, and said, ‘Goodbye, I’m going back to the airport.’ They said, |

| |‘Why?’ I said, ‘I can’t tell you now, but you’ll know in a couple of days.’ And it was the most amazing thing. An |

| |hour or two after I got to the airport, they started landing. And you’d see babies who were being born on the planes. |

| |It was just amazing.” |

| | |

| |Connections: Ethiopia, Israel, World Jewish Community, Respect for Elders |

| | |

|[pic] | |

|Photograph #5 |You don’t need to be in a classroom or synagogue to study Torah. You can do it almost anywhere—even in a cave. The |

| |town of Haidan A-Sham is located in a rugged and mountainous part of Yemen, and the Jews there made use of whatever |

|“Cave,” Haidan A-Sham, Yemen,|spaces were available. These boys have gathered in a cave to study the weekly Torah portion. Since the time this photo|

|1992 |was taken, most of the Jews have left that part of the country, moving to bigger cities or to Israel. |

| | |

| |Jews first moved to Yemen in ancient times. They practiced their religion faithfully throughout the centuries, but were|

| |generally treated as second-class citizens by the Muslim authorities. Because of the way they were treated, as well as |

| |their longing to return to the Jewish homeland, Yemenite Jews started immigrating to Israel in the late 1880s. This |

| |culminated in 1949-1950 with a huge airlift known as “Operation Magic Carpet.” For the Yemenite Jews, this airlift |

| |seemed to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy that the Jewish people would be brought to the promised land “on the wings of |

| |eagles. Today, only a tiny number of Jews remain in Yemen. |

| | |

| |Connections: Yemen, Study, Tradition, Respect for Teachers |

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|[pic] | |

|Photograph #6 |The people in this photograph are reciting morning prayers in the heart of the Negev Desert, just outside a kibbutz |

| |called Sde Boker. Sde Boker was where Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, chose to retire. His vision and|

|“Sunrise, Sde Boker,” Sde |hope was that Israelis would move to the Negev and make the barren land flourish. Over the years, Israel has built |

|Boker, Israel, 2003 |cities, towns, and kibbutzim in the desert, helping to fulfill Ben-Gurion’s dream. Why do you think the people in the |

| |picture chose this setting for their prayers? |

| | |

| |Connections: Prayer, Nature, Israel, Community |

| | |

|[pic] | |

|Photorgraph #7 | |

|“Soup Kitchen,” New York |Tzedakah means “righteousness” or “charity”, and it’s a fundamental part of Jewish life. We are obligated to help the |

|City, New York, 2008 |needy, whether they are Jewish or not. This man is a client at a soup kitchen that’s run in a synagogue on 23rd Street |

| |in New York City. While visiting the soup kitchen, he often entertains himself and others by singing and playing the |

| |guitar. |

|[pic] | |

|Photograph #8 |At an Absorption Center near Jerusalem, two new immigrants—an Ethiopian boy and an American girl—prepare for Shabbat. |

| |Absorption Centers provide temporary housing and an introduction to Israeli life for many new immigrants. The |

|“L’Hadlik Ner Shel Shabbat,” |photographer, Zion Ozeri, explains how important these centers are: “The first few steps of any immigrant are very |

|M’vaseret Zion, Israel, 1990 |difficult—not knowing the language, not knowing where to buy things, where to go. The Absorption Center helps the new |

| |immigrant. It’s something I don’t know if they have anywhere else in the world. It’s a place where you can ease |

| |yourself into it. For the first few months at least, they give them some money to buy food, and there is an ulpan |

| |(Hebrew class) for teaching the language. They kind of initiate them into new life in Israel, and how to deal with |

| |everyday things from the very, very simple things—like shopping in the supermarket—to finding a job.” |

| | |

| |Connections: Israel, Shabbat, Ethiopia |

| | |

| | |

|[pic] | |

|Photograph #9 |This is the El-Ghriba Synagogue on the Tunisian Island of Djerba. Although the current building was constructed in |

| |1929, it is believed that a synagogue has existed on this site for 2,000 years. According to tradition, the first |

|“Waiting for Seven Jews,” |synagogue on the spot was built with a stone from the destroyed Temple in Jerusalem. If you look closely at the |

|Djerba, Tunisia, 1995 |patterns, shapes, and motifs in the picture, you can see how the builders of this synagogue were influenced by Muslim |

| |art and culture. In 2002, after this picture was taken, al-qaeda tried to bomb the synagogue. The building was not |

| |destroyed, but about 20 tourists and local workers were killed. |

| | |

| |Why do you think the photographer called this photo “Waiting for Seven Jews”? |

| | |

| |Connections: Prayer, Study, Community, Tunisia |

| | |

|[pic] | |

|Photograph #10 | |

| |The Hurva synagogue now stands in the center of Jerusalem’s Jewish Quarter, but its long and dramatic history serves as |

|“The New Hurva, Jerusalem, |a reminder of the struggles for control over the city and its neighborhoods. The original synagogue on this site was |

|Israel, 2010” |built in the early 18th century, when a group of European Jews dedicated to mysticism came to the city to try to advance|

| |the coming of the Messiah. IIt remained an impressive building for almost 100 years until Israel’s War of Independence |

| |in 1948 when Jordanian forces destroyed the synagogue, a stronghold of the Jewish Haganah force, and captured the Jewish|

| |Quarter, thereby dividing the city for 19 years. In 1967, Israel reclaimed the quarter during the Six Day War and |

| |various plans were drawn up for the site. However, nothing could be agreed upon. Finally in 1977, as a symbolic gesture,|

| |the thin arch from the north wall which had supported the synagogue’s iconic large dome was reconstructed with original |

| |stone from the site. In 2000, plans by Israeli architect Nahum Meltzer to rebuild the synagogue faithful to the original|

| |19th century neo-Byzantine designs were approved by the Israeli government, and the building was completed and dedicated|

| |in March 2010. |

| | |

| |Connections: Israel, Interfaith Relations |

| | |

| |The New Hurva Synagogue. |

| | |

|[pic] | |

|Photograph #11 |Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the month of Av, marks the destruction of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. This event |

| |happened almost 2,000 years ago, yet Jews around the world still mourn the loss every year on Tisha B’Av. And what |

|“Tisha B’Av,” Western Wall, |better place to observe this day of mourning and fasting than at the Kotel Ha-Maaravi—the Western Wall of the Temple |

|Jerusalem, Israel, 1997 |Mount. |

| | |

| |In this picture, people have come from all over Israel to attend services at the Wall. In the foreground, you can see |

| |men reading from a Torah scroll that’s kept in a wooden case. Sephardic Jews traditionally use this type of container |

| |to hold the Torah, rather than the cloth coverings common among Ashkenazi Jews. |

| | |

| |Connections: Israel, Prayer, Holidays, Torah, Sephardic Jewry |

| | |

|[pic] | |

|Photograph #12 |It’s time for morning services at Camp Solomon Schechter, in Tumwater, Washington. As the Torah is raised, the kids |

| |point with their fingers, symbolically kissing the Torah and lending their support to the Magbiah, who lifts up the |

|“Summer Camp,” Tumwater, |scroll. |

|Washington, 2002 | |

| |Founded fifty years ago, Camp Solomon Schechter in Tumwater, Washington, “provides Jewish youth, families, and adults |

| |from the U.S. and Canada with a Jewish, active, and fun camping and retreat experience year-round in the Pacific |

| |Northwest.” In addition to hosting a summer camp for kids of all ages, the site is used by Jewish organizations |

| |throughout the year for retreats, meetings, and other community events. |

| | |

| |Connections: Torah, Prayer, Community, Nature, United States |

| | |

| | |

|[pic] | |

|Photograph #13 |Baron Maurice de Hirsch was a German Jewish businessman and philanthropist. In 1891, he founded the Jewish Colonization|

| |Association, or JCA, with the goal of establishing colonies in North and South American for Jews experiencing economic, |

|“Gauchos Reflect,” |political, or social oppression in Eastern Europe. These immigrants endured many hardships, but at the height of their |

|Moisesville, Argentina, 2002 |success in the 1920s the JCA colonies in Argentina were home to more than 30,000 Jews. Although the farming and herding|

| |lifestyle was very different from their life in Eastern Europe, the Jews adapted, eventually becoming Jewish Gauchos |

| |(cowboys). Today, very few Jews remain in Moisesville and the other original colonies; most have moved to Argentina’s |

| |bigger cities. |

| | |

| |Connections: Argentina, World Jewish Community, Nature |

| | |

| | |

|[pic] | |

|Photograph #14 |These people are engaging in the important mitzvah of Pidyon Sh’vuyim—“the Redeeming of Captives.” At a demonstration |

| |in New York City, they push for the release of thousands of Jews from the Soviet Union. Notice what it says on the |

|“Let My People Go,” New York |kids’ signs. Where have you heard these words before? |

|City, 1987 | |

| |Under Soviet rule, Jews weren’t allowed to practice their religion. They weren’t allowed to immigrate to Israel or |

| |America, and many Jewish leaders were put in jail. To help their Jewish brothers and sisters overseas, American Jews |

| |held demonstrations, petitioned the U.S. government to pressure the Soviets, and even smuggled Jewish books and |

| |religious objects into the USSR. By the end of the 1980s, internal changes and an economic collapse in the Soviet |

| |Union, along with pressure from the world Jewish community, changed the situation for the Soviet Jews and gave them new |

| |hope. Within a few years, hundreds of thousands of Jews were able to leave the former Soviet Union for Israel. |

| | |

| |Connections: United States, Former Soviet Union, World Jewish Community, Activism |

| | |

| | |

|[pic] | |

|Photograph #15 |“Bomba Israel” is the Jewish volunteer fire department of Santiago, Chile. Photographer Zion Ozeri explains: “There, |

| |every ethnic group has there own fire engine. That doesn’t mean they’re not going to help others, but there is a sense |

|“Bomba Israel,” Santiago, |of pride: ‘We have our own volunteers.’ And the younger ones are trainees.” “Bomba Israel” was founded in 1954, and |

|Chile, 2002 |their mission is to serve all those in their area who need assistance. |

| | |

| |Connections: Chile, Community, TIkkun Olam |

| | |

|[pic] | |

|Photograph #16 |This high school in Budapest, Hungary, is named for Anne Frank, the Jewish teenager who, together with her family, hid |

| |in an Amsterdam attic for two years during World War II. They were eventually discovered by the Nazis and deported to |

|“Anna Frank School,” |concentration camps. Anne Frank died in 1945 at the age of 15. Notice the stairs going up in this picture. It could |

|Budapest, Hungary, 1997 |symbolize the Frank family’s attic hide-out. |

| | |

| |This school serves Jewish teenagers in Hungary’s largest Jewish community. Budapest maintains 20 synagogues, 3 Jewish |

| |day schools, and a rabbinical seminary. But the Hungarian Jewish community is still not what it once was. Before World|

| |War II, Budapest was home to more than 200,000 Jews. During the Holocaust, 600,000 Hungarian Jews were murdered, |

| |100,000 from Budapest. Many Holocaust survivors still live in the city. |

| | |

| |Connections: Education, Holocaust, Hungary |

| | |

|[pic] | |

|Photograph #17 |Here we see a Holocaust survivor surrounded by his grandchildren. He lives in Buenos Aires, where he writes and |

| |lectures about the Holocaust. The photographer, Zion Ozeri, explains why he took this picture: “I was trying to figure|

|“Holocaust Survivor with His |out, ‘How am I going to take a meaningful photograph of him?’ So I decided to take it with his grandchildren because in|

|grandchildren,” Buenos Aires,|some ways the Holocaust survivors—they lost so much family and they didn’t think they would have any future. This is |

|Argentina, 2002 |showing that they do have a future.” |

| | |

| |Connections: Family, Respecting Elders, Holocaust, Argentina |

| | |

|[pic] | |

|Photograph #18 |These young people have traveled from Westchester County, New York, to New Orleans, Louisiana, to volunteer in the |

| |aftermath of hurricane Katrina. In the photo you can see them cleaning a building that was damaged by the floods. Many|

|“Jewish Teens from Northern |members of the world Jewish community donated their money and time to help those affected by the disaster. Adam |

|Westchester UJA Federation,” |Bronstone, of the New Orleans Jewish Federation, commented on the contributions of such volunteers: “They can’t fix |

|New Orleans, LA, 2006 |levees. They can’t put people in FEMA trailers. But they can help brighten up someone’s day. Things are pretty dark |

| |now, and volunteers of all ages are continuing to give to this city” (New York Jewish Week, February 24, 2006). |

| | |

| |Connections: Community service, teens, United States |

| | |

|[pic] | |

|Photograph #19 |Months after hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Beth Israel synagogue still lay in ruins. It was the hardest hit of the|

| |city’s eight synagogues, submerged under 10 feet of water for several weeks. |

|“Beth Israel Synagogue,” New | |

|Orleans, LA, 2006 |Jews have a long history in the city of New Orleans. Several prominent Jews settled in the city in first half of the |

| |19th century, including Judah Benjamin—who later became US Secretary of State. The first synagogue was founded in 1828.|

| |(Beth Israel was established in 1903.) Jews were generally well-integrated into the life of the city and, historically,|

| |relations with the non-Jewish community have been good. |

| | |

| |Many of New Orleans’ Jews left when the hurricane hit. Although most have returned, some have stayed away and started |

| |new lives elsewhere. |

| | |

| |Connections: Community, synagogues, Southern Jewry |

| | |

| | |

| | |

Sample Texts

Prayer

שְׁמַע, יִשְׂרָאֵל:  ה’ אֱלֹהֵינוּ, ה’ אֶחָד.  וְאָהַבְתָּ, אֵת ה’ אֱלֹהֶיךָ, בְּכָל-לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל-נַפְשְׁךָ, וּבְכָל-מְאֹדֶךָ. וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם--עַל-לְבָבֶךָ. וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ, וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם, בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ, וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ. 

Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Take to heart these instructions with which I charge you this day. Impress them upon your children. Recite them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up.

--Deuteronomy (Devarim) 6:4-7

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי זָהִיר בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וּבִתְפִילָּה; וּכְשֶׁאַתָּה מִתְפַּלֵל, אַל תַּעַשׂ תְּפִילָּתְךָ קֶבַע—אֶלָּא רַחֲמִים וְתַחֲנוּנִים לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם.

Rabbi Shimon said, “Be careful, when reciting the Shema and Amidah. And when you pray, do not make your prayer rigid, but rather compassionate and pleading before God.”

--Pirke Avot (“Ethics of the Fathers”) 2:18

Study and Learning

 מָה-אָהַבְתִּי תוֹרָתֶךָ: כָּל-הַיּוֹם, הִיא שִׂיחָתִי.

O how I love Your teaching! It is my study all day long.

--Psalms (Tehilim) 119:97

יְהוֹשֻעַ בֶּן פְּרַחְיָה אוֹמֵר, עֲשֵׂה לְךָ רַב, וּקְנֵה לְךָ חָבֵר; וֶהֱוֵי דָן אֶת כָּל הָאָדָם לְכַף זְכוּת.

Joshua ben Perachyah said, “Get yourself a teacher, find someone to study with, and judge everyone favorably.”

--Pirke Avot 1:6

Lifecycle

לַכֹּל, זְמָן; וְעֵת לְכָל-חֵפֶץ, תַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם. 

        עֵת לָלֶדֶת,        וְעֵת לָמוּת;

          עֵת לָטַעַת,        וְעֵת לַעֲקוֹר נָטוּעַ.

        עֵת לַהֲרוֹג        וְעֵת לִרְפּוֹא,

          עֵת לִפְרוֹץ        וְעֵת לִבְנוֹת.

        עֵת לִבְכּוֹת          וְעֵת לִשְׂחוֹק,

          עֵת סְפוֹד         וְעֵת רְקוֹד.

        עֵת לְהַשְׁלִיךְ אֲבָנִים,        וְעֵת כְּנוֹס אֲבָנִים;

          עֵת לַחֲבוֹק,         וְעֵת לִרְחֹק מֵחַבֵּק.

        עֵת לְבַקֵּשׁ         וְעֵת לְאַבֵּד,

          עֵת לִשְׁמוֹר        וְעֵת לְהַשְׁלִיךְ.

        עֵת לִקְרוֹעַ        וְעֵת לִתְפּוֹר,

          עֵת לַחֲשׁוֹת        וְעֵת לְדַבֵּר.

        עֵת לֶאֱהֹב         וְעֵת לִשְׂנֹא,

          עֵת מִלְחָמָה        וְעֵת שָׁלוֹם.

A season is set for everything, a time for every experience under heaven;

A time for being born and a time for dying,

A time for planting and a time for uprooting the planted;

A time for slaying and a time for healing,

A time for tearing down and a time for building up;

A time for weeping and a time for laughing,

A time for wailing and a time for dancing;

A time for throwing stones and a time for gathering stones,

A time for embracing and a time for shunning embraces;

A time for seeking and a time for losing,

A time for keeping and a time for discarding;

A time for ripping and a time for sewing,

A time for silence and a time for speaking;

A time for loving and a time for hating;

A time for war and a time for peace.

--Ecclesiastes (Kohelet) 3:1-8

There are three names by which a person is called:

One by which her father and mother call her,

And one by which others call him.

And that which she/he earns for herself.

The best one of these is the one that she earns for herself.

--Adapted from the Midrash Tanhuma

Shabbat and Holidays

זָכוֹר אֶת-יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, לְקַדְּשׁוֹ.  שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תַּעֲבֹד, וְעָשִׂיתָ כָּל-מְלַאכְתֶּךָ.  וְיוֹם, הַשְּׁבִיעִי--שַׁבָּת, לַה’ אֱלֹהֶיךָ:  לֹא-תַעֲשֶׂה כָל-מְלָאכָה אַתָּה וּבִנְךָ וּבִתֶּךָ, עַבְדְּךָ וַאֲמָתְךָ וּבְהֶמְתֶּךָ, וְגֵרְךָ, אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ.

Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God: you shall not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, or your cattle, or the stranger who is within your settlements.

--Exodus (Shemot) 20:8-10

וַתִּתֶּן לָנוּ ה’ אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּאַהֲבָה מוֹעֲדִים לְשִׂמְחָה, חַגִּים וּזְמַנִּים לְשָׂשׂוֹן.

In Your love, our God, You gave us holidays for happiness, festivals and occasions for joy.

--Kiddush for festival evenings

He who feels in his heart a genuine tie with the life of his people cannot possibly conceive of the existence of the Jewish people apart from “Queen Sabbath.” We can say without exaggeration that more than Israel preserved the Sabbath, the Sabbath preserved Israel.

--Ahad Ha’am, Al Parashat Derahim

Born Asher Hirsch Ginsberg in 1856, Ahad Ha’am was an early leader of the Zionist movement. He believed in building a strong Jewish national consciousness. Al Parashat Derakhim is a four-volume compilation of his essays.

Memory, Tradition, and Mitzvot

מֹשֶה קִיבֵּל תּוֹרָה מִסִינָי, וּמְסָרָהּ לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, וִיהוֹשֻעַ לִזְקֵנִים, וּזְקֵנִים לִנְבִיאִים, וּנְבִיאִים מְסָרוּהָ לְאַנְשֵׁי כְנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה.  הֵם אָמְרוּ שְׁלוֹשָׁה דְבַרִים:  הֱיוּ מְתוּנִים בַּדִּין, וְהַעֲמִידוּ תַּלְמִידִים הַרְבֵּה, וַעֲשׂוּ סְיָג לַתּוֹרָה.

At Sinai Moses received the Torah and handed it over to Joshua who handed it over to the elders who handed it over to the prophets who in turn handed it over to the men of the Great Assembly. The latter said three things: Be deliberate in judgment, raise up many disciples, and make a fence around the Torah.

--Pirke Avot 1:1

רַב אָמַר, לֹא נִתְּנוּ הַמִּצְווֹת אֶלָּא לְצָרֵף בָּהֶן אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת. וְכִי מַה אִיכְפַּת לֵיהּ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמִי שֶׁשּׁוֹחֵט מִן הַצַּוָּאר אוֹ מִי שֶׁשּׁוֹחֵט מִן הָעוֹרֶף. הֱוֵי לֹא נִתְּנוּ הַמִּצְווֹת אֶלָּא לְצָרֵף בָּהֶם אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת.

Rav said, the miztvot were given only in order that human beings might be purified by them. For what does the Holy One care whether a person kills an animal by the throat or by the nape of the neck? Hence their purpose is to refine human beings.

--Midrash Genesis Rabbah 44:1

בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר חַיָּב אָדָם לִרְאוֹת אֶת עַצְמוֹ כְּאִילּוּ הוּא יָצָא מִמִּצְרָיִם.

All people, in every generation, must regard themselves as having been personally freed from Egypt.

--from the Passover Haggadah

Community and Relations with Others

לֹא-תְקַלֵּל חֵרֵשׁ--וְלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר, לֹא תִתֵּן מִכְשֹׁל; וְיָרֵאתָ מֵּאֱלֹהֶיךָ, אֲנִי ה’.

You shall not insult the deaf, or place a stumbling block before the blind. You shall fear your God: I am the Lord.

--Leviticus (Vayikra) 19:14

וְכִי-יָגוּר אִתְּךָ גֵּר, בְּאַרְצְכֶם--לֹא תוֹנוּ, אֹתוֹ. כְּאֶזְרָח מִכֶּם יִהְיֶה לָכֶם הַגֵּר הַגָּר אִתְּכֶם, וְאָהַבְתָּ לוֹ כָּמוֹךָ--כִּי-גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם, בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם:  אֲנִי, ה’ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם. 

When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong him. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I the Lord am you God.

--Leviticus (Vayikra) 19:33-34

הִלֵּל אוֹמֵר, אַל תִּפְרוֹשׁ מִן הַצִּיבּוּר, וְאַל תאֲמֵן בְּעַצְמְךָ עַד יוֹם מוֹתְךָ, וְאַל תָּדִין אֶת חֲבֵרְךָ עַד שֶׁתַּגִּיעַ לִמְקוֹמוֹ, וְאַל תֹּאמַר דָּבָר שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לִשְׁמוֹעַ שֶׁסּוֹפוֹ לְהִישָּׁמֵעַ.  וְאַל תֹּאמַר לִכְשֶׁאֶפָּנֶה אֶשְׁנֶה, שֶׁמָּא לא תִפָּנֶה.

Hillel said,

“Don’t separate yourself from the community.

Don’t be overconfident until the day of your death.

Don’t judge your fellow human being until you have reached that person’s place.

Don’t say anything that is unintelligible with the hope that it will be understood.

And don’t say, ‘When I have leisure I will study’ – perhaps you will never have that leisure.”

--Pirke Avot 2:4

כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַרֵבִים זֶה בָּזֶה.

All of Israel is bound up together.

--Babylonian Talmud, Shevuot 39a

שׁוּב מַעֲשֶׂה בְּנָכְרִי אֶחָד שֶׁבָּא לִפְנֵי שַׁמַּאי, אָמַר לוֹ: גַּיְירֵנִי עַל מְנָת שֶׁתְּלַמְדֵנִי כָּל הַתּוֹרָה כּוּלָּהּ כְּשֶׁאֲנִי עוֹמֵד עַל רֶגֶל אַחַת. דְּחָפוֹ בְּאַמַּת הַבִּנְיָן שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ. בָּא לִפְנֵי הִלֵּל, גַּיְּירֵיהּ. אָמַר לוֹ: דַּעֲלָךְ סְנֵי לְחַבְרָךְ לֹא תַּעֲבֵיד -- זוֹ הִיא כָּל הַתּוֹרָה כּוּלָּהּ, וְאִידָךְ -- פֵּירוּשָׁהּ הוּא, זִיל גְּמוֹר.

There is another case when a non-Jew once came to Shammai and said to him: “Convert me to Judaism, on condition that you can teach me the whole Torah while I am standing on one foot.” With a builder’s measuring rod in his hand, Shammai angrily threw him out.

The non-Jew then went to Hillel [and repeated his request.] Hillel converted him and taught him as follows: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. This is the whole Torah. All the rest is commentary. Go now and study it!”

--Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 31a

Social Action, Tzedakah, and G’milut Hasadim

לֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל-דַּם רֵעֶךָ.

Do not stand idly by the blood of you neighbor.

--Leviticus (Vayikra) 19:16

כִּי תִקְצֹר קְצִירְךָ בְשָׂדֶךָ וְשָׁכַחְתָּ עֹמֶר בַּשָּׂדֶה, לֹא תָשׁוּב לְקַחְתּוֹ--לַגֵּר לַיָּתוֹם וְלָאַלְמָנָה, יִהְיֶה:  לְמַעַן יְבָרֶכְךָ ה’ אֱלֹהֶיךָ, בְּכֹל מַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ. כִּי תַחְבֹּט זֵיתְךָ, לֹא תְפַאֵר אַחֲרֶיךָ:  לַגֵּר לַיָּתוֹם וְלָאַלְמָנָה, יִהְיֶה. כִּי תִבְצֹר כַּרְמְךָ, לֹא תְעוֹלֵל אַחֲרֶיךָ:  לַגֵּר לַיָּתוֹם וְלָאַלְמָנָה, יִהְיֶה. וְזָכַרְתָּ, כִּי-עֶבֶד הָיִיתָ בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם; עַל-כֵּן אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת-הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה. 

When you reap your harvest in your field, and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back and get it; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless and the widow; that the Eternal your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat your olive tree, you shall not go over the boughs again; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not glean it afterward; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this.

--Deuteronomy (Devarim) 24:19-22

מְפַרְנְסִים עֲנִיֵּי נָכְרִים עִם עֲנִיֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמְבַקְּרִין חוֹלֵי נָכְרִים עִם חוֹלֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְקוֹבְרִין מֵתֵי נָכְרִים עִם מֵתֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִפְּנֵי דַרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם:

We support Jewish and non-Jewish poor; we visit Jewish and non-Jewish sick and bury Jewish and non-Jewish dead, to promote the ways of peace.

--Babylonian Talmud, Gittin 61a

Truth, Justice, and Peace

מַצִּיל נְפָשׁוֹת, עֵד אֱמֶת; וְיָפִחַ כְּזָבִים מִרְמָה.

A truthful witness saves lives;

One who testifies lies [spreads] deceit.

--Proverbs (Mishlei) 14:25

הִלֵּל אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי מִתַלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַהֲרוֹן--אוֹהֵב שָׁלוֹם וְרוֹדֵף שָׁלוֹם, אוֹהֵב אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת וּמְקָרְבָן לַתּוֹרָה.

Hillel said, “Be like one of Aaron’s students, loving peace and pursuing it, loving people and bringing them to the Torah.”

--Pirke Avot 1:12

רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, עַל שְׁלוֹשָׁה דְבָרִים הָעוֹלָם קַיָּם-- עַל הָאֱמֶת, וְעַל הַדִּין, וְעַל הַשָּׁלוֹם.

Rabban Shimon, the son of Gamliel, said, “The world stands on three things: on truth, on judgment, and on peace.”

--Pirke Avot 1:18

דִּינָא דְּמַלְכוּתָא דִּינָא.

The law of the land is the law.

--Babylonian Talmud, Nedarim 28a

Art, Music, & Spirituality

זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ,

אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי וַאֲרֹמְמֶנְהוּ.

This is my God and I will beautify Him;

The God of my father, and I will exalt Him.

--Exodus (Shemot) 15:2

רַנְּנוּ צַדִּיקִים, בַּה’; לַיְשָׁרִים, נָאוָה תְהִלָּה.

הוֹדוּ לַה’ בְּכִנּוֹר; בְּנֵבֶל עָשׂוֹר, זַמְּרוּ-לוֹ.

שִׁירוּ-לוֹ, שִׁיר חָדָשׁ; הֵיטִיבוּ נַגֵּן, בִּתְרוּעָה.

Sing forth, O you righteous, to the Lord; it is fit that the upright acclaim Him. Praise the Lord with the lyre; with the ten-stringed harp sing to Him; sing Him a new song; play sweetly with shouts of joy.

--Psalms (Tehilim) 33:1-3

Israel

אִם-אֶשְׁכָּחֵךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָם-- תִּשְׁכַּח יְמִינִי.  

תִּדְבַּק-לְשׁוֹנִי, לְחִכִּי-- אִם-לֹא אֶזְכְּרֵכִי:

אִם-לֹא אַעֲלֶה, אֶת-יְרוּשָׁלִַם-- עַל רֹאשׁ שִׂמְחָתִי.

If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

Let my right hand wither;

Let my tongue stick to my palate

If I cease to think of you,

If I do not keep Jerusalem in memory

Even at my happiest hour.

--Psalms (Tehilim) 137:5-6

וַהֲבִיאֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם מֵאַרְבַּע כַּנְפוֹת הָאָרֶץ, וְתוֹלִיכֵנוּ קוֹמְמִיּוּת לְאַרְצֵנוּ.

Bring us in peace from the four corners of the earth and lead us with upright pride to our Land.

--From shacharit (the morning service)

Environment and Animals

וַיִּקַּח ה’ אֱלֹהִים, אֶת-הָאָדָם; וַיַּנִּחֵהוּ בְגַן-עֵדֶן, לְעָבְדָהּ וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ.

Now God took the man and God placed him in the Garden of Eden to work it and to guard it.

--Genesis (Bereshit) 2:15

כִּי-תָצוּר אֶל-עִיר יָמִים רַבִּים לְהִלָּחֵם עָלֶיהָ לְתָפְשָׂהּ, לֹא-תַשְׁחִית אֶת-עֵצָהּ לִנְדֹּחַ עָלָיו גַּרְזֶן--כִּי מִמֶּנּוּ תֹאכֵל, וְאֹתוֹ לֹא תִכְרֹת:  כִּי הָאָדָם עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה, לָבֹא מִפָּנֶיךָ בַּמָּצוֹר.

When in your war against a city you have to besiege it a long time in order to capture it, you must not destroy its trees, wielding the ax against them. You may eat of them, but you must not cut them down. Are trees of the field human to withdraw before you into the besieged city?

--Deuteronomy (Devarim) 20:19

כִּי יִקָּרֵא קַן-צִפּוֹר לְפָנֶיךָ בַּדֶּרֶךְ בְּכָל-עֵץ אוֹ עַל-הָאָרֶץ, אֶפְרֹחִים אוֹ בֵיצִים, וְהָאֵם רֹבֶצֶת עַל-הָאֶפְרֹחִים, אוֹ עַל-הַבֵּיצִים--לֹא-תִקַּח הָאֵם, עַל-הַבָּנִים. שַׁלֵּחַ תְּשַׁלַּח אֶת-הָאֵם, וְאֶת-הַבָּנִים תִּקַּח-לָךְ, לְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ, וְהַאֲרַכְתָּ יָמִים.

If, along the road, you chance upon a bird’s nest, in any tree or on the ground, with fledglings or eggs and the mother sitting over the fledglings or on the eggs, do not take the mother together with her young. Let the mother go, and take only the young, in order that you may fare well and have a long life.

--Deuteronomy (Devarim) 22:6-7

Generations: Parents, Children, and Families

מִפְּנֵי שֵׂיבָה תָּקוּם, וְהָדַרְתָּ פְּנֵי זָקֵן; וְיָרֵאתָ מֵּאֱלֹהֶיךָ, אֲנִי ה’.

You shall rise before the aged and show deference to the old; you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.

--Leviticus (Vayikra) 19:32

שְׁמַע בְּנִי, מוּסַר אָבִיךָ; וְאַל-תִּטֹּשׁ, תּוֹרַת אִמֶּךָ.

כִּי, לִוְיַת חֵן הֵם לְרֹאשֶׁךָ; וַעֲנָקִים, לְגַרְגְּרֹתֶךָ.

My son, heed the discipline of your father,

And do not forsake the instruction of your mother.

For they are a graceful wreath upon your head,

A necklace about your throat.

--Proverbs (Mishlei) 1:8

יוֹמָא חַד הֲוָה אָזַל בְּאוֹרְחָא, חַזְיֵיהּ לְהַהוּא גַּבְרָא דַּהֲוָה נָטַע חָרוּבָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַאי, עַד כַּמָּה שְׁנִין טָעֵין? -- אֲמַר לֵיהּ: עַד שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין. -- אֲמַר לֵיהּ: פְּשִׁיטָא לָךְ דְּחָיֵית שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין? -- אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הַאי [גַּבְרָא] עָלְמָא בְּחָרוּבָא אַשְׁכַּחְתֵּיהּ, כִּי הֵיכִי דְּשָׁתְלִי לִי אֲבָהֲתַי -- שָׁתְלִי נַמִי לִבְרַאי.

One day, [Honi] was walking along the road, and he saw a man planting a carob tree. He asked him, “How long does it take [for this tree] to bear fruit? The man replied, “Seventy years.” He asked him further, “Are you certain you will live another seventy years?” The man replied, “I found the world provided with carob trees because my forefathers planted them for me. I am planting them now for my children.”

--Babylonian Talmud, Taanit 23a

Self-Respect and Personal Behavior

וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת-הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ, בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים בָּרָא אֹתוֹ:  זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה, בָּרָא אֹתָם.

And God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

--Genesis (Bereshit) 1:27

וְעַתָּה בְּנִי דַע וּרְאֵה, כִּי הַמִּתְגָּאֶה בְּלִבּוֹ עַל הַבְּרִיוֹת – מוֹרֵד הוּא בְּמַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם, כִּי מִתְפָּאֵר הוּא בִּלְבוּשׁ מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים צג א): "ה' מָלָךְ גֵּאוּת לָבֵש", וגו'.

וּבַמֶה יִתְגָּאֵה לֵב הָאָדָם? אִם בְּעֹשֶׁר – "ה' מוֹרִישׁ וּמַעֲשִׁיר" (שמ"א ב ז). וְאִם בְּכָבוֹד – הֲלֹא לֵאלֹהִים הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דה"א כט יב): "וְהָעֹשֶׁר וְהַכָּבוֹד מִלְפָנֶיךָ", וְאֵיךְ מִתְפָּאֵר בִּכְבוֹד קוֹנוֹ? וְאִם מִתְפָּאֵר בְּחָכְמָה: "מֵסִיר שָֹפָה לְנֶאֱמָנִים, וְטַעַם זְקֵנִים יִקַח" (איוב יב כ). נִמְצָא: הַכָּל שָׁוֶה לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם, כִּי בְאַפּוֹ מַשְׁפִּיל גֵּאִים, וּבִרְצוֹנוֹ מַגְבִּיהַ שְׁפָלִים. לָכֵן הַשְׁפִּיל עַצְמְךָ, וִינַשַֹּאֲךָ הַמָּקוֹם.

And now, my son, understand and observe that whoever feels that he is greater than others is rebelling against the Kingship of Hashem, because he is adorning himself with His garments, as it is written (Tehillim 93:1), "Hashem reigns, He wears clothes of pride." Why should one feel proud? Is it because of wealth? Hashem makes one poor or rich (I Shmuel 2:7). Is it because of honor? It belongs to Hashem, as we read (I Divrei Hayamim 29:12), "Wealth and honor come from You." So how could one adorn himself with Hashem's honor? And one who is proud of his wisdom surely knows that Hashem "takes away the speech of assured men and reasoning from the sages" (Iyov 12:20)!? So we see that everyone is the same before Hashem, since with His anger He lowers the proud and when He wishes He raises the low. So lower yourself and Hashem will lift you up!

--Rabbi Moses ben Nahman, Iggeret Ha-Ramban

Rabbi Moses ben Nahman (1194-1270) is also known as Nahmanides or the Ramban. He was a Spanish scholar and one of the greatest Talmudic authorities of the Middle Ages. His many works include commentaries on the Talmud and responsa on Jewish practice. The text above is from a letter he wrote to his son, with the instruction to read it weekly.

יָשִׂים עַל לִיבּוֹ שֶׁיְּהֵא גוּפוֹ שָׁלֵם וְחָזָק, כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּהְיֶה נַפְשׁוֹ יְשָׁרָה לָדַעַת אֶת ה', שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיָּבִין וְיִשְׂתַּכֵּל בְּחָכְמוֹת, וְהוּא רָעֵב וְחוֹלֶה אֹוֹ אֶחָד מֵאֲבָרָיו כּוֹאֵב.

A person should see to it that the body is kept healthy and strong in order that they may be upright to know G-d. For it is impossible to understand and comprehend wisdom when one is hungry and ailing or if one’s limbs ache.

--Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Deot, 3:3

Tips for Mounting an Exhibition

Your exhibit will probably consist mainly of exhibition text and the photographs themselves. Exhibition text might include an exhibit title and introductory text; photo captions listing the title, photographer, date, and location for each picture; and artist statements. For example, one wall of your exhibit could look something like this:

[pic]

There are many ways to hang photos, depending on your time and resources. Photographs can be “framed” by mounting them on mat board (a sturdy board that comes in a variety of colors). You can also use “foam core” (which consists of a thin layer of foam sandwiched between two sturdier boards). Both mat board and foam core are available from any craft store or catalogue. Just cut the board into an appropriate sized rectangle (with a mat knife or exacto knife) so that the photograph will fit comfortably on it with a margin all the way around. Then attach the back of the photo to the board using double-sided tape, spray mount (an easy-to-use spray-on adhesive), or a glue stick. [See diagram below.] Oak tag or construction paper can be used instead of mat board or foam core, although the result will probably not be as sturdy and durable.

[pic]

Alternatively, you can buy precut mat frames from most art suppliers in a variety of sizes. The inside edge of the frame you use should be a little smaller than the photograph you’re framing; the outside edge will be a little larger than it. Then just place the photograph face-down on the frame and tape it in place. [See diagram below.] Note: The extreme edges of the photo will be obscured by the frame if you use this method.

[pic]

Depending on your wall surface, you can use double-sided foam tape, thumbtacks, or pins to hang the framed artworks. If you’re not able to attach the work directly to the walls, you may be able to string a wire along the wall and hang the images from it with binder clips. Campers’ work can also be displayed on easels, which can be purchased cheaply from art-supply stores. Artwork should be hung roughly at eye-level.

You will also have to choose what size prints to make for the exhibit. Larger photos are easier to see and make more of an impression, but, of course, enlargement costs more. You may want to ask a local photography store if they would be willing to print your photos at a discount in exchange for a credit in your exhibition.

Exhibit text can be computer printed onto nice paper or cardstock and attached to the wall in the same way as the photographs. Photo captions can also be printed onto computer labels and either stuck directly onto the wall or applied to another piece of paper or board that is then mounted on the wall. Exhibit text should be printed in a simple font and made large enough so that even the smaller texts—like photo captions—can be easily read from a few feet away.

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| |

|Photograph # 4, “Backpack.” |

|Sample Questions: |

|Why do you think Ozeri chose to do a close up of these subjects? What effect does it have? How might the picture |

|have been different if more of the setting were included in the frame? |

| |

|Photograph # 10, “Waiting for Seven Jews.” |

|Sample Questions: |

|What do you notice about the way the photographer framed the people in this photograph? Why do you think he chose |

|to do it the way he did? |

|What effect is created by where and how the men are sitting? |

|Do you think this was a posed picture or a candid shot? Why? |

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