It is my first year on tzevet (staff) and last session, I
worked with the chotrimot (going into 7th grade).
Peula schichva, or pish, is a
daily activity for just over an hour and a half in which chanichimot (campers)
learn about various topics with their kvutza (age groups) through methods and
sichot (discussions). Throughout the session, the chotrimot learned about a
range of topics, from Jewish identity and history to environmentalism and
capitalism to racial (mis)representation in the media.
Our final peula shichva
was structured around combating apathy and complacency and empowering youth to
take a stand. We began by asking the chotrimot to react to various statements
concerning small-scale to large-scale problems (“At my school, we don’t get
time off for Yom Kippur, meaning that I can’t spend high holy days with my
family;” “Millions of people around the world do not have access to fresh
water”). They responded with one of four statements: "I can make change"; "I don’t
know how to make change"; "I can’t make change"; "I don’t care about making change", and explained their reactions.
Following the first method, we split the kids up
into 3 groups and gave them scenarios off of which they based skits. The
scenarios involved bullying, pollution, and robbery. We then discussed the
definition of bystander and their personal experiences. After that, we read the
short statement/poem by Martin Niemöller, outspoken opponent of Adolf Hitler,
titled “First They Came.” Many of the chotrimot had previous exposure to this
poem, but they thought critically about the message and discussed the
consequences of apathy and indifference. To conclude, the chotrimot created a
list of 6 issues, big or small, which they would like to change. For each
issue, they brainstormed ways in which they could create change, both as
individuals and as the Machaneh Gilboa community. It was inspiring to see such
impassioned responses from the chotrimot, who had spent the whole session
learning about issues that they now seemed eager to change.
- Clara Epstein, Kvutza 67, Gilboa Madricha
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