Tamuz 17th - י"ז בתמוז

Goals: The chanichim will understand that רבן יוחנן בן זכאי and חז"ל created different ways for עם ישראל to remember בית המקדש and to continue throughout the ages to hope and pray for its rebuilding. In addition, the chanichim will internalize the idea that it’s worth pursuing goals that seem far off or that won’t necessarily actualize in our own times, because it’s the people who dream that start and get others to complete the task. For example, even though it seems that one Jew making aliya or teaching about it won't make a big difference, it takes those people to get the weal turning.

Accessories and materials:

1. Bingo boards filled with the different הלכות related to the חורבן.(below)

2. Little pieces of paper to cover the bingo boards.

3. Source sheets with the story of חוני המעגל and the carob tree. (תענית כ"ג.)

4. Cards with information about the following characters:

• Martin Luther King

• בנימין זאב הרצל

• הראי"ה קוק

• רבן יוחנן בן זכאי

5. Photos of the characters above.

6. A bunch of skit props, like beards, pieces of material…

7. 100 paper cups.

8. A prize for the winner.

                                                              י"ז בתמוז      

Goals: The chanichim will understand that רבן יוחנן בן זכאי and חז"ל created different ways for עם ישראל to remember בית המקדש and to continue throughout the ages to hope and pray for its rebuilding. In addition, the chanichim will internalize the idea that it’s worth pursuing goals that seem far off or that won’t necessarily actualize in our own times, because it’s the people who dream that start and get others to complete the task. For example, even though it seems that one Jew making aliya or teaching about it won't make a big difference, it takes those people to get the weal turning.

Accessories and materials:

1. Bingo boards filled with the different הלכות related to the חורבן.(below)

2. Little pieces of paper to cover the bingo boards.

3. Source sheets with the story of חוני המעגל and the carob tree. (תענית כ"ג.)

4. Cards with information about the following characters:

• Martin Luther King

• בנימין זאב הרצל

• הראי"ה קוק

• רבן יוחנן בן זכאי

5. Photos of the characters above.

6. A bunch of skit props, like beards, pieces of material…

7. 100 paper cups.

8. A prize for the winner.

פעולה plan:

1. Start out with an opening question:

What's the point of fasting on י"ז בתמוז?

What is supposed to do to us?

(Focus in on answers that deal with memory of בית המקדש)

2. Chose a חניך  and give him a card with a הלכה and he has to mime it to the rest of the kids until they get it and fill it out in their bingo boards. The boards deal with the different הלכות that have evolved in reaction to the חורבן. The kids will get to know new הלכות they've never heard of before and realize just how many things that we do and don’t do are in reaction to the destruction of בית המקדש.

3. Quick recapture on the fact we have so many of these הלכות and ask why they think חז"ל created them.

4. Divide the חניכים into 4 groups, each group gets a photo and information card on one of the following characters:  ,הרצל, Martin Luther Kingהרב קוק, , and ריב"ז. Each group needs to read up on the character and prepare a skit about the person, while focusing on the goals this person pursued, the difficulties in fulfilling them and the way things worked out in the end. They will then present the skits to the rest of the group.

5. Give out source sheets with translation on חוני המעגל and the man planting a carob tree, (תענית כ"ג.) and read through it together.

6. Following the story give out paper cups and ask the חניכים to make a pyramid out of cups.

7. Discussion:

• Why did the guy plant the carob tree, he knew he'd die before he'd see the fruit?

• Why did Hertzel spend all of his time and energy, and finally his life for something he knew he'd probably not see? Do you think it was worth it?

• Why now do you think רבן יוחנן בן זכאי started forming הלכות זכר למקדש? Do you think it worked? Do you think it will work?

• Conclude by saying that not every kid could have been on the top of the pyramid, and that sometimes we need to be the bottom, to do something simple, that won’t necessarily make a huge difference but it just as crucial for the success of the whole in the end.

• חז"ל chose to create manyהלכות  that are supposed to keep the memory of the בית המקדש which we have never seen, live in our minds and hearts, with us striving to rebuild it. We say that everyday in out תפילה and it comes in during our happy times and sad ones as well. The fact that we all know what בית המקדש  was, and are fasting today for the destruction of something that existed 2000 years ago proves the success of חז"לand may we all live to see the rebuilding of the בית המקדש in our times.