Emphasizing 2 of the more prosperous eras of the city, the 16^th century and the capture of the city in Israel’s war of independence.

• Card Board Rings (amount depending on amount of chanachim)
• Long peices of blue wool.

Tzionut Class #1-Tsfat

Goal: Emphasizing 2 of the more prosperous eras of the city, the 16^th century and the capture of the city in Israel’s war of independence.

War of Independence: Hebrew teachers will teach the story of the Davidka in class.

16^th century:

Stage 1:  Give students card board rings and long pieces of blue wool.  Teach them how to make pon-pons. 

Ask them what the heck these pom poms might have to do with tsfat.

Stage 2:   While the chevre are working on their ponpons, start your story:  You are a ___ year old who used to live with your family in Spain till the inquisition in 1492, when you were kicked out of your home with no where to go. 

Ask the kids where they would go in such a situation (bring in a map of Europe+Asia…)

*Many of the rich and Morono Jews went west to western Europe and Italy.  (Business stuff)

*The chachamim and mid-class Jews and Crafts men Moved to Ottoman territory.  (Saloniki, Kushta, Andrianople)

**Only about 30/40 years later, when the Ottomans captured Israel from the Mamluks. 

This made passage from Turkey to Israel Possible.

Stage 3:  Why Tsfat?

Map of Israel: Find Tsfat. 

Why do you think they came davka to tsfat? 

The rest of the class we deal with the 3 main reasons.

1)    Next to Meron, Kabbala (Rashbi-Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, who wrote the zohar was buried in Meron) It was atime of searching after the gerush… people were drawn to kabala.   Talk about the whole Pricha Ruchanit, Shulchan aruch(Rabbi yosef karo), Licha dodi(Rabbi shlomo elkabets), Chakal Tapuchin Kedoshin (Ari)

2) The Turks had less of an interest in tsfat then,                say, Yerushalayim, so tsfat was the next best thing if they didn’t want to be bothered

3)The Natural resources were very similar to those in Spain.  Nachal Amud flows right under Tsfat, The running water was used for Flour mills, and wool water mills.

**And yes, that is what pom poms have to do with tsfat. 

Sadly, The peak that was reached Spiritually, Economically bla bla bla in the midst of the 16^th century, didn’t last very long.  The great rabbits of the generation died leaving no heir, the Turks got mean and India started importing cheaper wool, so they dropped, not to rise again till the 19^th century.