To teach the chanichim basic things about Israel that they are familiar with but do not know enough about.

YOM – HATZMAUT

Written by: Hadas and Rachel, Cleveland

GOAL- To teach the chanichim basic things about Israel that they are familiar with but do not know enough about.

Suggested Age: Aleph, Zach 

Suitable for Shabbat

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Our connection to Israel - start the peula with a question: Why Israel?! Have a short discussion with your chanichim about the topic, try to play the devils advocate. In the “heat” of the discussion stop and continue with stage 2.

2.tell your chanichim that there are many reasons why the Jews belong in

  Israel we will only discuss 2 of them.

The first one-Nature

Read your chanichim the following story

“ Once there was a very special tree. The tree was very fruitful, people came from all around the world to see this unique tree. One day a rich man saw the tree and decided that he must have this tree in his garden, so he bought the tree, took it out of its natural habitants and planted it in his garden. The rich man was very surprised when the tree that once was so fruitful and perished had no fruit and had almost died, he didn’t understand what happened. Then a wise man explained to him that each living thing has its own natural place where it belongs and only there it can reach its full potential. The specific plant was flourishing because it

was at its natural surrounding, but when taken away from there it died.”

Explain to your chanichim that just like the wise man said- each living thing has its natural place and only there, can it reach its full potential.

“Am Yisrael" has a natural connection to "Eretz Yisrael". Only when we are together can we be complete. This connection works both ways: on one hand the Jewish nation can only be complete when living in the land of Israel. On the other hand the land of Israel will only prosper when the Jewish nation is there. This following connection has been proven throughout history, both- in the situation of "Am Yisrael" when away from its land, and in the situation of the land of Israel when the people of Israel are away.

Tell your chanichim that another bond that we have with the land of Israel is religious wise. There are many "Mitzvot" that can only be done in Israel, such as: Shmita, Trumot and more.