Am Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael, Al Pi Torat Yisrael

1.      The Chanichim will understand the importance of the settling in Eretz Yisrael.

2.      The Chanichim will understand the meaning of our Sisma’ot: “Mi anachnu, ma chayenu, uma sismatenu: am yisrael be’ertz yisrael, al pi torat yisrael.”

Questions for discussion:

1.      To who was Israel promised? (Avraham Avinu)

2.      Who led Bney Yisrael back into Eretz Yisrael after the days they spent in the desert? “(Yehoshu’a).

3.      What year did Israel gain its independence? (1948)

The “Incognito” game:

1.      Choose three Chanichim.

2.      Each Chanich will get a crown with a sign on the crown that says one of the three: “Am Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael, Torat Yisrael.” (The point is that those volunteers can’t see what is written on top of their head!

3.      The volunteers have to ask the other Chanichim yes and no questions about what’s written on their head.

After the game, you ask the Chanichim, do you think one of these three are more important than another? Can they exist independently? 

The answer is obviously no! These three things only exist together! How do you explain this concept? Through the following story (it’s much better if the Madrichim will act this story out with a narrator).

“A place of his own”:

Once upon a time there was a man who had parents and siblings, a wife and kids. He always had a hat on his head. He had an ancient book. And he had strange tunes with words that even he didn’t understand. But he was missing one thing: a place of his own where he can build his house. His entire life, tens, hundreds, and thousands of years, he travelled from one place to another with his family, his hat, ancient story, and his foreign tunes. Every time he built a house in a different place: sometimes in warm countries, sometimes in cold countries. Sometimes he had good neighbors, and sometimes he had bad neighbors. Sometimes he lived there for a very short time, and sometimes he lived there for many many years. But always, sooner or later he had to leave his place and move somewhere else.
Actually, he really wanted to stay in one place, but people always kicked him out: they scared him, they burned his house down, they hurt him, forced him to leave his hat, his ancient book, and his foreign tunes. And one time the worst of all happened: not only did he not have place, they hurt him, scared him, and hit him: they even kill his parents, siblings, and even his children. And the man, who did not have a place of his own, realized he can’t keep running and it’s about time he’ll find his own place. He remembered that there was one place, mentioned in the ancient book, that was his own place a long long time ago. He didn’t know where that place was and how could he get there but he was certain of one thing: he will get there somehow! After many days of travelling all over the world he found that place. And it wasn’t easy at first to enter it and make it his own, but after much tries and never ceasing dedication, he succeded making it his own, flying his flag. He made  a new family of his own, planted trees and fruits. But most importantly, he was able to make decisions for himself. The man that used to not have a place of his own, didn’t give up once he did find his place. And when they tried to burn his house he fought them, he defeated his enemies, and even though he hated the war, he did  what he had to do to make sure that place will stay his own. He celebrated his holidays and kept Shabattot.

Guys!!! This is the story of our nation: it’s just a random person!!!!! Our nation was travelling for two thousand years, and shortly after the holocaust we succeeded finding our own place: we chose a place that was promised to our forefathers, to Avraham. There, we were able to keep our Torah and become a united nation: Am Yisrael!!