Full Curriculum

Unit III: Jewish Peoplehood and Community

Lesson 1: What Is Community? What Is Community?

Introduction (12 minutes)

1. Have students work individually or in small groups to think about the terms “community”, “group” “nation” and “team.”  Students can discuss how these words are different, but also what they have in common. This can get them thinking about the meaning of “community” in relation to other concepts.
2. Have students write down their ideas about the different words, or draw pictures to explain their interpretations and their understanding of the relationships between the words.
3. Have the students share their responses with the class.

Photographic Exercise (12 minutes)

Have students do an objective/subjective reading of “Waiting for Seven Jews” using Worksheet 1A: Objective and Subjective.  See Introductory Lesson here for instructions and further guidance on the objective/subjective activity.  Review the procedure with students if they are unfamiliar or need a refresher on the concepts and approach.

Text Study (20 minutes):

1. Share with students the title of the photograph and a little about the setting. (See photo caption for more information.) Discuss:
   – Why do you think the photographer gave the picture this title?
   – What do you think it means?
   – How does this information help you understand the photograph?
2. Distribute Peoplehood Worksheet 1B to students. Have students work in pairs to read the texts and discuss the questions on the worksheet.
3. Regroup to share responses with the whole class.

Wrap-Up (5 minutes):

1. Revisit the image “Waiting for Seven Jews.” Discuss:
   – How do the texts relate to the photograph? Do the texts help you understand the photograph? Does the photograph help you make sense of the texts?
   – In general, what kinds of things can you learn from a photograph? What can’t you learn?
   – How is reading a photograph like reading a text? How is it different?
2. Explain to students that the photograph was taken by an Israeli-born photographer named Zion Ozeri who lives in New York. Ozeri travels around the world photographing different Jewish communities. Students will be looking at his photographs in more depth throughout this unit and also taking photographs of their own. If you have time, share a few additional photos by Ozeri with students.

Homework:

For homework, have students consider the concept of “community.” Each student should write a short reflection paper on the topic: “What is community?”

If your students have not yet done the Introductory Lesson, we recommend beginning with that lesson before progressing through the lessons in this unit.

IMAGES

Waiting for Seven Jews, Djerba, Tunisia, 1995

This is the El-Ghriba Synagogue on the Tunisian island of Djerba. Although the current building was constructed in 1929, it is believed that a synagogue has existed on this site for 2,000 years. According to tradition, the Œfirst synagogue on the spot was built with a stone from the destroyed Temple in Jerusalem. If you look closely at the patterns, shapes, and motifs in the picture, you can see how the builders of this synagogue were infl‰uenced by Muslim art and culture. In 2002, after this picture was taken, al-Qaeda tried to bomb the synagogue. The building was not destroyed, but about 20 tourists and local workers were killed.

Why do you think the photographer called this photo Waiting for Seven Jews?

Sample Texts:

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Hillel said,
“Don’t separate yourself from the community.
Don’t be overconfiŒdent until the day of your death.
Don’t judge your fellow human being until you have reached that person’s place.
Don’t say anything that is unintelligible with the hope that it will be understood.
And don’t say, ‘When I have leisure I will study’ – perhaps you will never have that leisure.”
– Pirkei Avot 2:4

Nine tzaddikim cannot make a minyan, but if one common man joins them, he completes the minyan.
– Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav