Jampacked Bible - Olympic Spirit


H3: Olympics Page 5 - Programming Ideas Issue Navigation: Introduction History Sporting Jews Olympic- Politic Programming Ideas Sources Site Navigation: Homepage Index By Topic: History Israel Current Jewish Festivals Search:	Programming Ideas Ancient Olympics Perform a short play about the influences on a young Jew growing up in Israel at the time of the Greeks. He should be studying Jewish texts but many of his friends are going to the local gym. He is torn between his own culture and the new exciting one that he sees around him. In some ways, Greek Culture is the forerunner of modern Western Culture (secular) and there are many similarities between the two. Discuss how we today are influenced by two different cultures: Jewish and secular. Are we as obsessed with beauty and pleasurable experiences as the Greeks were? Do we have to choose one culture over the other or can we try and harmonise the two as did the Jews who were willing to go to the Olympics in Tyre but refused to worship Hercules? Roman influences Ask the audience what the origins of these sporting activities are: shooting, fencing, boxing, javelin, horse racing and discus. All of these were originally important when fighting battles and were gradually turned into sports. there is a modern version of the Roman Gladiators on television. They use a lot of soft foam so that no one gets hurt but they are essentially re-enacting what the original gladiators did. You could have a debate as to whether or not this TV programme glorifies an ancient sport that was once very violent. On a deeper note you could discuss why the Romans enjoyed watching physical violence so much. You could do this by reading out a made up account of a slave facing a lion in a Roman arena. Make it very gory and exciting. Ask the audience whether deep down they would like to see an event like this. Have they ever seen a bull fight? Do they get a kick out of the "Rocky" films? Is watching violent sport some kind of release? The modern Olympics + Atlanta 1996 Creatively dress up as Baron Courbetin and in a dodgy French ascent explain (with passion) the deep and noble ideals that are behind your reintroduction of the Olympic Games. When you've finishes, ask your audience what Courbetin would have thought if he'd seen the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Would he be inspired by the thousands of athletes from all over the globe or would he be disgusted by the drug taking and commercialism of the Games? Write out the quote from Lynford Christie in big letters and let your audience guess who said it. Do they agree and are they surprised Christie said such a thing? Athletes is the Greek noun for a competitor and comes from athlein which means to compete for a prize. Participation was insignificant in ancient Greece and winning was everything. Is that true today? How much is sport taken seriously and how much is it fun? Debate: What effect has TV coverage had on the Olympics? Politics of the Berlin Olympics Describe that event to your audiences and discuss how they would have felt watching it. Why was it so important for Hitler that his Aryan race was superior? How could the propaganda that Hitler used have been combated? Death at the Munich Olympics You may have parents or other family members who remember the massacre in Munich. How did they feel? Tell the story to your audience. Debate: The hostages have just been killed and you are the IOC. Should the Games continue? Is an afternoon off enough? Tell your audience what the IOC actually said and did. Discussion: Is it really possible to keep politics out of big sporting events? Sporting values Take an audience poll of those who regularly exercise and those who play physical games. Are the majority doing so? Find out about your audience's sporting habits and discuss what the most basic sensible amount of exercise is regularly needed. Spectating sport is not a sport! Spectator Culture Today, sport plays a major part our lives. Who scored? Who is injured? Who broke a new record? are the regular questions of a culture heavily into spectator sport. Watching sport is entertainment. But does it really have anything to do with the real thing? Try and find out from your audience how many hours of sport they watched per week this summer. Did they find it uplifting, noble, exciting or fun? Sporting Jews Get your audience to shout out five famous Jewish sports personalities and find out what they did. Are there really only a small number? Does your audience think that Jews have kept out of sports for a long time because of the alien culture and the ideals that went with it? Maccabi World Union & The Maccabiah Tell the story of how vital sport was in the birth of the modern State of Israel. Debate: Should the Maccabiah let in Israeli Arabs? Contact the UK Maccabi Union for a speaker, programme or even just some reading material. See the resource booklet for details. Inform other students that MSA (Maccabi Sports Association) has teams in various leagues around the country for boys and girls in dozens of sports including Football, Rugby, Netball, Athletics , Golf and Rowing. The Maccabiah takes place in Israel next summer so it could be your chance to play for your country!!!! Call MSA on 020 7328 0382 or contact your local Maccabi club. Next Page
The Jampacked Bible © UJIA 1996-2000