J9: Identity

Issue Navigation:

The ideas are based on all the texts in this chapter, including the back page. Some are just pointers to spark off your own ideas. Use them as you like!

Ice Breakers

- Ask your audience to call out the top ten Jews of all time and write them up on the board. Vote the top three and ask for justification. Does Abraham make it in there?

- Whose life is it anyway? - Make up and read out a brief account of Abraham's life making sure to blank out his and other obvious names. Can they guess whose life it is? For fun, you can do a few other famous people too.

- Hand out paper and pencils. Instruct the audience to draw pictures of Abraham. How old fashioned/ancient do they make him look? - Display ten characteristics and ask which ones all Jews have in common. e.g. intelligent, white, bagel-loving, well dressed, kind, thoughtful, arrogant, money conscious, family-loving, spiritual etc.

The Prototype

Build a prototype Jew: Bring in various odd looking house hold objects and some string. Ask the audience what characteristics have allowed Jews and Judaism to last so long. Get some plucky people to come up and assign various characteristics to the objects and build a prototype Jew. How does it look? Will it sell? This could be very funny. Then use your 'prototype-Jew-object-thing' to explain the idea of Abraham the prototype. Where does the analogy break down?

The Iconoclast

What/who are the idols of today? How would a modern-day Abraham reject or destroy them. You could give a modern dramatisation of the Abraham story.

Discussion: Are Jews of today iconoclasts? What are we rejecting?

Integrated Personality

- Challenge your audience: Which is better? Eating kosher or standing up for an old lady on the bus? Giving charity or going to Synagogue? Reading a Jewish book or reading about the environment?

- Which of these do they see as religious acts? Which feels more Jewish? God's explanation of his care for Abraham implies that both are valuable. But does that mean they are the same?

- There are two broad categories of Jewish law:
(a) between one person and another
(b) between a person and God

Explain how Judaism values both and that an integrated Jew feels responsible in both categories. Maybe write up the Torah phrase: "the path of God to do righteousness and justice" and explain how it works.

Sarah and Abraham

You can have some interesting debates:

- Are there any modern day Jewish double-acts? Are women seen as leaders in the Jewish community?

- Most Jewish customs apply to men and women. Therefore both need to be knowledgeable and aware of them. Is this the case today?

Chosen people

Re-enact the "Tevye" scene. Take opinions on what we are chosen for. Are we being successful?

Debate: The Chosen people: better or different?

A choice command: Your own personal test

Hand out, or write up the following document:

You receive a communication from God worded as follows: Walk away from your homeland, from your birthplace and from your family... do this only for yourself... your own personal pleasure and good. I will make you rich and I will make you famous.

Your answer would be:
(a) Thanks but no thanks. I prefer the security of friends, family and the familiar to the unknown even with the riches and fame.
(b) If this is going to bring me all that you promise, it is worth it.
(c) Money and fame are not the important things in life - I prefer to sit and study in modesty and serve you.
(d) Please let me do it for YOU in pureness of heart God. Don't tempt me with ulterior motives.
(e) I owe too much to my parents and friends to abandon them like this even with all you offer.
(f) I will be fulfilled only by living selflessly, for the sake of others. Doing this for myself would be selfish.
(g) None of the above.

Discuss which response your audience would go for. Explain that this is the first request that God asked of Abraham: what did he choose?

Next Page