The "Noo?" chat
Understanding Israeli politics can be very difficult. Through the medium of a café chat, the basic issues can be explained in a simpler way. To get the most out of it, read through the chat with a few friends, each of you taking on a different character. Photocopy it so they can all read from their own script. Discussing the approaches of each of the characters will be invaluable when it comes to performing the chat. You can add in your own dialogue and you could dress up a bit to make it more authentic. Heavy Israeli accents always go down well, but don't overdo it. There are many ways of progressing after the performance:
- Have a straightforward discussion where the audience talk about who of the characters they agree with and why. They may have some questions about phrases they didn't understand like "the territories" or "Oslo II" etc. (see key terms)
- There are many subtleties to the chat which reflect Israeli attitudes. Ask your audience if they noticed any of them and discuss them. Here are a few:
(a) The characters switch from talking about their parties to talking about themselves, they make everything personal. Near the beginning, Asher says: "If we'd waited any longer, you'd have given back the whole country." Asher and Rinat are not Netanyahu and Peres, but they see it that way.
(b) Chaim lives in the territories so he is more sensitive and aware of the issues that "land for peace" imply.
(c) Rinat is a high powered business woman and her interests in peace are economical, so that even though she and Leor have a lot in common, they have very different motivations for peace.
(d) Sharona is constantly trying to stop her friends from getting into a heated argument. This is not because she is disinterested or stupid, it's because she doesn't want them to get too angry and spoil the lunch. Politics is so powerful in Israel that it can break up families and friends.
- If the actors/actresses are prepared, you could get them to stay in character after the performance and invite the audience to ask them questions. This would give them a chance to explain their character's attitudes more clearly.
- Again, while still in character, the actors/actresses could run a discussion with the audience. Maybe they could even invite some of the more chatty ones to come and join them in the café!
- Have a mini-election where you discuss/debate which of the characters has the best approach for the future security of Israel.
The more you know or that you can find out about Israeli politics the better. But remember that you want your audience to get a general outline of what is going on. Don't get bogged down in unnecessary detail. Coalition issues, personal ministerial agendas and sound bites are interesting but not always relevant.
Party platforms
Make sure your audience is clear about the key aims of the major Israeli political parties.
- You could discuss whether the British press gives a fair and accurate description of the Israeli parties and the party leaders who guide them.
- You could compare the platforms of parties in this country and in Israel. (Rinat makes a comment about this near the end of the chat) Israeli politics is very much focused on the peace process and is ultimately about life and death. Political issues in Britain however don't seem to be as fundamental.
Pursuing Peace
This is the basis of a great discussion: Can peace really be achieved between opposing sides? Is peace an unrealistic ideal? Write the verse from Tehilim on the board and ask your audience to explain what they think "strength" means in this context. Strength of will maybe, or strength of character. Can Jewish ideals handle political realities? In truth, verses such as this should guide us in making decisions, but they should not be used to simply justify or explain away our actions.
Speakers
There are quite a few people from different organisations who could come to speak in your school, from an Israeli Embassy spokesperson to a leader from your local Zionist youth group. Be clear what you want them to speak about and brief them about what type of audience they will be meeting. Make sure they are happy to field questions before you offer the audience to ask them.
Next Page