Lesson Plan by Zion Ozeri
Joshua Feinberg, Editor
Backpack, Ben Gurion Airport, Israel 1991 © Zion Ozeri
1) What thoughts and emotions does the photograph evoke for you?
2) Before reading links below, describe this photograph and tell a story, your own “Midrash,” based on what you see.
3) Read the following links to Wikipedia about Beta Israel and to Operation Solomon, as well as this link to a BBC article. How does your description compare with the descriptions of the event in these links?
Read the following:
(יד) לָכֵ֛ן הִנֵּה־יָמִ֥ים בָּאִ֖ים נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה וְלֹא־יֵאָמֵ֥ר עוֹד֙ חַי־יְהֹוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר הֶעֱלָ֛ה אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (טו) כִּ֣י אִם־חַי־יְהֹוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר הֶעֱלָ֜ה אֶת־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ צָפ֔וֹן וּמִכֹּל֙ הָאֲרָצ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִדִּיחָ֖ם שָׁ֑מָּה וַהֲשִֽׁבֹתִים֙ עַל־אַדְמָתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לַאֲבוֹתָֽם׃ {פ}
(14) Assuredly, a time is coming—declares GOD —when it shall no more be said, “As GOD lives who brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt,” (15) but rather, “As GOD lives who brought the Israelites out of the northland, and out of all the lands to which they had been banished.” For I will bring them back to their land, which I gave to their ancestors.
1) Paraphrase this text. What does it mean?
2) What is the importance of Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel) in this text?
3) What is the relationship between the Jewish people and Eretz Yisrael in this text?
4) What lesson does this text teach us about our relationship with Eretz Yisrael and our responsibilities to it?
5) How does the photograph above relate to this text?
Please share an image or any additional thoughts that reflect the ideas expressed in the photograph and/or text.