Human Shabbat Power Point

Human Shabbat Power Point

Created by: Benjamin Bromberg Gaber,
Hagesher Communications Vice President 2010-2011, Communications IGB 2010
For the 1st Hagesher Midwinter Specialty Convention - February 2011

Why:

Often in USY, we (the leadership of USY) assume that everyone knows everything about USY from the beginning. However, this is not usually the case. This program is designed for teaching (or reminding more experienced USYers) about all of the different clubs available to them. This program was designed to begin after Shabbat started (when convention starts just before Shabbat and there is no time to show an actual Power Point), but feel free to adapt to your exact specifications.

An overview:

A good Point Point has a cool opening/introduction, a few slides with information on them, pictures/video, music, and a ending slide. In this “Power Point,” volunteers will read off of funny scripts provided to them while learning and teaching others about the different special clubs. In addition, another USYer will hold up “Slide” posters explaining the club during the skits.

What should be prepared before Shabbat:

Edit the following Master Script from Hagesher’s Midwinter Convention 2011 (for those running the Power Point) to fit your needs. Feel free to change jokes as you feel appropriate (remember that your target audience may not get inside jokes).
Edit the Volunteer Scripts to hand out to volunteers you will pick once the Power Point begins. (It’s recommended to make enough copies of the volunteer scripts so you can highlight each ones’ lines)
Prepare posters detailing the club (examples have been provided at the end of this document)

Before/During the Power Point:

Have one to two people in charge of holding up the signs when it is the appropriate time.
Have USY leaders/returning USYers act out the opening scene
Pick 9 volunteers to act out the scenes (pick new USYers)

Relax, have fun, enjoy Shabbat/your convention!

Human Shabbat Power Point
-----MASTER SCRIPT-----

President: Hi everybody! Welcome to the 1st ever Hagesher Midwinter Convention! USY has so many great clubs. There’s the amazing Abraham Joshua Heschel honor society, the spectacular 613 Mitzvah club, and hoppin’ Chalutzim club! We’re going to have so many great programs and classes, and food and fun too! So get ready for the first and best mid-winter ever!

Board member #1 (to Board member #2): Hi. I’m Julian. What’s your name?

Board Member #2: My name is Becca. Is this your first USY convention?

Board Member #1: Yes. I have been to a few chapter events, but I haven’t done anything in the region before…

Board Member #2: Oh. Well that’s ok, it’s going to be a great weekend!

Board Member #1: Yeah, I’m really excited, but that girl keeps using gibberish….

Board Member #2: Who? Miriam? She’s our President. And yeah, I can totally understand. My first convention, I was really confused what was going on too. There’s a lot of different words and clubs, but you’ll see it will get easier…I wish they had a power point that explained everything to you…

Board Member #3: Well, I know how it was at MY first convention, so I actually made a power point to explain it all…

Board Member #1: But it’s Shabbat isn’t it? I thought you can’t use computers…

Board Member #3: Unless....it was a human power point.

Board Member #2: A human power point? What’s that?

Board Member #3: You’ll see…We have a few informative skits and a special surprise…I’ll need a few volunteers from the audience. Can I have 9 volunteers please? All you have to do is read English from the paper I give you…

(Explain to all of the volunteers what they will do…)

Board Member #3: And now….the Human Shabbat Power point….

Hold up poster #1: Smiley Face Saying: “I heard you wanted to learn about all of the different USY clubs. Are you ready? The first one is………”

Hold up Poster #2: “The Chalutzim Israel Advocacy Club”

Hold up Poster #3 during the following Skit: Membership includes: cool T-shirt, special HeChalutzon newsletter – written by USYers, cool events, late night programs!

Chalutzim Skit

Volunteer #1: Keereat Shmonah, Jerusalem, tzfat. No that’s not right. Jericho, Eilat, Tibereas. No that’s not right either.

Volunteer #2: What are you doing?

Volunteer #1: I’m trying to remember the major Israeli cities but I keep getting mixed up.

Volunteer #3: Why don’t you try a mnemonic device. “Kiryat Shemona, Sfat, Tibereas, Nazereth, Jenin, Ariel, Ramallah, Jericho, Jerusalem, Efrat, Bethlehem, Hevron, Dimona, Eilat”…..Like “Kings should tell nasty jokes around relatives. Just Joshing! Even brothers hate making dirty exclamations”

Volunteer #1: Cool!

Volunteer #2: That’s just the western half. There’s one for the east too. Haifa, Tel Aviv, Ashkelon, Gaza City, Sderot, Be’er Sheva, Rafah. “He took a giant step backwards, right?”

Volunteer #1: Where did guys you learn those?

Volunteer #3: At a Chalutzim event, I even got this awesome shirt!

Volunteer #1: What is Chalutzim?

Volunteer #2: Chalutzim is Hebrew for Pioneers who originally settled Israel.

Volunteer #3: In USY Chalutzim is our Israel Advocacy club. If you’re in the club you get special programs, late night activities at Convention, a newsletter written by other USYers and a cool shirt!

Volunteer #1: Double cool! Where can I sign up?

Volunteer #2: Talk to Sarah, the Israel Affairs VP, It costs $10 (which you can pay after Shabbat) but it’s worth every penny!

Board Member #3: Is Israel not really your thing? Well, that’s not true. Israel is everybody’s thing. But do you like to learn and explore your Judaism? Then the Abraham Joshua Heschel Honor Society is for you….

Hold up Poster #4: Abraham Joshua Heschel Honor Society

Hold up Poster #5 during next skit: Membership Includes: Awesome late nights, Special Convention, Chutzpah. Don’t forget, it’s FREE!

Abraham Joshua Heschel Skit

Volunteer #1: Who is this Heschel dude?

Volunteer #2: What do you mean? You don’t know who Heschel is?

Volunteer #1: No. I’ve never heard of him. What can you tell me?

Volunteer #2: Umm… Well… He was this guy… Oh, I know! He was the rabbi who walked with Dr. Martin Luther King in Washington while fighting for civil liberties!

Volunteer #1: Well that’s one thing. What else.

Volunteer #2: Honestly, I have no idea. I was hoping that you would be able to go from there…

Volunteer #1: We both need more information!

Volunteer #3: Hey guys, what are you talking about?

Volunteer #2: We were TRYING to figure out who this guy Heschel was but we didn’t get very far.

Volunteer #3: You came the right place. I am actually the wise sage, Abraham Joshua Heschel, in the flesh.

(awkward pause)

Volunteer #3: Ok. Fine. I’m not in the FLESH but I’m the ghost at least.

Volunteer #2: Awesome. Well, who were you?

Volunteer #3: I was a Rabbi from Warsaw, Poland. After coming to America, I started teaching in the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City. I became one of the most influential Jewish Leaders of my time!

Volunteer #1: Well that’s cool. I guess what my biggest question is: “Why would I want to become a part of a society dedicated to you?

Volunteer #3: Well, as a member of this society, you will have the privilege to experience Judaism in a totally different light while having lots of fun with your friends.

Volunteer #2: That sounds great. Where do I sign up?

Volunteer #3: Just talk to the Regional Religion Education Vice President, Dan Weitz! He has all the information, plus enough paper to make a SATO really really mad! In addition, you get to go to ANOTHER amazing USY convention, this time in March with USYers from all over. This way, you don’t have to wait for spring convention to see all of your friends!

Board Member #3: Ok, so you already know how great USY is. But do you feel like it’s missing something? It is! Do you love to help people and save the environment? Then the 613 Mitzvah Corps is for you!

Hold up Poster #6: 613 Mitzvah Club

Hold up Poster #7 during the following song/skit: As the BEST USY club, being in the 613 Mitzvah Corps means that you get to do a fun Social Action program every single month!

Board Member #3: Now we have something very special for y’all. We have a wonderful song penned by your lovely Social Action/Tikkun Olam Vice President. So, WE all know how beautiful her voice is, but she seems to think it’s awful, so let’s call up some other board members to assist.

Board Member #4: Oh thank you. But unfortunately, Shabbas prevents us from playing music on the computer, so we’re going to need some help. How many of you know the song “We Didn’t Start the Fire” by Mr. Billy Joel?

(everyone raises hand)

Board Member #4: Awesome. So we’re going to need you guys to hum along so we have a tune to follow. Y’all ready?

What Can You Buy For SA/TO? (To the tune of “We Didn’t Start the Fire” by Billy Joel)

2 shampoo bottles, 5 soap bars,

Baby food – 5 jars,

4 notebooks, 2 challot,

6 tuna cans

4 loaves of bread would keep a person fed,

For only $6.13, you could be the man

(musical interlude)

3 boxes of band-aids

1 beanie baby, no trades

6 toothbrushes, and look,

You still get 4 coloring books

2 bottles for a baby

Or even maybe

You could buy for some guy 6 pasta boxes to cook

Chorus:

What can you buy for SA/TO?

You should not be greedy,

Give it to the needy.

What can we buy for SA/TO?

613 takes action

Gives you satisfaction

For 6 dollars, 13 cents,

Which is not a great expense,

24 toilet paper rolls

Cartons of milk – 4,

And for the baby drawer

20 packs of diapers

Tzedakah’s good for the soul

If you’re sitting in your chair

Feeling such despair

You want to join 613

But you don’t know how

You have nothing to fear

For I have, right here

Millions of sign-up sheets

That you can fill out.

Chorus:

What can you buy for SA/TO?

If you have some money

Give it to somebody

What can you buy for SA/TO?

For a real low price

You can be real nice

What can you buy for SA/TO?

You should not be greedy,

Give it to the needy.

What can we buy for SA/TO?

613 takes action

Gives you satisfaction

613 Skit

Volunteer #1: OH MY GOD THAT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SONG I’VE EVER HEARD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.

Volunteer #2: Oh I know! I can’t believe we have someone as smart and talented as Becca in USY!

Volunteer #1: I know, right? So what were all those things they just said?

Volunteer #3: Couldn’t you tell? Those were all of the things that someone could buy with just $6.13. Imagine if you didn’t have much money. $6.13 could buy you 6 cans of tuna or 4 loaves of bread, even 4 notebooks for school!

Volunteer #2: Yeah, yeah, we all heard the song. But where would they get $6.13?

Volunteer #3: That’s the best part. The 613 Mitzvah Corps costs only $6.13! And it all goes to USY’s TO fund, which then goes to different charities and organizations around the world.

Volunteer #1: Holy. Cow. That sounds… Amazing. And inspiring. You know what? All of the sudden, I have this incredibly strong urge to give all of my money to charity.

Volunteer #2: Well just hold on a second. I was told to bring money to this convention, so I don’t want to give it all to SA/TO if there’s going to be some cool things I can buy.

Volunteer #3: That money is supposed to go to SA/TO! At every convention, there’s a cool program planned by the most beautiful girl in the room, Becca Richman. It doesn’t even say that in the script, that’s just what I think.

Volunteer #2: So for this convention, when should I spend my money?

Volunteer #3: Well, make sure you have at least $6.13 to sign up for the club, but all your other money should go to the programs tomorrow night and Sunday morning.

Volunteer #1: What else does 613 Mitzvah Corps do?

Volunteer #2: Oh I know this one, because I read every single e-mail that comes over the listserv. Every month, the members of the 613 Mitzvah Corps do these really cool social action projects. Like on Martin Luther King JR. Day, they went to an old church and helped clean up the youth center and chip paint. I heard it was SO MUCH FUN.

Volunteer #1: How come I never heard about it?

Volunteer #2: The Mitzvah Corps is so elite that only members can actually find out about the project beforehand. That’s why everyone should join.

Volunteer #1: Oh wow. Well I know I’m joining the second Shabbas is over.

Volunteer #2: TOTALLY me too.

Volunteer #3: Same. I would NEVER want to miss out on anything that has to do with SA/TO!

Board Member #3: So those are the 3 Special clubs in USY! I hope you learned something, lets give all of our board members and Volunteers a round of applause!

Chalutzim Skit
-----Volunteer Script-----

Volunteer #1: Keereat Shmonah, Jerusalem, tzfat. No that’s not right. Jericho, Eilat, Tibereas. No that’s not right either.

Volunteer #2: What are you doing?

Volunteer #1: I’m trying to remember the major Israeli cities but I keep getting mixed up.

Volunteer #1: Cool!

Volunteer #2: That’s just the western half. There’s one for the east too. Haifa, Tel Aviv, Ashkelon, Gaza City, Sderot, Be’er Sheva, Rafah. “He took a giant step backwards, right?”

Volunteer #1: Where did guys you learn those?

Volunteer #3: At a Chalutzim event, I even got this awesome shirt!

Volunteer #1: What is Chalutzim?

Volunteer #2: Chalutzim is Hebrew for Pioneers who originally settled Israel.

Volunteer #1: Double cool! Where can I sign up?

Volunteer #2: Talk to Sarah, the Israel Affairs VP, It costs $10 (which you can pay after Shabbat) but it’s worth every penny!

Abraham Joshua Heschel Skit
-----Volunteer Script-----

Volunteer #1: Who is this Heschel dude?

Volunteer #2: What do you mean? You don’t know who Heschel is?

Volunteer #1: No. I’ve never heard of him. What can you tell me?

Volunteer #2: Umm… Well… He was this guy… Oh, I know! He was the rabbi who walked with Dr. Martin Luther King in Washington while fighting for civil liberties!

Volunteer #1: Well that’s one thing. What else.

Volunteer #2: Honestly, I have no idea. I was hoping that you would be able to go from there…

Volunteer #1: We both need more information!

Volunteer #3: Hey guys, what are you talking about?

Volunteer #2: We were TRYING to figure out who this guy Heschel was but we didn’t get very far.

Volunteer #3: You came the right place. I am actually the wise sage, Abraham Joshua Heschel, in the flesh.

(awkward pause)

Volunteer #3: Ok. Fine. I’m not in the FLESH but I’m the ghost at least.

Volunteer #2: Awesome. Well, who were you?

Volunteer #1: Well that’s cool. I guess what my biggest question is: “Why would I want to become a part of a society dedicated to you?

Volunteer #3: Well, as a member of this society, you will have the privilege to experience Judaism in a totally different light while having lots of fun with your friends.

Volunteer #2: That sounds great. Where do I sign up?

What Can You Buy For SA/TO? (To the tune of “We Didn’t Start the Fire” by Billy Joel)
-----Volunteer Script-----

2 shampoo bottles, 5 soap bars,

Baby food – 5 jars,

4 notebooks, 2 challot,

6 tuna cans

4 loaves of bread would keep a person fed,

For only $6.13, you could be the man

(musical interlude)

3 boxes of band-aids

1 beanie baby, no trades

6 toothbrushes, and look,

You still get 4 coloring books

2 bottles for a baby

Or even maybe

You could buy for some guy 6 pasta boxes to cook