Program Title: Ethics Program
Category: Jewish Learning
Author(s): Les Skolnik, Lisa Friedman, Shifra Malkin, Emily Gollop and Ben Levine, NFTY-PVP, 2006-2007
Created for: URJ Kutz Camp Evening Program, July 3, 2006
Please Note: This program may be used "as-is," however; NFTYites are encouraged to "adapt" programs, combining their own elements of innovation with this preexisting program.
Touchstone Text: “The Torah is truth, and the purpose of knowing it is to live by it.”
- Maimonides
Enduring Understanding: Our ethics and values are the guiding principles of our lives. It is important that we identify those values so that we may more effectively take them into account when faced with difficult choices. Further, our Jewish tradition can provide us with a value system to shape our personalities and can provide us with an ethical framework relevant to our everyday lives.
Goals:
o PPs will identify Jewish values that are important to their own lives
o PPs will understand how their choices affect others
o PPs will understand how their choices affect the communities they live in
o PPs will learn to build consensus in their groups
o PPs will identify the necessary processes to help them make ethical choices
o PPs will identify Jewish values that can influence their decision-making
Objectives:
o PPs will experience survival scenarios that challenge their ethics and force them to work together to solve dilemmas
o PPs will create a list of their own ethically guiding principles
o PPs will work together and create a list of important Jewish Values
Materials: Jewish Values Sheet, Scenarios, Golf Pencils, and paper
People Needed: Please refer to the procedure.
Space Needed: Program leader should determine what space to use based on the facilities that are available to them.
Timeline: 00:00 – 00:15 – Set Induction (Shipwreck!)
00:15 – 00:20 – Move to Small Group Locations
00:20 – 00:50 – Character Profiles/Value Selection
00:50 – 00:55 – Move to 2nd Small Group Location
00:55 – 01:20 – Scenarios – What Would They Do?
01:20 – 01:25 – Move Back to Teyatron
01:25 – 01:45 – Character Resolutions
01:45 – 01:50 – Wrap Up
Detailed Procedure:
00:00 – 00:15 – Set Induction – On the way into the teyatron, PPs will be given a “passport” with the name of one of 10 characters and his/her history on it. The teyatron will be set up as a ship. The staff will act out a scenario in which a shipwreck occurs, setting up a survival scenario for the PPs to ponder (What a coincidence! Everyone on the ship is Jewish!). It will be explained that all of the basic needs have been taken care of (i.e. food, shelter, etc.) and that there is no hope of a rescue for at least a year. Each staff member will play a character whose profile will later be distributed to different groups. The profiles will represent varying personalities and characteristics, but will be vague enough for there to be leeway in discussions. Facilitator will explain that it is now the PP’s job to help these characters survive on the island through a series of critical decisions they must make. Decisions will be based on Jewish values that could be relevant to their own lives and groups must build consensus while reaching decisions on behalf of their characters. PPs will then divide up into 10 groups with each playing the role of a different personality in different locations throughout camp.
00:20 – 00:50 - Character Profiles – In small groups, PPs will analyze their character’s personality and will work together, using a list of Jewish values, and the profiles to identify the top 3 middot that are important to their character. Groups should be encouraged to form consensus in arriving at their decisions. The players:
1. The Doctor
2. The Socialite
3. The Rabbi
4. The Retired Billionaire
5. The Person Next Door
6. The Activist
7. The Child
8. The College Athlete
9. The Politician
10. The Soldier
00:50 – 01:35 – Scenarios – What Would They Do? – After completing the character analysis, PPs will be given a series of scenarios for them to resolve together as their character. The group should be encouraged to build a consensus in order to solve the dilemma and must base their decisions on the middot that are important to their character. The scenarios:
1. A wild boar tears through your village, destroying half of your food supplies. Before the storm you had enough food to last you a week, leaving enough time to find other sources of nourishment. However, you now only have enough food for 3 days. Later that evening you notice that food the supply is down further but one member seems to have extra food hanging around. How does your community (and each member) handle the situation?
2. There are many different responsibilities that need to be assigned in order to survive on the island (ex. Food gathering, shelter, wood). Because these responsibilities are necessary, they must be assigned immediately. How do you decide who is responsible for each task? One of the group members isn’t doing their assigned job. How do you handle the situation?
3. You organize a plan to procure food rations for the community. Some members of the community are unhappy with your proposed methods of hunting and killing animals. However, you’re not sure there are enough nutrients in the available vegetation and are unfamiliar with which plants are edible and which may be poisonous. How do you handle this situation?
4. Your community is unable to effectively resolve disputes between group members and everyone agrees that a rule of law is necessary. Each member of your group feels he/she has the necessary skills needed to be “in charge” and should lead the governing body. What are the steps you need to take to ensure the ruling body is fair? How do you make sure everybody is satisfied? Later, two members of the community approach the governing body for help resolving a dispute over the “best” campsite. How do you handle the situation?
5. Two of your group members have recently became very ill and need constant medical attention. Because of their fragile state, they are also consuming more of your resources (food, water, medicine, etc) and aren’t able to do some of the more physical tasks to maintain life on the island. One member of the community is rumored to have salvaged medication that could be helpful. Later, one community member becomes vocally upset about the “lack of contributions” of the infirmed. How do you handle this situation?
Appendix A
1. Kavod –Respect/Honor
2. Acharayut – Responsibility
3. Tzedek– Justice
4. K’hillah – Community
5. Emet – Truth, Honesty, Integrity
6. Anavah – Humility
7. B’Tzelem Elohim – In G-d’s Image
8. Dan L’Chaf Zechut – Giving the Benefit of the Doubt
9. Din V’Rachamim – Justice and Mercy
10. Erech Apayim – Slow to Anger
11. Lo Levayesh – Not Embarrassing
12. Ometz Lev – Courage
13. Shmiat HaOzen – Attentiveness/Being a Good Listener
14. B'chirat Chofsheet – Free Will/Free Choice
15. Chinuch – Education
16. Derech Eretz – Way of the Land/Good Manners
17. Koach – Power
18. Lashon Hara – Evil Speech
19. Hakarat Atzmo – Knowing Yourself
20. Sh’leeta Atzmeet – Self Control
21. Pikuach Nefesh – Saving a Life
22. Shalom Bayit – Peace in the Home
23. Kibud Av’Eim – Honoring Parents
24. Gimilut Chasadim – Acts of Love and Kindness
25. Hachnasat Orchim – Welcoming Strangers
26. Bikur Cholim – Visiting the Sick
27. Vahavat Shalom Ben Adam Lachavero – Make Peace Where There is Strife
28. Tikkun Olam – Repairing the World
29. Tikkun Middot – Repairing One’s Self
30. T’filah - Prayer
This resource has been provided by the North American Federation of Temple Youth.
For additional resources, visit our website at http://www.nfty.org.