Does one have to live in Israel in order to be a Zionist? How should one balance one’s loyalties to different countries and movements? For many years Jews living in the diaspora have been confronted with this question.This resource spotlights Louis Brandeis and the challenges he faced juggling his American and Jewish identity. Through thought provoking prompts and creative learning activities such as a values clarification exercise called “Who is the greatest Zionist”, learners will discuss the complexity of dual loyalties and articulate how this dilemma impacts their own lives.
The learners will:
understand the complexities that come with being patriotic to their home country while still maintaining Jewish Zionist values.
know the ways in which Louis Brandeis balanced both his Zionist and American identities, pushing back against charges of dual loyalty.
be able to write an example from their own lives where dual loyalty issues have or may arise and how what they have learned from Louis Brandeis has impacted the way they might navigate this.
Unpacked for Educators materials include:
An educator’s guide that contains many rich components. These are organized under the following titles:
review (questions that relate to the video)
discussion
activities
reflection
further learning
A video designed to spark interest in the topic.
A lesson plan (link in the attachment above) that incorporates additional building blocks for the construction of an engaging and interactive lesson.
Computer, Projector, Student Handout
The website link includes a “further learning” section in the educator’s guide.