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Aboard the Exodus: Setting Sail for Freedom’S Shore” (PAGES 14–17) LESSON PLAN by ANN R

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Aboard the Exodus: Setting Sail for Freedom’S Shore” (PAGES 14–17) LESSON PLAN by ANN R “Aboard the Exodus: Setting Sail for Freedom’s Shore” (PAGES 14–17) LESSON PLAN BY ANN R. BERMAN After reading the feature article about the Exodus 1947, students will discuss Watch a newsreel aboutat the many people who took great risks to create a Jewish homeland in Israel. the Exodus 1947 . Through a comparison of the Exodus from Egypt and the Exodus 1947, students www.babaganewz.com will understand the connection between freedom and the Land of Israel. CONCEPTS AND OBJECTIVES would be allowed to enter the land without Arab approval. k Students will understand that creating the modern State Displaced Persons (DP’s): These were people who had been of Israel required risk-taking, hard work, and the efforts forced to leave their homes during WWII. This group of Jews from many parts of the world. The ultimate included the Jewish survivors of the concentration camps success of the Exodus 1947 mission was due to the efforts and Jews who had been in hiding during the war. While of various groups of people, rather than specific non-Jewish DP’s waited in camps until they could return individual “heroes.” Groups of everyday people working to their pre-war homes, Jewish DP’s could not and did not together for a common goal have the power to affect the wish to return. After surviving the concentration camps, course of history. these DP’s lived in DP camps in Germany, Austria, and k For Jews, there is a concrete connection between Italy for many years until a new home could be found for freedom and the Land of Israel. them. Very few could go to Israel legally because of the White Paper, and few could come to the United States PRE-READING DISCUSSION because of immigration quotas. In order for students with little background in pre-State history to understand the impact that the Exodus 1947 had Aliyah Bet—1939–1948: This refers to the illegal movement in creating the State of Israel, students should understand to bring Jewish survivors into Eretz Yisrael, despite the the following terms and ideas. A glossary of these terms is restrictions of the White Paper. The story of Exodus 1947 is available to print at www.babaganewz.com/teachers. only one of many stories of illegal ships trying to get Jews into Eretz Yisrael during these years. Balfour Declaration—1917: In this document, the British government promised to help the Jewish community Mossad (Haganah): This is the group of Jews, based in establish a Jewish homeland in Eretz Yisrael (known as Eretz Yisrael, in charge of the Aliyah Bet movement. They Palestine before 1948). sent members to Europe to move Jews secretly by truck and on foot from the DP camps in Germany, Austria, and White Paper—1939: This British law was written just before Italy to the coast of France and Italy, and then eventually to the beginning of WWII, and limited the number of Jews Eretz Yisrael. allowed to enter and settle Eretz Yisrael to 75,000 over a five-year period. After that, the law stated that no more Jews KEY QUOTES AND QUESTIONS 3. Plus-Minus-Interesting Chart: Divide the class into three “When Big Bill and the 34 other crew members arrived in groups. Each group will be assigned to analyze the risks taken Sete, France, they realized the true importance of their task. by one of these groups involved in the Exodus 1947: In shocked disbelief, the sailors watched the weary 1) American sailors, 2) the displaced persons, and 3) the passengers stream onto the ship.” Haganah members. (Additional option: Although not covered in the article, the American Jews were also very Who was Big Bill before this adventure? Why did he volunteer for involved in the Aliyah Bet movement. They purchased, this? What did he learn after seeing the passengers board the ship? How was the rest of the crew just like Big Bill? [These were refitted, and put supplies on the President Warfield. You may U.S. service men who had returned from serving during WWII and want to teach your class about the involvement of the who were open to volunteering for a secret venture about which they American Jewish community and create a fourth group, knew little.] assigned to the American Jews, to participate in this activity.) How were these passengers different from most passengers on Using the worksheet that is available to print on most ships? www.babaganewz.com/teachers, each group of students should identify the role that their group played in the Aliyah “Teenager Aliza Cohen was among the thousands of refugees.” Bet. Remind the students that the Aliyah Bet movement was How did Aliza come to be on this ship? How were the rest of the established because the British had limited the number of passengers just like Aliza? Jews allowed to enter Israel (“White Paper”). Breaking the law is usually considered to be a bad thing, and so these “Like everyone aboard the ship, they viewed Yossi Harel, missions were kept secret. Each group should brainstorm the ship’s Jewish commander, with hope, pride, and the advantages/reasons that DP’s, American sailors, or the renewed strength.” Haganah would have for supporting the Aliyah Bet and list How did Yossi come to be on this ship? [Refer to the role of the them on the “Plus” side. Then list the potential problems Mossad and Haganah.] and consequences that would be faced by supporting the Yossi was living a “free” life in Eretz Yisrael. Why do you think he Aliyah Bet on the “Minus” side. Put a star by the most took the risk of breaking international laws to help the Jews from pressing advantage on the “Plus” side and by the most the DP camps get to Eretz Yisrael? serious possible consequence on the “Minus” side. Discuss why various groups decided to support this illegal adventure, How was Yossi different from most Jews in the world at that time? [He lived in the Land of Israel, risked his life working for the despite the risks and possible negative consequences. establishment of a Jewish state there, and he spoke Hebrew.] Why After completing the charts, ask students: was his very presence on the ship important to the passengers? What does this tell us about the groups of people involved in the “Freedom—and the price paid for it—now had a face: the Aliyah Bet? What was important to them? How were their goals defeated, and how were they met? What role did the Aliyah Bet tear-stained faces of the more than 4,500 homeless and the various groups that had to work together around the world immigrants aboard Exodus 1947, the ship that helped have in helping to make the modern State of Israel a reality? launch a nation.” 4. Compare the Exodus from Egypt to Exodus 1947. Instruct What was the mission of Exodus 1947? [to get 4,500 DP’s onto students to divide a plain sheet of paper into four boxes on the shores of Eretz Yisrael so that they could begin a new life and help create a new Jewish state] the front and four boxes on the back. Working individually or in small groups, students will think of ways that the story Was the mission successful? [No, the ship was sent back to of Exodus 1947 is similar to the story of Egyptian slavery Europe.] and freedom. In one box, a student draws or writes How did this ship help launch the State of Israel? [The news something from the Egyptian story, and opposite that the reports from the ship—helpless, destitute, lonely survivors of the student draws or writes its parallel from the Exodus 1947 Holocaust resist the mighty British fleet, only to be sent back to story. Encourage students to think about the roles of the origin of their terrible nightmare, because they had nowhere different people or specific events in the Biblical Exodus to go—created international sympathy for the plight of the Jews at this time. Three months later, in November 1947, the United account and find parallels in the modern story. Students will Nations voted to establish the State of Israel. World sympathy for have enough room for four comparisons on their paper. the Jews, created by the news reports of this story, helped that Discuss why the Haganah renamed the President Warfield, Exodus vote pass. Your students can view the actual newsreel of this event 1947. What is the relationship between the destination of the at www.babaganewz.com.] Jews leaving Egypt and the Jews aboard the Exodus 1947? MOTIVATION AND DEVELOPMENT 5. Study the Jewish texts below. 1. Read the article and discuss the Key Quotes and Questions. 6. Conclude the lesson by comparing the aspects of freedom 2. Review the events of Exodus 1947. A timeline summarizing at the time of the Exodus from Egypt with the freedom that the events is available at www.babaganewz.com/teachers to the survivors of the Holocaust and the groups working to print. Ask the students to make a list of all of the groups of establish the State of Israel sought. Draft a class definition people involved in the Exodus 1947 that are referred to in the of “freedom” as represented by both the Biblical Exodus article. and Exodus 1947 models. GUIDE NISAN 5764 TEACHERS’ BABAGANEWZ JEWISH TEXTS most important message from the Exodus 1947 and to draw an image of that message on a full-size sheet of paper, Shemot 6: 6–8 in the style of a postage stamp.
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