Extra Curricular Lesson: A Tree My Hands Planted
Lesson Plan by Zion Ozeri and Josh Feinberg
Farmer, Eastern Galilee, Israel, 1987 © Zion Ozeri
Take a close look at this photograph:
- What mood or feeling do you get from this photograph? What messages does the photograph convey?
- What does the photograph suggest about the Galilee, the region of Israel where this photo was taken? (Click hereto learn more about the Galilee.)
- How does the photographer use complementary colors in this photograph? How do they enhance the message of this photograph? (Click hereto learn more about complementary colors.)
- What elements create a sense of movement in this picture?
Read the following text:
Excerpt from To My Country by Rachel Bluwstein (1890-1931)
I haven't sung to you, my country.
I have not glorified your name
with great heroic deeds,
or loot from the battlefield.
My hands have simply planted a tree
on Jordans calm shores.
My feet have simply formed a path
through the fields.
For discussion:
- How would you paraphrase the first stanza?
- How would you paraphrase the second stanza?
- The first stanza describes what the poet has not done, and the second describes what
- she has done. How do the two compare? How does she feel about what she has not done? How does she feel about what she has done?
- Why do you think the poet uses the word simply twice in the second stanza?
- How do you think the poet would describe her relationship with Israel?
- What do you think this poet would say about the idea of Israel as a homeland? Explain.
Now read the following text:
Ethics of the Sages, 1:15
Shammai used to say: make your study a fixed practice; speak little, but do much; and receive all men with a pleasant countenance.
Discuss:
- How does this quote relate to the poem above?
- How does it relate to the photograph?
- Can you think of a situation in your life that compelled you to take action? What happened? What action did you take? If nothing comes to mind, try to think of a circumstance in which you would becompelled to take action, and describe the situation.
Follow-up activities:
- Take and share a photograph of someone doing something meaningful with their hands.
- Consider your connection to the land in the area where you live. Take and share a photograph that highlights something distinctive about the land and your relationship with it.
- Although Israel is a small country, its land and topography are very diverse - from mountains to deserts, beaches, cities, and agricultural areas. Choose a region of Israel to research, and create a presentation about that areas geography, climate, ecology, and history.
Explore the sources of the food you eat. Create a list of 10 foods in your pantry or fridge. For each, investigate its source:
- Where does this particular product come from?
- How does it get to your table? What are all the stops along the way?
- Is there a local source for the same product?
