The iCenter, whose vision is that every Jewish young person develops a lifelong relationship with Israel, released “The Pulse of Israel,” a resource collection that helps learners recognize the importance of questions as a timeless value of learning and a timely tool to engage with current events.
“The new tool delves into questions essential to understanding modern Israel,” said Max Pivo, The iCenter’s education content coordinator. “Just as relationships are built on questions (Where are you from? What do you do for work? What excites you?), ‘The Pulse of Israel’ uses questions to build a better understanding of and relationship with Israel, Israelis and many of the issues on their minds.”
The curriculum delves into a wide range of topics, including “A Democracy Without a Constitution,” “A People’s Army” and “A Shared Society Divided.” The anthology guides learners in unpacking the complexities of Israeli society, culture, politics and diplomacy in a way that goes beyond slogans and headlines. By replacing exclamation points with question marks, the compilation invites curiosity and welcomes uncertainty.
Pivo explained that “we wanted to combine historical context and contemporary multimedia sources to bring relevant topics in Israeli society to life. Learners can dive into issues like government decisions, public sentiment and protest movements, diplomatic relations, and social and cultural evolutions in Israel.”
Materials are designed for mature learners in high school and up. Educators are encouraged to use a single activity or discussion; a complete sub-unit; one of three thematic modules of the collection; or the entire curriculum.
Resources will be updated regularly to reflect changing times without straying from the timeless essence at its core.