The Antiochus Game - "אנטיוכוס אמר להרים ידיים"

Goal: the Chanichim will learn to evaluate their Jewish values

The Antiochus Game

Goal: the Chanichim will learn to evaluate their Jewish values

Year 150 BC. King Antiochus and his Syrian-Greek army have taken our land, desecrated our holy Temple and killed over 80,000 of our people. We are now forced to abandon our faith and tradition or else die.

We are trying to maintain our Jewish identity against all odds.

Break up into small groups of 3-5 members, give each group all the cards with the values, and then each group should:

Please choose three topics (see bellow) which you believe we should make any possible effort to keep in our community.

Choose three more topics which you are willing to give up.

Explain why.

• Giving Jewish Names

• Kosher Food

• Learning Torah

• Having a community Rabbi

• Jewish Festivals

• Jewish Cemetery

• Jewish Education

• Circumcision (Brit Mila)

• Jewish Library

• Synagogue

• Jewish Home for the Elders

Discuss the choices with the big group, and try to come to a full group decision. Remember that the discussion and the understanding of the Jewish values is more important than the final conclusion.