What Is Your Tsav 8?

Brief

Through this program campers will be introduced to the call-up protocol of Tsav 8 used by the IDF for urgent situations.  Tsav 8 will be used to engage campers in a broader discussion about what a person feels is worth fighting for.

Equipment

Resources, a large screen TV to show Youtube video, post-it notes or slips of paper and pencils sufficient for the group, jumbo post-it notes or a whiteboard, writing supplies for reflections.

Activity length: 60-80 minutes 

• Part I- 50-60 mins

• Part II- 60-90 mins

• Part III- 50-60 mins

Age Groups

Elementary, Middle School, High School

Topics

Community, Politics, Zionism

Topics

Adaptable for Shabbat

Since a key to the program is screening the El Al video, it is not adaptable for Shabbat.

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Goals & Overview

1. Engage tzevet members in dialogue about personal Israel-related experiences they had in the past year.

2. Identify the potential gaps between the Israel-related experiences of Israeli Jews and American Jews.

3. Seek to foster mutual understanding and empathy between Israeli and American Jews given their different experiences. Campers will be able to explain what a Tsav 8 (Tsav Shemoneh) is.

4. Campers will be able to identify three Biblical characters who received an urgent summons from and describe how they responded to the call to action.

5. Campers will be able to identify three individuals in Israeli history who received a Tsav 8 or volunteered for an urgent need, and describe how they responded to the call to action.

6. Campers will consider the importance of volunteering and sacrificing for a cause that serves the community or the nation.

7. Campers will consider what causes or urgent situations would motivate them to take action or make sacrifices.

Thought Questions / שאלות למחשבה

1. What motivates an Israeli in the IDF to respond to a Tsav 8?

2. How might someone respond to an urgent call to action?

3. What causes would motivate you to drop what you are doing and respond to an urgent call to action?

For the facilitator

This activity has three segments which can be done as one peulah or on consecutive days.  

1. Learn about Tsav 8.

2. Meet and interview Israelis who received a Tsav 8 call up notice.

3. Discuss and identify how one might respond to an important cause or urgent situation.

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Program

Part I- Learn about Tsav 8

1. Introduce the concept of Tsav 8 by role playing biblical characters who were summoned to respond to an urgent need.

2. Explain and discuss Tsav 8 as it is used by the IDF.

3. Read short bios of individuals in Jewish history who were summoned to respond to an urgent need.

Method

• 1. Roleplay

  1. Staff members roleplay three biblical characters of Abraham, Moses, Jonah in costume. For added fun and dramatic effect, this can be done while standing behind a framed sheet so campers see only a shadowy figure and guess who is behind the sheet. Staff members should be given a profile of their character in advance.

  2. Costumed figures then come out from behind the sheet, elaborate on their character, and interact with the group.

  3. After each presentation, campers are asked to identify what each Biblical character was asked to do, how he responded, and why. Text sheets should be distributed to campers to prompt discussion. [RESOURCE 1, 2]

  4. Either in small groups or as one large group, campers discuss and identify the ways someone might respond to a summons to an urgent situation. Add camper responses to a jumbo post-it note or a whiteboard.

  5. Use these possible responses as prompts if needed:

     1. Accept the summons immediately and enthusiastically.

     2. Accept the summons immediately but with reluctance.

     3. Hesitate, but eventually accept due to input or pressure from others, further consideration, or overcoming doubts.

     4. Reject the summons with regret

     5. Reject the summons with confidence and conviction.

• 2. Watch

  1. Introduce the concept of Tzav 8 as it is used by the IDF.

  2. Show the El Al video. [RESOURCE 3]

  3. A fact sheet [RESOURCE 4] should be given to the facilitator that provides information such as:

     1. How is the IDF organized (active duty and reserve soldiers)?

     2. Why are soldiers needed for reserve duty (emergency needs, training)?

     3. How are soldiers called up for miluim (scheduled and emergency)?

     4. How many soldiers received a Tsav 8 on October 7 and how was this call up different from other reserve call-ups in Israel's history?

  4. Share brief bios of famous Israelis who received a Tsav 8 and present how they responded. [RESOURCE 5]

Part II- Meet and Interview Israelis Who Received a Tsav 8 On October 7 

1. Develop questions to ask Israelis who received a Tsav 8.

2. Meet and interview Israelis who received a Tsav 8.

Method

• 1. Organize

  1. Campers are organized in small groups and asked to create a list of interview questions they would like to ask shlichim about how they responded to a Tsav 8.

  2. Questions are collected by the facilitator.

  3. Questions about the shaliach’s personal story and background can be included.

• 2. Share

  Formats for campers to meet and interview shlichim:

  • Round Robin- Small groups of campers circulate from one shaliach to another to meet and interview that individual. This format would be best if there are more than one shaliach available for the activity.

  • One presentation to the entire group- This format would be best if there is only one shaliach available for the activity. Questions for the shaliach should be written on cards and distributed to campers who volunteer to ask.

  • Recording- Interviews can be recorded and played on the camp’s radio station or shared as a sound file.

• 3. Reflect

  Either in small groups or as one large group, campers discuss their impressions and reactions to meeting the shlichim and hearing their stories.

Part III- Discuss and Identify How One Might Respond to an Important Cause

1. Discuss motivations behind one’s response to an important cause or an urgent situation.

2. Identify 1-3 causes that would prompt a response of action or a sacrifice.

Method

• Identify

  1. Campers identify what compels someone to respond to a call to action and what can cause someone to resist or flee. The intention is for the suggestions to come from the campers, with prompts if necessary from the group facilitator.

  2. The facilitator should expand the list of camper suggestions if necessary and appropriate.

• Write

  1. Distribute slips of paper or post-it notes and pencils.

  2. Ask campers to write on a slip of paper/post-it note a single factor that they feel motivates a response to either a personal or communal urgent situation. Encourage campers to be specific (e.g. rather than “belief in a cause” indicate a specific cause, e.g. the environment).

  3. To jumpstart the campers’ expression, read some of the factors below that can be a motivator for responding to a situation:

     • an emergency

     • a belief in a cause

     • communal expectation

     • social expectations (pressure from friends)

     • a desire to behave in a heroic manner

     • family tradition

     • the fear or anticipation of consequences for not responding

     • a response to anti-Semitism

     • defense of one’s home community

     • commitment to Zionism

• Display

  1. Collect and display the individual post-it notes or slips of paper. Invite campers to discuss and evaluate the collected motivations behind one’s response to an urgent situation.

  2. Ask campers to share what they learned about the IDF’s Tsav 8 protocol and from the Israelis they met.

• Reflect

  1. Invite campers to write a paragraph about a cause they feel committed to supporting and what causes would inspire them to sacrifice time, and perhaps personal comfort?

  2. Invite campers who are willing to share their reflections.

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