Study ideas for the "Promise of Zion" series, by Robert Elmer
Book 1: Promise Breaker
Back in World War I, the British Government promised the Jewish people that they would have their own country again, in Israel. That was called the Balfour Declaration. But some of the British leaders worried about the Arab people living in Palestine. What would they say if the British just opened the doors to thousands of Jewish people, wanting to come "home" to Israel? Pretend you are an Arab farmer, and new settlers are arriving. How would you feel? Write a dialogue between an Arab person and a Jewish settler.
Book 3: Refugee Treasure
Jerusalem in 1947 wasn't an easy place to live in. Jews and Muslims who had once lived together in peace began to compete more desperately for the same lands—especially when the British announced they were leaving Palestine soon. Look up a story in the Jerusalem Post online. What is different today, compared to 1947? Rewrite one of the news stories in your own words, as if you had to explain everything to your classmates. Include a map of Jerusalem, showing the Old City walls. And what about the Dead Sea scrolls in our story? They actually were discovered by Bedouin shepherds in caves overlooking the Dead Sea. Back in Jerusalem, the actual parchments have a permanent home in the beautiful Shrine of the Book Museum. Find out all you can about the Dead Sea Scrolls. Pretend you were one of the shepherds who discovered them. Write a page in your diary about that day, then ten years later, when you understand what you?d found.
The library, bookstands and even the Internet are full of great resources for learning more about Israel, and about the incredible events that happened there between 1946 and 1949. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
History
The Creation of Israel, by Linda Jacobs Altman (Lucent Books World History Series, 1998). A good all-in-one history of how Israel was founded. Good timeline, index and pictures, too. Perfect for a kid's research paper.
The Best of Zvi, by Zvi Kalisher. This man's true story inspired many of the events in Dov Zalinski's life. I had a chance to interview him personally in his Jerusalem home. What a story—truth can be just as exciting as fiction! The book is available through the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry in New Jersey. (P.O. Box 908, Bellmawr, NJ 08099). They also have an interesting magazine called "Israel My Glory." Visit their Web site at www.foi.org.
Hebrew
Hebrew for Everyone, published and distributed by Epistle. Here's a fun, kid-friendly approach to learning the language of the Old Testament—and today's Israel! The study guide is written by Hebrew believers in Jesus, and is designed for kids and beginners. You can learn the Lord's Prayer in Hebrew! I picked up my copy at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem for 20 shekels. (A shekel is 25 cents.)
Internet
International Christian Embassy, Jerusalem (www.icej.org.il) is a good place to start for all kinds of links to travel and historic information on Jerusalem and Israel.
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (www.ushmm.org) The leading museum in North America for information on what happened to the Jewish people before, during and after World War II.
Music
Hora: The Most Famous 25 Israeli Folk Songs. (audio CD) Hear some of the songs mentioned in the book, like the song Dov's mom sang, (Yevarechecha) and the Hatikvah. They're fun to listen to, and they'll help you figure out the sound of those unusual but beautiful Hebrew words!