During the exceptional congress there will be three time slots where delegates can choose between several options of workshops/tours:
"Zionism in Action": A chance to get to know some of the creative activities offered by the different departments of the WZO. The various workshops will take place on Wednesday, April 19th.
Tours - on Thursday, April 20th we will offer various exciting tours around Jerusalem, showing various faces of it.
Youth Congress - those who wish, will be able to stay at Binyanei Haumah on Thursday and be part of the Youth congress, including discussions in round-tables.
*Please note, the number of places for each one of the workshops and tours is limited and participation requires pre-registration
Film + discussion: A Mirror for Israeli Society. The Department for Irgoon and Israelis Abroad (English)
⦁ A viewing of a short and recently produced movie followed by a discussion on Israeli society as it emerges from it
Theater Play: Heschel’s Passover eve, Office of the WZO Vice Chairman (Hebrew with English and Spanish subtitles).
⦁ A play about the inspiring Rabbi Heschel
Film+ discussion: Antisemitism as a Double-edged. The Department of Combatting Antisemitism and Diaspora Community Resilience (Hebrew).
⦁ a viewing of the movie Good Friday followed by a discussion with the head of the department, Racheli Bartz Rix.
Panel: A Change of Perspective. The Department of Education (All languages)
⦁ An experiential activity with teacher emissaries
Hebrew learning: Ulpan Ivrit – The Department for Promoting Aliyah (All languages, not Israelis)
⦁ A surprising, light and amusing Hebrew class
Educational activity: A Glimpse into Humanist Communities. The Department for Zionist Enterprise (English)
⦁ Revealing the findings of a study conducted by the department and discussion
Film + discussion: Sally Bein’s Children. The Department for Israel and Holocaust Commemoration (Hebrew)
⦁ A viewing of the movie about the teacher who followed his students, children with disabilities, to the death camps, followed by a discussion
Panel: Social Entrepreneurship. The Department for Social Activism and Tikkun Olam (Hebrew)
⦁ A panel discussion with graduates of the accelerator for social entrepreneurs of the department
Educational activity: The Intergenerational Connection. The Department for Pioneering Youth and Future generations (English)
⦁ An interactive, audience-engaging presentation on current processes in education and leadership
Hebrew learning: Speak the language of the Hebrew man – Israeli songs Classes . The Department for Hebrew and Culture (All languages, not Israelis)
⦁ Learning Hebrew through songs
Activity: War of the Minds – A Zionist trivia quiz. The Department for Periphery Advancement & Diaspora Involvement (English)
Film + discussion: Face. Memorial Day. The Department for Diaspora and French Speakers (Spanish)
⦁ Watching videos and getting to know the department’s movies platform
Activity: From Holocaust to Rebirth . The Department for Diaspora Religious Affairs (English)
⦁ A virtual journey from Auschwitz death camp to the State of Israel
Tours in Jerusalem or participation in roundtables with participants of the youth conference.
Option 1: Participating at the Youth conference:
We will join round tables discussion together with participants of the Youth Congress organized by the Department for Pioneering Youth and Future generations.
This is an exceptional opportunity for an open and honest discussion dealing with the burning issues concerning the future of Israel, and the relationship between the Jewish communities in the Diaspora and Israel.
The congress delegates will take part in the round tables, together with the representatives of the Zionist youth movements, young emissaries of the Jewish Agency and other participants.
Option 2: Tours of Jerusalem
1. A Tribe of Brothers – Visiting communities in Jerusalem’s city center and the neighborhood of Nahlaot (Hebrew)
The Jewish World in exile was founded on communities. What is left of them these days? What role do they play within a sovereign state? Can well-established communities be formed within individualist urbanism?
An encounter with Jerusalem community leaders an introduction to the spaces they occupy.
2. On the Spectrum – Denominations and faiths (English)
On the range of Jewish sectors in Jerusalem, the evolvement of sectors that began overseas, as well as those conceived within the Israeli setting.
An encounter with and tour of a collaborative community in the German Colony followed by a discussion with representatives of communities from various sectors in the city about the diversity of beliefs in the City of Faith.
3. Ultra-Orthodox is not Black and White – The space currently occupied by Haredi society and what the future holds (Spanish & English)
A tour of Mea Shearim, the courtyards and buildings.
Getting to know the ultraorthodox world from within, how does one differentiate between the various attires, what are the differences between the various denominations, and an encounter with a local leader followed by a discussion on the evolvement of the historical Agudat Yisroel’s attitude toward the State of Israel and Zionism from its inception until today.
4. They’re Not Nice – Urban activism (English)
A tour of Musrara, the changes and gentrification the neighborhood has undergone over the past century, including a discussion with a member pf the Black Panther movement.
The tour will be followed by a discussion in Musrara’s Morasha Community Center on social and political activism in Jerusalem with two activists who will discuss the main civil campaigns currently held in Jerusalem, and the channels they employ.
5. Disability is No Obstacle – A visit to Beit Shalva (English)
A visit to the Shalva Building, a tour of the structure and café.
An encounter with the founder of the center, as well as an introduction to the community that grew from the shared challenges, and the new creation they have set up as part of it.
6. My Heart is in the East – Jerusalem Art & Culture (Hebrew & English)
A visit to galleries and cultural institutions in Jerusalem’s city center – Koresh 14 Gallery, Barbur Gallery, Mazkeka, HaMiffal and more. Afterwards, we will discuss cultivating local young artists and the space occupied by Jerusalem culture within Israeli culture.
7. The Urban Kibbutz – A tour of Gilo Neighborhood (English)
A tour of the unique urban space that is Beit Israel Kibbutz vis-à-vis the absorption center, the unique Hassidic community living in the neighborhood, and an introduction to the pre-military academy that is training an entire generation to be curious about Judaism. The tour will be followed by a discussion on the current role played by kibbutzim in Israel in general, and whether there is a future for them.
8. Neighbors across the Fence – Beit Safafa (Hebrew)
A discussion and tour of the community center with a social activist on the neighborhood, its history, and the civil rift that is tearing the families living there apart. We will also see the preparations and Eid al-Fitr celebrations marking the end of Ramadhan, while being introduced to a local family.
9. Underground Secrets – The Western Wall tunnels (French & English)
A dive into a piece of history being revealed before our very eyes – A tour into the heart of the Western Wall tunnels plus entry to the excavation sites and Chain of Generations exhibit that connects Jewish tradition from the time of the Temple to modern times through the Western Wall stones.
10. History Renewed – The Tower of David and Jewish Quarter (Spanish)
A tour revealing the more and lesser known places from all aspects tying the Jewish people to Jerusalem. We will discover excavated findings, learn about the Jewish community in the area throughout history, and how Jewish tradition was kept across generations until our return to the city following the 1967 Six Day War.
11. The Knesset – Places one never visits
We will visit the Knesset and see the places that are less familiar to the general public. We will visit the secret bunker where the decision to liberate Jerusalem was made, and talk to Dr. Moshe Fuksman, Head of the Museum Experience and Content Department, about the Knesset’s ongoing efforts to shape its image.
