I woke up at 1:30 a.m. in the morning, after only several hours sleep. After trying to go back to sleep, I called home. My life partner Steven listened to me struggle with how to proceed. He reminded me of both my thinking about this over several months before coming, and he reminded me of how often I had been part of conversations with youth (and others) about identity and Jewish religious culture. These conversations had taken place in both formal and informal settings. He told me to draw upon the wisdom I had collected, and the many experiences I had had with identity–and having to sometimes regroup. He challenged me to start envisioning what might take place in the classroom–and what it might take to effectuate that vision.
This conversation was a lightning rod for me. Now after 2:00 a.m., I immediately began my preparations. First, something Alan (from SOS International) told me in my conversation yesterday hit home: I asked student’s names but obviously could not recall them quickly. Something obvious: I needed to have them make name plates. However, I decided I would make a game of it. I would have them each give themselves a nickname–and I would give myself one, too, as my second understanding was that if I was going to have them take a journey, I needed to take it with them.
In my lesson, as it was formulating, I decided:
- We would write down five words to describe ourselves. This alone gets us thinking about what is core to each person’s identity and what is not.
- I would then have them work with friends in small groups to make a Venn diagram of their lists. In this way, they could see how they are both similar and different from others.
- I wanted to incorporate, somehow, an understanding how identity (and presentation of identity) shift not only over time but, potentially, with each setting, with each change of venue, clothing, et al.
- I found a photo of someone named Jacob, who an unusual story as a biracial Jewish teenager. I would should the photo, examine our assumptions, and then read a brief excerpt of Jacob telling his own story, so that we could discuss the disconnect between our assumptions about people’s identity and their reality.
- We would do either a “spectrum” or a “four corners” activity that could incorporate some opportunity for them to see where they are with Jewish culture and identity, and so they could see where others situate themselves. This, too, could lead to ripe discussion.
- Since I would only have at most two 45-minute sessions with any one group, I would then do a conclusion to our journey together.
It turned out to be very successful. I tweaked it as I went based upon how and where discussions went, as each group forms its own community. The reaction of students to what I was doing was so encouraging and the quality and depth of discussion was amazing. Students thanked me either right after or in the hallway. I left the school thankful for trusting my instincts, and grateful that I was able to have this “kodesh (holy)” time with these teens.
