
Lesson Plan
Oneg Shabbat - A Shabbat Celebration
This is a poster advertising an oneg Shabbat (Shabbat celebration) that was held every Friday night at 9:00 pm at the ZOA House in Tel Aviv. The event was co-sponsored by the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), the Ministry of Tourism, and the Organization for Tourism.
Group Activity
- How do you celebrate Shabbat?
- Have you ever been to an oneg Shabbat? If so, what activities took place?
Folk dancing was a central and representative part of Israeli popular culture in the past.
- Does Israeli folk dancing still represent Israeli culture? If not, what represents modern Israeli culture today?
This oneg Shabbat involved Israeli songs and dancing.
- Have you ever danced Israeli folk dances? If so, describe your experience.
- Do you know any Israeli songs? Is there any particular song that you like?
The organizers of the oneg Shabbat wanted to give those attending a taste of Israeli culture. When you visit a foreigncountry, do you want to learn about the local culture? How do you do this?
Discussion Questions
- What event is being advertised on the poster?
- Where and when did the event take place?
- Who sponsored the event?
- Where could tickets be obtained?
- What language is the poster written in?
- What is an oneg Shabbat?
- Who do you think was the poster's target audience? Explain your answer.
- What activities were planned for this oneg Shabbat?
- What are the origins of Israeli folk dancing?
- Why do you think the Ministry of Tourism sponsored events like this?
- What do you think the people who attended an oneg Shabbat gained from the experience?
Creative Activity
- Learn a new Israeli dance from a YouTube video.
- Plan an oneg Shabbat.
- Create a flyer to advertise the event. Include where it will be held, the date and time, and a schedule of activities.
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