Kesher: Exploring Israeli Culture, History, and Identity

Program details

Camp Name

URJ Crane Lake Camp
Type of Camp

Overnight
Submitted by

Shira Boso
Tags

culture, history, identity, slang, art, food, music
Theme/Topic

Contemporary Israeli culture
Outcomes/Goals

Campers will:
•    Explore current Israeli culture and multiple perspectives on historical events
•    Inquire and attempt to interpret culture and history from their perspectives
•    Encounter music, food and Israeli games and norms of behavior

 
Age group(s)

13-15 year olds
Groupings

10-15 participants
Materials

The materials list for each session can be found in the description of the session.

 
Staffing

Program leader

 
Physical space

Can be outdoors or indoors. Session 4 should be outdoors (Graffiti)
Set up

See individual sessions
Timing overview

See individual sessions

 
Detailed Description

Session 1 – Sababa or Not Sababa: What’s Normal in Israel?   60 minutes 

 

Description: 

A playful game using slang and real-life scenarios where campers explore cultural behaviors in Israel: 

  • directness  

  • hospitality 

  • warmth/openness 

  • pushiness 

 

Materials: 

  • Two signs: “Sababa” and “Lo Sababa” 

  • Printed scenarios (see below) 

  • Printed slang word cards (refer to this resource from The iCenter) 

  • Printed slang definition cards 

  • Tape or clothespins for matching 

  • Index cards (optional) 

  • Scoreboard (optional whiteboard or poster) 

Instructions  

  1. Warm-Up: Sababa / Lo Sababa game with cultural scenarios.  20 mins 

Instructions: 

  • Campers stand in the middle of the field. 

  • Read a scenario. They run to “Sababa” or “Lo Sababa” depending on how they feel about it. (See Scenarios below) 

  • After each, you reveal if this is considered normal or common in Israel and explain why. 

  • After 10–15 scenarios, debrief quickly: 

  • What behaviors felt “normal” to you? 

  • What surprised you? 

  • What do these say about Israeli society? (warmth, directness, community-minded, informal) 

Suggested Cultural Scenarios (mix serious and silly ones) 

  1. Asking someone how much they earn 

  1. Jumping into a stranger’s conversation 

  1. Hosting someone you just met for Shabbat 

  1. Being 20 minutes late and not apologizing 

  1. Cutting in line because you're in a rush 

  1. Talking loudly on your phone in public 

  1. Saying exactly what you think, even if it’s rude 

  1. Hugging someone you met today 

  1. Driving with one hand on the steering wheel and one out the window 

  1. Bargaining at the store or market 

  1. Having deep conversations with strangers 

  1. Sharing personal family stories quickly 

  1. Not saying “please” or “thank you” every time 

  1. Getting into political arguments at dinner 

  1. Being pushed while waiting in line 

  1. Going to the beach on Yom Kippur 

  1. Wearing sandals to a fancy dinner 

  1. Not saying sorry after bumping into someone 

  1. Standing really close when talking 

  1. Letting your friend’s friend sleep over without knowing them 

 

  1. Slanguage Match Game 35 min  

Using Hebrew slang, campers gain insight into the communication style of Israelis as reflective of Israeli culture. 

  

Instructions 

  • Divide campers into 3–4 teams. 

  • Mix up the slang cards and definition cards. 

  • Teams race to match each slang word with its correct meaning. 

  • When finished, they present their answers.  

  • You reveal the correct answers and award points! 

  • Option: Add bonus points if they use it correctly in a sentence or scene. 

(Optional scoring): 

  • 1 point per correct match 

  • +1 bonus for using slang in a sentence or short skit 

  • First team to complete = +2 bonus 

  • Tally total and celebrate all teams! 

 

Slang list (Word and Meaning) or use list from iCenter 

Slang Word 

Meaning 

Sababa 

Cool, great, no problem 

Achla 

Awesome, excellent 

Stam 

Just kidding / No reason / Never mind 

Yalla 

Let’s go / Hurry up 

Kapara 

Term of endearment like “sweetie” (literally means “atonement”) 

Chaval al hazman 

Literally “shame about the time” – means “it’s amazing” 

Sof haderech 

Literally “end of the road” – means “the best” 

Eizeh basa 

“What a bummer” 

Al ha’panim 

“On the face” – means “terrible” 

Balagan 

Total mess or chaos 

Davka 

Contrarily / Just because / In spite of 

Mah pitom? 

“What? No way!” / “Are you serious?” 

Lefargen 

To genuinely be happy for someone else’s success 

Tachles 

Bottom line / To the point 

Neshama 

“Soul” – affectionate way to call someone “dear” 

Kif 

Fun / enjoyment 

Esh 

“Fire” – means something is very cool or exciting 

Lo norah 

“Not terrible” – actually means “It’s okay, no big deal” 

Tzafuf 

Crowded / too many people 

Chutzpah 

Boldness, audacity (can be good or bad) 

Dash 

Warm regards (often used in texts, like “say hi to your mom – dash!”) 

Fadicha 

Something super embarrassing or awkward (like a cringe moment) 

 

  1. Debrief: Reflect on Israeli cultural values like warmth, 5 mins 
    openness, directness, and hospitality.   

  • Which slang word do you want to start using? 

  • What did you learn about Israeli communication style? 

  • What does slang tell us about the vibe of Israeli society? 

 

 

Session 2: Israeli Beats & Voices: Music That’s More Than a Song 60 minutes 

Description:  
Explore Israeli artists and their stories through music, with a particular focus on how sound reflects identity and cultural values.  

 

Materials: 

  • Speaker for music 

  • Playlist: 

  • Mizrachi pop: Omer Adad – Yihiye Tov 

  • Pop/dance: Noa Kirel – Unicorn 

  • Electro fusion: Neta Barzilai – Toy 

  • Party pop duo : Hatikva 6 – Am Shel Giborey Al 

  • Printed artist fact cards  

  • Lyrics translations (download from internet) 

  • Paper 

  • Pens 

Instructions: 

  1. Intro & Audio Sampling: Introduce 6 key Israeli artists and play clips.  10 mins 
     

  1. Deep Dive: 20 mins 

Divide campers into groups of 3 based on their preferred music genre  

Camp remix challenge:  

  • Campers explore lyrics, themes, and why these artists are popular.  

  • Campers then write a new version of this song about camp life. Keep the original melody or rhythm, use at least 3–4 Hebrew words, and write 4–6 lines that reflect your experience here 
     

  1. Share & Compare 20 mins 

Groups present their artist and discuss what stood out.  

 

  1. Wrap-Up: Reflection circle – campers share favorite lyric or insight.  10 mins 

  

 

Session 3: What’s on the Table? Israeli Food & Where It Comes From  60 minutes 

Description: Explore the roots of Israeli cuisine, from Ashkenazi to Mizrahi influences, using a fun, interactive dish-matching game.  

 

Materials: 

  • Ingredient cards 

  • Food = Identity poster 

  • Origin tags  

  • String or tape 

  • 3 short stories: Moroccan Friday couscous, Russian soup at Gan, Ethiopian dabo bread at holidays 

  • Paper 

  • Pens  

  • Optional: Printed map of Israel 

Instructions  

  1. Warm-Up: 10 mins 

Word storm: Campers name foods they know and guess where they’re from.  

OR 

Campers name a food that reminders them of home 

Campers then name something they’ve eaten that surprised them 

 

  1. Game: Match that dish 25 mins 

Teams match dish cards, ingredients, and cultural origins using cards 

 

  1. Discussion: Whose Flavor Is It? 15 mins 

Questions: 

  1. What makes a food Israeli? 

  1. Can a food be Israeli and something else 

  • Using the Food = Identity poster collect words and ideas campers say about Israeli food 

  • Spicy, diverse, homemade, community, creative, warm, mixed 

  1. Read the short stories  
     

  1. Closing Reflection: If I were a dish 10 mins 

  • Form a circle. 

  • Each camper says: 

  • “If I were a dish, I’d be……because” 

  • Close by asking: What do you think Israeli foods say about Israeli people? 

 

 

Session 4: "Voices on the Wall: Street Art & Identity in Israel" 45-60 minutes 
Setting: Outdoors 

Materials Needed: 

  • Large white fabric sheets or cardboard (can be hung like a wall) 

  • Acrylic paints, sponges, brushes, markers 

  • Plastic gloves, water buckets, paper towels 

  • Printed visuals of Israeli graffiti (see artist list and resource links at end of writeup) 

  • Clipboards or boards to lean on (optional) 

  • Clothespins or tape to hang art if possible 

 

  1. Opening: What is Street Art? (5 minutes) 

  • Ask: "What comes to mind when you hear graffiti or street art?" 

  • Street art is often a response to the world around us — identity, politics, peace, culture. 

  • In Israel, it reflects the many voices and tensions in society: diversity, conflict, hope, and resilience. 

  1. Visual Tour: Israeli Street Artists (15 minutes) 

Show or pass around printouts of the following artists’ work: 

  • Dede – Known for the "Band-Aid" symbol, representing healing in a wounded society. 

  • Solomon Souza – Famous for Mahane Yehuda market shutters in Jerusalem, painting faces of Israeli leaders, poets, Arab and Jewish figures alike. 

  • UNTAY – Combines Hebrew and Arabic typography. 

  • Broken Fingaz – From Haifa, bold pop-style social commentary. 

  • Klone Yourself – Ukrainian-Israeli artist exploring identity, migration, and memory. 

Questions for discussion: 

  • What do you notice? 

  • What emotions or messages do you think the artist is trying to express? 

  • How might this art be different from graffiti you see at home? 
     

  1. Create Your Own Graffiti Wall (25 minutes) 

Instructions: 

  • Share: “Now it's your turn to be Israeli street artists!” 

  • Use the large sheets as a collective “wall” or divide into teams and give each a section. 

  • Offer themes inspired by Israeli street art: 

  • Identity: Who am I in this world? 

  • Home: What does ‘home’ mean to me? 

  • Peace & Conflict: What would peace look like? 

  • Diversity: Many voices, one society. 

  • Healing: What do we need to heal from? 

Optional twist: Have them use stencils made from cut cardboard for shapes or Hebrew letters. 

  • While campers are working, walk around and engage them in talking about their choices: 

  • What made you choose this image? 

  • Is there a message behind your art? 
     

  1. Gallery Walk & Wrap up (15 minutes) 

  • Spread out the art so it is easily seen by the group. 

  • Once they finish, walk as a group from piece to piece. 

  • Let volunteers explain what they created and what it means to them. 

  • Highlight connections to Israeli street art (e.g., “That reminds me of Dede’s message of healing…”). 

Final thoughts: 

  • Street art is how young people and artists express themselves in Israel — in a land full of beauty, tension, hope, and contradiction. 

  • Art is a powerful form of peaceful protest, of identity and connection. 

  • They’re doing what Israeli artists are doing — using walls as voices. 

Optional Reflection Prompts (if you have extra time or want to extend): 

  • “What would you want someone from Israel to feel if they saw your art?” 

  • “If this wall could talk, what would it say about us?” 

 

Artist Profiles (short bios to attach alongside images) 

Dede (Dede Bandaid) 

Nitzan Mintz 

  • Tel Aviv visual poet and streetartist who began writing visual poetry on the streets at age 17 ISRAEL21c. 

  • Her work merges text, paint, and site-specific contexts to explore emotional and collective themes, often exhibited globally jewishstreetart.com. 

Solomon Souza 

  • His murals feature a broad array of figures—religious leaders, artists, writers, activists—creating a tapestry of Israeli identity that is both personal and public ISRAEL21cTimes of Israel. 

Broken Fingaz Crew (collective from Haifa) 

  • A well-known psychpop street art collective from Haifa, including artists like Desa, Kip, Tant, and Unga ISRAEL21c+1ISRAEL21c+1. 

  • Their bold, retro comicbookstyle murals explore themes of pop culture, eroticism, social commentary, and identity using vibrant colours and strong lines BLOCAL blog. 

Featured Images & Contexts 

1. Vibrant PostOctober 7 Graffiti (turn0image0) 
Bright, expressive imagery filled with symbolic forms—captures the surge of creative energy and emotional response sweeping Israeli streets in late 2023. Vashti Media+9upmag.com+9hannah kozak's blog+9 

2. A Mural by the Bring Them Home Now Collective (turn0image7) 
Honoring fallen heroes and hostages like Amit Mann, Aner Shapira, Awad Darousha, Ben Shimoni—painted with bold colors and poignant storytelling. ynetnews+2hannah kozak's blog+2ויקיפדיה+2 

3. Obituary-Style Hostage Portraits (turn0image8) 
Art memorializing those abducted or killed in the attacks. These powerful tributes help preserve memory on public walls longer than in print. ויקיפדיהStandWithUs 

4. Tel Aviv War-Themed Protest Graffiti (turn0image11) 
Stenciled political messages around leadership, hostages, and protest. Includes creative portrayals of IDF soldiers and civilians responding to the  

Bring Them Home Now Collective 
A group of fans and street artists, initially focused on Hapoel Tel Aviv soccer murals, pivoted after October 7 to honor victims and abductees in bold, redgrayblack murals across Israel. unflinching+2ויקיפדיה+2hannah kozak's blog+2ויקיפדיה+8eJewishPhilanthropy+8CAJM+8 

Benzi Brofman (“Faces of October 7”) 
A graffiti artist who appeared at Nova Festival just before the attack—and afterward turned his work into large-scale portrait murals of hostages and victims, exhibited in Israel and internationally. Outlook India+3Times of Israel+3hannah kozak's blog+3 

Grafitiyul Collective / The MissK? 

Tel Aviv-based female artists creating tributes such as "Rachel and the Cookies" and “I am looking for freedom”, portraying civilian heroines and recalling both personal story and broad loss. Battle-themed murals referencing Picasso’s Guernica aesthetic are part of their post-October 7 response. undergroundartreport.com+1hannah kozak's blog+1 

 

Program content

This is a 4-part mini-course designed to introduce campers to Israeli culture, history and multiple narratives. The topics of the 45-60 minute sessions include: Israeli slang and everyday culture, street art and public expression, food as identity, music and modern Israeli voices, behavioral and cultural differences and multiple narratives of historical event, street art and Israeli identity.