Art After October 7th

Camp Ramah in New England

Overnight

Emily Shapiro

This four-session course invites teenagers to explore how art responds to conflict, trauma, memory and hope through a variety of media and perspectives—from flowers and symbols, street art and graffiti, to personal illustrations and Palestinian art. Each session will include: (a) an opening introduction / discussion, (b) a viewing or interactive exercise with an exemplar artwork, (c) a hands-on creative activity, and (d) a reflection/writing component.

art, conflict, trauma, memory, hope, street art, graffiti, Palestinian

Art After October 7th

• Engage in creative expression, critical thinking, and personal reflection.
• Explore themes of memory, identity, hope, trauma, resilience, and shared humanity.
• Produce their own artworks (drawing, collage, graffiti style, mixed media) responding to the issues.
• Process the impact of the war through visual art, offering students an accessible and less confrontational entry point into difficult conversations.
• Broaden understanding by looking at Palestinian artistic responses, recognizing how visual art can be used as both a tool for processing and a form of political expression.

Entering 10th-12th grades

10-15 campers

Session 1:  Kalaniyot and Doves About Kalaniyot presentation Printed examples of Kalaniyot Crepe paper Construction Paper Glue

Session 2: Graffiti and Street Art Butcher paper Colored (thick) markers for graffiti wall Graffiti samples Session 3: Shoshke’s Postcards NBC Clip Color prints of Selected Postcards Posterboard cut up into postcard size Colored Markers Background: Moment Magazine article

Session 4: Palestinian Art Color prints of Palestinian artwork Paper Pencils

Program leader

Preferably place with walls and tables for campers to work on

Tables, Materials, Printouts

This varies for each session. In general: a.    Introduction and discussion            10-15 minutes b.    Exploration of Artwork                20 minutes c.    Campers’ expressive creations            20 minutes d.    Wrap up*                          5 minutes *Wrap up in final session is longer as it is a wrap up of all four sessions

Session 1: Kalaniyot & Doves

Goal: Introduce symbolism of the anemone and the dove and explore how they are being used in response to the war.

Icebreaker: Each participant introduces themselves: (1) Name and why they chose this topic. (2) What artistic or visual expressions they are familiar with or have seen/experienced, either in Israel or here (school, camp, shul, neighborhood, etc.) Examples: Stickers, Protest signs, Posters, Murals, Collaborative projects, Graffiti, Cartoons, comics, Photography, Installations (e.g., empty beds, laundry, chairs)

Introduction: Brief talk about the “Kalaniyot” project—how and why designers used the red anemone as symbol of unity and remembrance. https://www.mykalaniyot.com/ Viewing and Sharing: Show printed examples of Kalaniyot and doves in contemporary designs (5 of each): https://theicenter.org/icenter_resources/design-duty-artists-as-activists/ Have each participant choose 1-2 designs that they are drawn to and respond in writing to prompts: 1) What do you think the design means/is trying to say? 2) How do you feel when you look at it? 3) What title would you give it? 4) What questions do you have about it? Activity: Participants draw or collage a kalanit or dove motif representing memory/hope/peace.

Session 2: Graffiti & Street Art

Goal: Explore graffiti and street art as a form of public expression and response to conflict, empowering participants to express personal feelings visually.

Introduction Activity: Hang large butcher paper on the wall. “If you had a blank wall in Tel Aviv and were invited to do graffiti in response to the war, what would you draw or write?” Encourage them to create quick, spraypaint‑ style drawings, including: Words, slogans, or messages; Images or symbols; Graffiti-style lettering Viewing and Sharing: Select examples of graffiti that respond to the war: https://jewishcamp.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ISRAELI-STREET-ART-POST-OCT-7.pdf - The street art generally falls into 4 categories: 1) “Super”heroes of the war 2) In memory - Fallen soldiers and civilians 3) Protesting the War/Bibi 4) Hostages/Bring Them Home

Closing Activity: After viewing and discussing examples of Israeli street art, give participants the opportunity to go back to their butcher paper wall and change or add something to their original or to respond to the art of others.

Session 3: Shoshke’s Postcards

Goal: Engage with the work of Zeev Engelmayer (a.k.a “Shoshke”) whose daily postcards illustrated trauma, hostages and hope, demonstrate how a single artist’s voice can have a massive impact on the collective. Moment Magazine+1 Introduction: Show NBC clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2XKjzBrR4o

Viewing and Sharing: Print selected postcards/illustrations: https://jewishcamp.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/SHOSHKE.pdf

Discuss the artist’s style, tone, message and impact. 

Activity: Participants create a “postcard” artwork of their own, using Engelmayer’s style (childish, colorful, naive, whimsical, wishful): drawing or collage with a short caption/message about the war, hope or memory. Students can be encouraged to draw a particular story or character from the war. 

Session 4: Palestinian Art Goal: To examine how Palestinian artists respond through art, specifically how the watermelon became a visual symbol of Palestinian identity and resistance. Encourage empathy and curiosity. Introduction: Take a poll of the participants: How do you feel about the idea of learning about Palestinian “resistance” art? (check all that apply and may add more) Apathetic Annoyed Confused Happy Mad Sacred Uncomfortable Thankful Viewing: Print and display on the walls a selection of Palestinian artworks featuring the watermelon: https://jewishcamp.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/PALESTINIAN-WATERMELON.pdf

Activity: Have students take a “gallery walk” and choose 1-2 examples to answer prompts in writing: 1) What does the watermelon represent in this image? 2) Are there other symbols, objects, or words in the piece? What do they mean? 3) Who do you think the artist is speaking to — themselves? their community? the world? 4) If you could ask the artist one question, what would it be? 5) Does this art make you think differently about the Palestinian perspective?

Wrap-Up Discussion: What surprised me about this course? Which session resonated most and why? How has my understanding of war, memory or art shifted? How might I continue viewing or creating art after the course?