Supreme Court: Challenges of Jewish Sovereignty in Israel
Flexing Ethical Muscles
“Taking power and the costs of power…have become central concerns of the Jewish people… Ethical muscles not flexed for centuries are now used; sometimes they are stiff and sore…” – Rabbi I. Greenberg
This lesson explores the great responsibility that comes with having power and decision-making ability. The lesson uses two legal judgments made by Israel’s Supreme Court to expose the students to the complex nature of this responsibility.
Click here for the printable pdf.
Goals:
- • The students will appreciate the wonder of the modern State of Israel’s sovereignty after two thousand years under foreign rule
- • The students will grasp the great complexity that Israeli decision-makers encounter when setting policy
- • The students will experience the challenges of being in the shoes of the decision-maker, as opposed to someone assessing a situation from afar
- • The students will learn about two deep, ethical challenges that Israel has faced
Outline:
- Stage 1: Introduction
- A. The students will learn the timeline of Jewish sovereignty
- B. The students will learn about the Supreme Court of modern Israel
- Stage 2: Ethical dilemmas -The students will learn about two ethical issues presented to the Supreme Court, and be asked to take a vote on how the court should rule
- A. Scenario 1: The security fence
- B. Scenario 2: The use of torture
- Stage 3: Discussion – Each group will share with the others what their verdicts were and why. A short discussion will unfold
- Stage 4: Conclusion – The students will learn what was actually decided in the real cases
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