When the first Covid-19 lockdown began nearly two years ago, UJIA, like other Jewish organisations, had to learn to adapt. Since it could not offer education in-person, it began to develop resources which could reach youth at home.

“While our mission was the same… our methodology had to change quite significantly,” said director of the UJIA’s UK programme, Robin Ashleigh.

And that investment in creating resources has led to a new project — an informal Israel education kit for key stage two pupils (8 to 11) in Jewish primary schools called Hamoadon, “the club”.

Every few weeks over the course of this academic year schools receive a box of materials on a particular theme: it contains posters, educational activities, word games, information sheets for teachers and links to videos on the UJIA website. It can be used in Jewish studies or Ivrit classes or a lunchtime Israel club.

Taking on board best practice from elsewhere in the Jewish world, Mr Ashleigh explained, UJIA found that “Israel education needs to start earlier and young people at a much earlier age are feeling a pressure to represent Israel, to defend Israel, to talk about Israel, to have some kind of clarity about Israel that they don’t always have and we want to start that process earlier.”

The initiative is not about turning primary pupils into political advocates, UJIA chief executive Mandie Winston added. It is to make sure that “Israel is on the primary school agenda beyond dressing up in blue and white for Yom Ha’atzmaut, and that Israel education can be something much deeper.”

It is designed to show that Israel is “a very diverse place,” she said. The story told about Israel is often “very narrow and what we wanted to do with this is really excite young people and educators in schools.”

Indeed, the second pack was devoted to the theme of diversity and sent out in November ahead of the unique Ethiopian Jewish festival of Sigd. 

It contains recipes for making dabo, Ethiopian round bread traditionally eaten on Shabbat, a guide to the different teas enjoyed by Israel’s communities from Moroccan mint to the masala chai enjoyed by Indian Jews, information on music and art and languages; it includes a few phrases of Arabic, pointing out that 20 per cent of Israel’s population are “Arab citizens of Israel/Palestinians”.

And as evidence of its inclusive approach, the final set of materials planned for this academic year will include a look at Pride Week in Tel Aviv. “We thought long and hard about that,” Ms Winston said.

But the materials can be used selectively. “The teacher can choose what is right for their pupils … nobody has to do something they don’t feel comfortable with.”

Many schools don’t have the wherewithal to produce their own educational resources. Hamoadon activities can be delivered by the shinshinim, the young Israelis who spend a year of service  after school as informal educators abroad.

“One of the things we hear repeatedly is they are absolutely amazing,” Mr Ashleigh said, “They’re young, dynamic, and enthusiastic and young people love them but in the first term in particular they take a bit of time to orient themselves.”

So the Hamoadon material offers a ready educational aid which they can use immediately. One shinshim has been part of the team that designed it.

The take-up of the scheme in its pilot year has been “pleasantly surprising,” Mr Ashleigh said.

UJIA had anticipated that five to 10 schools would commit themselves to it, but now 18 schools have from London to Glasgow signed up to the programme.

“It points to the fact there is an appetite for Israel education where we weren’t sure whether that was the case,” Ms Winston said.

Justin Kett, deputy head of Sacks Morasha in North Finchley, said, “The Hamoadon packages that arrive, and are gleefully received, help our shinshin to structure the Israel club that he runs to ensure the children benefit from a better informal Israel education.”

Mostly, schools deploy the material in lessons but around 30 per of the time it is used in clubs.

Now a second year has been budgeted for and the UJIA is exploring the possibility of devising resources for older age groups.