i. Preamble

Now, how do you get the discussion started? Participants will be watching you, maybe a few with a glint of challenge in their eyes. You've got to catch them at the very start, pull them in, keep the subject moving and challenge their minds.

• There is no set way to do this; you'll find your own way.
  Use your imagination: Instead of saying, "Today I want us to examine the Holocaust and what it means for us today", you might do a little research and open with: "I don't think I understood what it really meant to be ripped away from your family during the Holocaust until I read the story about the Hassidic man who…"
  You could relate the story yourself, as this example did, or let it stand by itself. You can choose a story or anecdote that might be far removed from the actual topic up for discussion, but if the story has a strong clear moral message you can bring it back to the subject, and thus in an entertaining way you set the tone for your discussion.
• You can use hand motions, word pictures, a bombastic opening. But be sure the theatricals and charm don't become an end in themselves.
  You can set up a crisis, a dilemma, into which you thrust the group: "For five years you have lived in a farming community near Katzrin / in Gush Katif. You poured all your effort and love into raising vineyards / beautiful flowers . And suddenly you are told you must leave your home for the sake of peace."
  Or bring the situation directly home to them. Hold up an Israeli book, hand it to someone, and say: "If this were Iran, you would have just committed a crime."
• Another opening tactic is to pitch your members a question that you know will get a response: "How many of you have read 1984 by George Orwell?"
  Then follow it with a curveball: "And what if I told you that Orwell's 1984 exists today?" Suddenly you've got a discussion going!

ii. Some obstacles you can overcome:

Your group may be stiff and uncomfortable.

There are plenty of ice-breaker and getting-to-know-you exercises, a few of which are described in this booklet. You can conjure up endless variations of them to fit your purpose.

Time-use and focus But be cautious.

• An exercise takes time, and you may have limited time and specific material into which to plunge.
• An exercise not directed toward the topic may divert rather than focus the participants.
• Many exercises focus on the dynamics and mechanisms of discussions themselves - use them if you want to move directly to the subject to be discussed, by concentrating on techniques to move it foreword . We have also included exercises which help you to break down verbal communication into some of its basic elements (see Section II, IV).

Unsticking the start

You may find that, especially in a more group-oriented topic, the members are having difficulty getting started or pinpointing their specific theme. In that case it would be smart to have a few exercises up your sleeve (see Section II).

For example, a discussion on "exploring Jewish identity" may be both too personal or too vague for your group to get a grip on. So, instead of forcing the issue on them, back up a few steps and have them do a trigger activity. Have them, for example, choose a famous Jew from history whom they would want to meet (and why), and think of questions to ask him. Avraham, David, Einstein, Spinoza, Marx - it doesn't matter whom your members choose.

You can see how lively, provocative and fun this exercise can be. And you'll find that both you and the participants have a better idea of what their Jewish identity means to them.