A few days ago I volunteered at Pilpul, a JDC program in Buenos Aires that is basically a debate competition in a Jewish context, where teams of three from surrounding Jewish schools debate different cases. The cases are all dilemmas that the kids had to debate and back up using evidence from Jewish texts, values, and history. The debate topics included:
- Graduation Trip: Comparing two growth opportunities, what should be prioritized: an individual or group experience?
- The Value of a Life: In a wartime situation, is one life valued more than another? How should one think about the exchange of prisoners?
- The Great Journey: When one commits a mistake, is regretting it sufficient to overcome it?
-The Truthful Friends: In relation to two friends, what is more important: always tell the truth or maintain the happiness of the other even if you don't offer all the information you have?
The winning team won some fabulous prizes and all the participating students, teachers, coaches, and judges were thanked for all they had put into the day. It was a super interesting day and I was amazed at the arguments formulated by the teens. It's quite amazing to hear fifteen year-old's spewing out quotes said by Maimonides and backing up their arguments using stories taken from the Talmud. I hope this type of program has been replicated in other places and if not will be in the future, it contained a powerful blend of mature articulation and Jewish learning.
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