This is a piece of sample curriculum (a midterm writing assignment)
created by Rabbi Adam Rosenbaum of the Addlestone Hebrew
Academy in Charleston, South Carolina, and shared with his
permission.
Name: _____________________
_____________________
Character’s
Name:
Directions:
Read each article (these are actual articles from the news in recent days) CAREFULLY.
Answer each question that follows the articles in character.
Army may be the real winner in Egypt
By Khaled Elgindy
(CNN) -- At the end of the first round of voting in Egypt's historic elections,
Islamist parties appear headed for a decisive majority in the first freely elected
parliament since the ouster of former dictator Hosni Mubarak.
So far, the Freedom and Justice Party operated by the Muslim Brotherhood,
the country's largest and best organized political movement, has won nearly
40% of the vote, followed by the ultraconservative Salafist parties with another
25%.
The "Islamist tsunami," as some have dubbed it, has raised eyebrows in the
West and raised concerns in Egypt over the future status of women, secularminded Egyptians and the country's substantial Christian minority.
The Muslim Brotherhood is attempting to reassure anxious Egyptians and
foreigners alike and are reframing their imminent victory as a win for Egypt's
nascent democracy.
As one Brotherhood leader recently wrote in The Guardian, "There will be
winners and losers. But the real -- and only -- victor is Egypt."
Indeed, many democracy advocates inside and outside Egypt had long seen the
elections as the surest way to force the ruling military council to cede power to
a civilian-led government. While a democratic outcome may still be possible in
the long run, for now the real winners may be neither the Islamists nor the
Egyptian people but the country's interim rulers, the Supreme Council for the
Armed Forces (SCAF).
1) Do you think there is hope for democracy in a Muslim-led country? Why
or why not?
2) What would you do if you lived in Egypt right now – try to move to
another country, or stay to make the country better? Why?
Mitt Romney vs. Bob Garon: Gay Veteran Confronts Republican
Candidate
Bob Garon, a 63-year-old gay military veteran, spoke on MSNBC Tuesday
about his tense exchange Monday in Manchester, N.H. with Republican
presidential candidate Mitt Romney over same-sex marriage.
Garon was eating breakfast with his husband at Chez Vachon restaurant and
was wearing a Vietnam Veteran hat that Romney noticed. Garon asked about
New Hampshire's gay marriage law. Romney said he supported the repeal of
the law and believed that marriage was between a man and a woman.
"It's good to know how you feel, that you do not believe everyone is entitled to
their constitutional rights," Garon replied.
"No, actually, I think at the time the Constitution was written it was pretty clear
that marriage is between a man and a woman," Romney replied. "And I don't
believe the Supreme Court has changed that." …
Garon spoke on MSNBC about the exchange. "Well, quite frankly I'm not a
professor of the Constitution but I don't believe it says anything about a man
and a woman and defining marriage," he said. "I didn't expect the answer that I
got … and my question was really hoping that if he did get into the White
House that he'd be in support of the benefits entitled to veterans and their
spouses. Currently, they're not."
1) Do you agree with Romney’s belief that the Constitution disapproves of
same-sex marriage? Why or why not?
2) What question would you most like to ask someone currently running
for president? Why would you want to ask that question?