Kinnus Kickstarters
Alice and Wonderland
New Frontier May Convention 2013
Through the Looking Glass - Brought in guests whose families came to the U.S. from
different parts of the world because of Antisemitism
Around the World
Hagalil Midwinter Convention 2014 - Hagalil Meets World
Educational Theme: Discussion of international jewry
Rotation Program:
-SA/TO station discussing Abayudaya Jews. A video of their life is shown, their music is
played, and questions are answered
-Summer Program stations with Wheels and Pilgrimage related Taboo cards and Mad
Libs
-A Greek dancing lesson
Avengers
Hagesher Spring Convention 2012
Educational Theme: Jewish Heroes
Beach/Cruise
Mercaz Fall Sub-Regional Convention 2013 - Mercaz Sea Bound
Icebreaker: We had a beach ball with numbers written on it and each number had a
corresponding question or ice breaking question.
Saturday Night: “Luau” - Had a pool party, hung out outside, was a lot of fun.
Chusy Midwinter Convention 2014 - Cruise with Chusy
Israel Program: Discussed Israeli water system
Program: Rotation program, had ships and traveled from country to country doing an
activity related to each country at each station.
Board Games
Hanefesh Fall Convention 2012
Candyland Rotation:
-candy toss
-building castles with gummies/marshamellows/toothpicks
-use mouth to find gummy bears in whipped creams
-candy slogan guessing game (ex. melts in your mouth, not in your hand - MMs)
-matching game with pictures of candy
-transfer water between cups with twizzlers
Icebreakers: M&M Introductions - questions for certain colors, Groups by monopoly
places
Pinwheel Winter Kadima Convention 2013
Human Board Game: A path of giant squares is laid out (the board) with numbers on
the bottom side, each number would correspond to a list of challenges. The people are
divided into teams and each send up a representative, they roll the dice and move that
many squares forward and participate in the challenge. If they succeed they move 2
spaces forward if the do not then 2 spaces backward. Each turn the team switches the
representatives so everyone gets to play. First team to the end wins.
Icebreaker: What is your favorite board game and why?
Israeli Monopoly: Create a monopoly board with places in Israel and play like regular
monopoly.
The Bucket List
Hagesher Spring Convention 2013
Creative Shacharit: Bucket List shacharit (Elaborated on what is important in prayer,
etc)
Educational Theme: The educational theme was based around the idea of our "Bucket
List" Jewishly. What was it that we want to make of our Jewish lives? What are we
looking for in schools and future communities? How do we decide what values are
important?
Circus
Crusy Regional Convention 2013
Icebreaker: One Crazy Fact - everyone writes down one crazy/weird fact about
themselves and puts it in the middle. One person will come to the middle, pick a fact,
and try to figure out who wrote that fact
Program: Extended relay race with different people assigned to different stations, each
doing a circus type of activity (handstands, ball balancing, etc.)
Program: Each chapter came up with a carnival game to host (balloon shaving, pie
throwing, mini golf)
TO Program: Lion Tamer (Freeze tag) done to raise TO money
Choose Your Own Adventure
Chusy Kinnus 2014 - CHUS Your Own Adventure
Murder Mystery: Who killed Daniel Noodleman at the Class of 2004 CHUSY Reunion?
Was it Jonah, Goldie, Rivkah or The Butler? We did activities that gave us clues to
figure out who the murder was. The activities included a sing off, jumping rope, trivia
questions and that game where you count to ten without looking at anyone. We earned
clues and were left in suspense to wait for part two.
Icebreakers: The icebreakers had to do with learning about each other through
adventure. We played two truths and a lie about adventures in our lives, the game
where you drop the sheet and guess the person on the other side's name and played 20
questions with a beach ball.
Sichot: Able to “choose own sichot” on convention application. Varied from family, to
social action, to sports, to arts.
CHUSY Bizarre: We had a street market feel where USYers could play Wii, get a
caricature done, henna and glitter tattoos, buy CHUSY Regalia, visit with TRY/USY
High and AEPi Reps, and participate in a drum circle. At the dance of course, the
CHUSY dancing vest made a grand appearance.
College
Swusy Regional Convention 2013 - Swusy University
Location: Stayed at University of Texas at Austin
Educational Theme: Transitioning from old to new chapters of your life.
Dance: We had a "college party" on the roof of the dorm
Hanefesh Spring Convention 2011 - Hanefesh University
Shabbat Program: Split into groups or fraternities/sororities. We had rotation games
such as relay races, food eating contests, walking with ping pong balls on spoons, etc.
Dance: Toga party - everyone took a bedsheet and dress in “togas”
SATO Program: We had a Sato carnival with various activities, some of which were
related to college. There was water pong, (need to check on details of other activities)
Color Wars
Ecrusy Spring Convention 2014
Relay Race: Involved many stations that had to be worked on as a team, complete
different tasks in order to complete a puzzle and win challenges.
Disney
Nerusy Spring Convention 2013 - The Happiest Spring on Earth
Shabbat Program: We had a program called Shir Disney. Each grade was assigned a
Disney song, and I'd translated pieces of it into Hebrew. On Saturday, each grade met
and practiced their songs and came up with some sort of dance or hand motions. Later,
we all presented them. It was really cute, and it was great grade bonding.
Dance: Dressed up like classic Disney characters
Creative Shacharit: IPod Shacharit with classic disney songs
Game Shows
Metny Regional Convention 2014
Icebreaker: Based off of the popular game show, “Trust Me, I’m a Game Show Host”,
this will be based on figuring out which of two statements is a lie.
Directions:
1.
The icebreaker leader will introduce his or her self (or themselves). Go around
the circle and say…
a.
Name, Grade, Chapter
b.
Favorite Game Show Host
c.
If you won Who Wants to be a Millionaire, what would you buy first?
2.
Choose a random participant from the ‘audience’ (or use your partner).
3.
Explain the premise of the game: There are two game show hosts: you and your
partner. You will agree on who will say a true statement and who will say a false
statement. Another participant from the audience will be picked to be the ‘contestant’ of
the game show. The contestant will have to choose who to trust after hearing both
statements and some remarks about why the other is false. Then, the contestant
becomes the host and you will sit down. Rotate until every group member has gone.
Then keep going and try to make it interesting.
Great Gatsby
Metny Fall Kallah 2013
Icebreakers: Didactic Encounters represented the wild parties. Didactic encounters pair
two people to facilitate conversation on a random topic given by the leader. Person A
talks for either a minute or 30 seconds on the given topic and the Person B gets either
30 seconds or 15 seconds to respond. Then the people switch roles and repeat the
process. After one switch, the pairs switch so each person has a new partner.
SATO Program: Basically a huge party from the movies. We sold tickets that could be
used to buy mocktails or used to buy in at poker and blackjack tables.
Dance: Dress up Gatsby style
Mercaz Spring Sub-Regional Convention 2014
Murder mystery/Clue Game: Everyone was divided into groups and at each station we
had to complete a task and were then given a clue about the "murderer"
Educational Theme: Significance of Judaic Items, importance of aesthetic beauty, etc.
Hollywood
Nerusy Spring Convention 2014 - Nerusywood
Tisch & Oneg: With Hollywood theme and script
Miscellaneous: Did Hollywood trivia throughout the weekend
Creative Shacharit: Multiple Hollywood themed options
Icebreakers: The game where you had a celebrity put on their forehead, and people
have to give you hints as to who you are and once you guess you find your match! This
was celebrity couple themed. I was Angelina and my friend was Brad.
What is your favorite and least favorite movie?
Educational Theme: Kitah sessions regarding ideas of respect of mind, body, and
relationships within society and the media! Very interesting subjects, and we used
quotes from the Torah as well as Pirkei Avot to back up our sources.
Grammy Awards: Each grade came up and performed a winning song for the
Grammy's! All the winner's songs had Jewish themes or writers.
Hunger Games
Emtza Kinnus 2013 - Hunger Games: Igniting the Fire Within
Hunger Banquet: Under each piece of paper was a slip of paper regarding a statistic
about hunger in each states Emtza has a chapter in. This helped to introduce the overall
theme of the convention.
Social Action: We all went out and did separate community service projects all
regarding hunger. People cooked, helped out in a community garden either mulching,
picking food, or creating decorations for around the garden.
Educational Themes: Regarded hunger and society. We talked about the connection
between ones economic level and their presence in society, and also all about how one
can help out in society and why people choose to help and volunteer.
Icebreaker: Just like how they had a "reaping" in the hunger games, one of the ice
breakers was a question reaping where everyone chose a question which they had to
answer when we went around and did initial introductions.
Program: We also did a "Training Camp" program to prepare us for the Hunger
Games.
Swusy Spring Kallah 2014
Shabbat Program: Hunger banquet, divide everyone up into classes, upper, middle,
and lower. Lower class ate beans on the floor, upper class got served good food
Educational Theme: Judaism and poverty
SATO: Collected donations for food bank
Program: Hunger Games Match
Kosher Deli
Hanegev Regional Convention 2013 - Hanegev’s Kosher Deli
Clash of the classes, Deli themed: different rooms were different deli tasks to
complete
Room 1 - Condiment Twist-Up (Condiment twister)
Room 2 - Deli Jungle (create advertisement song/skit for the group's deli)
Room 3 - Bread Making (Egg carry + ball kicking game/trying to "knead" the dough)
Room 4 - Madgab Menu (Madgabs with food)
Room 5 - Chicken Scratch:
1. Have each grade sit in one corner.
2. Group leader tells everyone to close their eyes.
3. The leader than goes and taps the head of one person from each grade. The tapped
person is now the “chicken”.
4. Everyone than stands up and starts walking around, shaking each others hands.
5. While someone who is not a chicken will shake another persons hand normally, when
a chicken shakes someone’s hand, they use their index finger to scratch the palm of the
other person. (Discreetly).
6. The person scratched by the chicken must than go and shake one more persons
hand. After they have done so, they sit down (they are out).
7. Each person is allowed to guess if someone is a chicken once. If they are right, that
chicken is out, however if they are wrong, than they must sit down and are out.
8. The last chicken standing wins for their grade.
Icebreakers:
1. Do you like it or not?
a. We split the room into 2 groups based on if they like a certain ingredient on their
sandwich or not. (Ex: If you like lettuce, you go to one side. If you don't, you go to the
other side.)
b. The people in each group already have something in common with each other! Their
next task is to find 3 other aspects that they all share. When they all decide on what
they all have in common, they have to share it with the room.
c. We keep splitting the room into different groups (based on if they like an ingredient or
not).
2. You just got served!
Start by splitting the group into 2 teams, and the object is to come up with as crazy of a
sandwich as they possibly can with in one minute. The craziest sandwich will be
“presented” to the mixer leaders and then judged by them.
3. Recipe for USY
We put them in different groups and give each group an envelope with different USY
related things (i.e. conventions, chapter events, summer programs, etc.). They will have
then made a "recipe" for the perfect USY experience using these different things.
Finally, they will have them share what they put in their "recipes" and why.
Other: Schedules decorated as menus
Leaders that Smile Back
Hagalil LTI 2013
Leadership Program: Chapter boards worked together in groups in a room with a few
other chapter boards in order to develop leadership and team-building skills, by playing
various games and challenges. After playing some of these games, the groups
discussed how every person on the board is an important part of the team and deserves
to be treated with respect. The groups also discussed how important compromise can
be. Leaders additionally mentioned that these games can be used as back up programs
if an event needs a program to fill time.
Icebreakers: Each group of counterparts did icebreakers that relate to their positions
specifically, but many groups did the same icebreakers that related to their groups for
different reasons. All groups did an exercise where each person got a green card from
Apples to Apples and had to relate themselves or USY to the card. Just like USY
members, each person is different and can be attracted to USY through different
adjectives. During Icebreakers and a First Timers' Session as well, USYers did activities
to show that everyone has something in common, such as games like link. The Name
KaPame Game also taught Hagalil leaders the importance of knowing each USYer's
name. At the end of the First Timers' Session in particular, each freshman or new
member received a USY luggage tag as well as a Hagalil vocab sheet to make them
feel welcome.
Educational Theme: Leaders that smile back focused on getting back to the basics
and being personable to potential and current USY members. All of the kitot sessions
were focused on leadership.
On Saturday afternoon, each group of counterparts had a meeting to discuss how to be
the best vice presidents, presidents, or RGB members they could be.
Membership Program: Later in the day on Saturday, USYers were broken up into
groups to go through Membership Program Scenes. USYers acted out and discussed
ways to deal with difficult situations that leaders often face. From trying to get someone
who looks miserable at an event involved to how an officer would talk to an advisor
about running to program to how to convince someone who gets bus sick to go on
wheels, USYers came up with a number of solutions to common problems that leaders
encounter.
Validation/Smile Program: On Sunday morning, the convention delegates watched a
fifteen minute video available on You Tube called Validation. Validation emphasizes the
importance of smiling and how one nice conversation can have a large impact on a
person. After watching the video, USYers filled out small yellow and orange papers in
the shape of a circle with a time USY made them smile. The papers were then glued
onto a cutout of a goldfish as scales, demonstrating how Hagalil's leaders really do
smile back. Since LTI, the goldfish has been traveling to different chapters.
Life Cycles
Tzafon Kinnus Gadol 2014
Educational Theme: Discussed names, birth, moving forward in life, judaism in college,
consent
Icebreaker: Rock paper scissor evolutions
Evening Program: Giant game of chai, mock wedding, bonfire
SA/TO Program: 3 groups all with different amounts of items needed to accomplish the
same goal needed to use teamwork
Mario
Chusy Kadima Convention 2013 - It’s a Mario Party
Program: We did a picture scavenge hunt (before shabbat) in order to find and save
Princess Peach.
Program: We also took Mario Mini games and did our own mini games like Donut
fishing, Gumba bowling, bombskitball, 4 corners.
Program: We had a BOO PJ party where we played (planned out) truth or dare and
other sleepover type activities.
Icebreaker: We played the fruit caller game, but instead of being fruit, our names were
Mario characters. (This is where you say your fruits name CALLING another person's
fruit name and so on but you can not show teeth)
Israel Program: Spies in the Israeli Army. We talked about Gilad Shelit and played a
negotiation game with them to show how the Israeli Government tries to get hostages
back.
We also had stations with activities with dealing with the different sections of the Israeli
army.
Stars throughout weekend: Throughout the weekend they were placed on teams and
each team would win "stars" when they won each activity. We also gave out personal
stars for people who made friends, helped out, sang ruach really loud, or when we felt
like it. These stars were kept on each kids nametag or the team's poster board and at
the end of the weekend the team with the most starts was the winner.
Mean Girls
Hanefesh Fall Convention 2013 - HaneFetch Fall Convention
Shabbat Program: Split up into groups (jocks, preps, nerds, etc.) and had a mean girls
competition. Rotations included: Memory game, Mean Girls trivia, Charades, Ruach
talent show, and a mathletes competition.
Educational Theme: Jewish Identity in High School. Discussed fitting in, and instances
of difficult to be Jewish in our schools (ex. Sports games on shabbat)
Dance: Dressed in Pink (and red). We talked about doing a “Spring Fling” King and
Queen too.
SATO: Candy Cane - O - Grams
Monopoly
Hanegev Regional Convention 2014 - Gev-opoly
Human Monopoly: Everyone was split into teams and had to go around to different
room and complete challenges in order to recieve monopoly money. Each room
represented either a different regional board position, a different sub-regional, or
summer programs. The team with the most money at the end was able to eat dinner
first.
Icebreaker: If you could create your own property what would it be?
Silent Cheer: “All I see is” and they repeat: “Dolla signs”
Nickelodeon
Hanefesh Spring Convention 2013 - Hanefelodeon Spring Convention
Shabbat Program: We split up into teams and had a round robin activity with different
challenges relating to Nick TV Shows. We did things like double dare activities, trivia,
charades, a card matching game (with nick characters), etc. We kept score with
stickers.
Icebreaker: We printed out all of the ingredients used in a krabby patty and groups had
to work to get the correct order of a crabby patty (seen in a spongebob episode, the
order is on the internet)
Dance: Dress as a Nick character
Night at the Museum
Emtza Winter Shabbaton 2014 - Night at the Jewseum: The Emtza Collections
Educational Theme: The last american jew (future), then Build your own jewseum
(present/future)
Program: Went to city museum Saturday Night
Nintendo
EPA/Hagesher Spring Convention 2014 - Springtendo 2014
No information given.
Outer Space
Hanefesh/Nerusy Encampment 2013 - Out of this world Encampment
Program: Watched Space Jam one night
Program: Intergalactic Iron Chef - basically your classic iron chef program, we just
made up space names for stuff
Maccabiah: Black and White colored teams
Amazing Race - shooting rockets into hula hoops, fill buckets up with water (fuel), sing
twinkle twinkle little star, solar system crossword puzzle, outer space word search
Shacharit Sunday: Outer Space Ipod Shacharit - all space themed songs
Program: We had a hypnotist come in one night
Crusy Fall Kinnus 2013
Dance: Space themed dance
Reality TV
Pinwheel Regional Convention 2013 - Wheel-ality TV
Shabbat Program: Rotation program with different gameshow games... Wheel of
fortune, jeopardy, etc.
Educational Theme: Judaism in relation to daily life (keeping Shabbat, kosher, etc.)
Program: Next top model--in groups with newspaper, tape, other materials and dress
one "model" to model the creation.
Program: Amazing race scavenger hunt around city
Scooby Doo
Seaboard Fall Convention 2013
Shabbat Program: At each station, each team had to defeat and catch a monster. To
do so, the team would do an activity related to the monster's powers. For example, the
Black Knight was a very good jouster, so at his station, the team was divided into two
groups, and each person from each group took a turn jousting each other (with
pillows).They each stood on a "platform" (another pillow), and whoever fell off first lost.
Icebreaker - Shaggy, Scooby, and Velma: One person is in the middle and points to
someone in the circle and says either “Shaggy,” “Scooby,” or “Velma”. The person
pointed to must respond with a name before the person in the middle can count out loud
to 4. The name the person shouts depends on the name the person in the middle says:
“Shaggy”: say the name of the person on your right.
“Scooby”: say your own name.
“Velma”: say the name of the person on your left.
If they succeed, the person in the middle stays and repeats the process with someone
else in the circle. If they fail, they change places with the person in the middle.
Program: "Scooby Doo: Coolsville High Reunion" The Scooby Doo gang attends their
30th High School Reunion. The gang remembers the only mystery (a murder) that they
could not solve when all of a sudden, the murderer from that mystery, reappears and
the gang must "go back in time" to figure out who the murderer was. Each team
received a packet of possible suspects (all of whom were different staff members" and
under each suspect was a short biography and list of miscellaneous things about them.
At each station, the team would do an activity that resulted in them finding a clue. The
team would use this clue to "cross out" a different suspect, and after they have finished
all the activities, they should be able to have found the murder. The teams could go to
any activity in any order that they chose.
Throw Backs
Hagalil Spring Convention 2014 - Throw Back Convention (TBC)
Icebreakers: 1) What social media do you check first in the morning?
2) What is your favorite hashtag?
3) If you could eliminate any one social media, which would it be?
4) What social media is most likely to keep you up until 3am?
5) Where do you post your pictures: facebook, instagram, or twitter?
6) For $1 million, would you go without any social media for a year
Educational Theme: The main discussion topic was whether the move towards a more
technological world was a good thing or a bad thing. We discussed the pros and cons of
social media. The main point throughout the convention was that while social media is
encouraged, remember to actually enjoy what is going on around you, and don't get
swallowed up in a digital world.
Miscellaneous: Ice breaker names were all "throwbacks" to our childhood (same with
Kitah)
When there were lulls in the convention (such as when votes were being counted during
elections), the co-chairs led trivia from the dais about shows or objects from our
childhoods (throwbacks). If the question was answered right, that person got a ticket
which was entered in a raffle.
Raffle: Had a raffle for throwback regalia
Wizard of Oz
Ein Gedi Spring Sub-Regional Convention 2014 - There’s No Place Like Ein Gedi
Program: Rotated along different stations walking down the yellow brick road.
Icebreakers: Named “Wizard of Oz” style. Example- Link, but instead of saying link we
said “Welcome to Munchkin Land”
Zombie Apocalypse
Ecrusy Fall Kinnus 2013
No information given