Chapter 3 – The Declaration, Difficult Decisions and the Price of Independence

1. Working in groups of four, rank the leadership qualities on the cards and agree on the three
qualities you consider most essential in a leader: Integrity, Reliability, Strong interpersonal
skills, Decision-making ability, Perseverance, Courage, Empathy, Listening skills, Flexibility,
Humility, Leading by example, Initiative, Creativity, Willingness to take risks, Self-confidence.
Caution.
Ask each group to present the qualities they chose.
2. Write the word Vision on one side of the board and Reality on the other.
Ask:
What matters more in leadership- a compelling vision for the future or a realistic
understanding of present circumstances and constraints?
3. Ask each participant to think of a decision made by a leader, any leader from school, the
country, a youth movement, or elsewhere, and place that decision somewhere along the
spectrum between vision and necessity.
Discussion:
• Where would you place Ben-Gurion’s decision that we saw in the video?
• Did he have any alternative options?
• What might have happened if he had not made that decision?

Ben-Gurion was a courageous leader with a clear vision, and he did everything in his power
to realize it.
The declaration of independence, despite the many risks and heavy costs involved, reflects a
leader who was not afraid to act and who did everything he could for what he believed was
right for the Jewish people.