Opinion – Judy Harris: Clap, clap, rock, paper, scissors; sobering experience in children’s game


“Learn to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.” Leonardo da Vinci

Our 1999 fellowship paired Jordan and Israel. The Israel portion covered the country from the Sea of Galilee in the north to Masada and the Dead Sea and Eilat in the south, from Bethlehem in the east to Haifa on the Mediterranean.

We’d finish with time in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

Map of Isreal – Brittanica

It was a lovely evening in Haifa. Several of us were drawn to the high promenade overlooking the Haifa port: Fairy lights dotted the trees, locals were gathered around café tables enjoying conversation and ice cream, children were playing games, pleasant music drifted from the shops, a delightful summer evening.

I noticed the children were playing hand-clapping games. I collected such games in other countries. American children played rock/paper/scissors, pease porridge hot, Miss Mary Mack Mack Mack. When we turned to head back to the hotel, we stopped by one of the families to ask about the game.

Offering my business card, we explained that we were teachers in Israel for study. I was interested in learning their game.

The two young girls were eager to teach me.

Clap, clap, pointer fingers pointing straight up. Clap, clap, pointer fingers pointing at the partner. Clap, clap, arms crisscrossed on one’s chest.

“When fingers point straight up, I won’t shoot; you are safe. When fingers point at you, you’re dead. When my arms cross my chest, I cannot be killed.”

These were young children, five or six years old.

This was an upscale neighborhood. The violence of this simple game struck us. We tried to mask our reactions.

As we headed to the hotel, we connected this game to the large numbers of young people dressed in army uniforms, the conscription that we’d seen throughout the country. This was a military country going about its business, ever ready.

Yes, as we’d heard, “Israel is in a very dangerous neighborhood.”

Judy Harris is well established in Northern Kentucky life, as a longtime elementary and university educator. A graduate of Thomas More, she began her career there in 1980 where she played a key role in teacher education and introduced students to national and international travel experiences. She has traveled and studied extensively abroad. She enjoys retirement yet stays in daily contact with university students.


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