Cynthia H. Roberts
Israel is a new country with a mixture of modern buildings and old forts. Leisure time is spent listening to the radio and attending movies theaters, dance and concerts. Some of the favorite sports in Israel include: basketball, hiking, rowing, sailing, skin diving, soccer and swimming. Much of the time the weather is quite warm—children lead an out-of-doors life which includes picnics, camping, and excurisons to historical places. A favorite party in Israel is the Kumsitz (from the German, “Come sit”). At this party, the children sit around the camp-fire at night to sing and clap. Often the words are only “La, La La”. The national dance of Israel is the Hora. It is a circle dance that is enjoyed by people throughout the world. It is danced to the music of “Hava Nagila” and may be found on most records and in most Jewish or Israeli books.
City children of Israel play many games exactly as children of the United States. Some favorite partly games are: Blindman’s Buff, Jack and Ball, musical chairs, and Red light-green light. Name games are common in both countries.