The Next Chapter: Our Future Timeline

The Next Chapter: Our Future Timeline

This activity invites participants to look beyond the past and focus on their own role in shaping the future of the Jewish people. Participants will reflect on what they have learned, then imagine what positive events they hope to see on a future timeline—reinforcing a sense of hope, agency, and collective responsibility.

Age Group: 12–18

Group Size: Up to 25 participants

Time: 45–60 minutes

Materials Needed

• Copies of the Jewish Timeline brochure

• Blank index cards or sticky notes

• Markers or pens

• Large roll of paper or wall space to build a “future timeline”

• Optional: a camera for a group photo

Instructions

Step 1. Reflection

• Review the printed timeline one last time as a group.

• Ask:

  • “How do you feel when you see so many moments of persecution?”

  • “What do you know about the ways Jews rebuilt or thrived after hard times?”

  • “Where do you see yourself in this story?”

• Explain that Jewish history is still unfolding - and everyone has a part in writing what comes next.

Step 2. Envisioning the Future

• Give each participant 2–3 blank cards or sticky notes.

• Prompt: “Imagine it’s 20 or 50 years from now. What positive event do you hope would appear on a Jewish timeline?”

  • This could be personal, local, or global. Example: “A new Jewish cultural center opens,' 'I visit Israel with my family,” “A historic peace agreement is signed,” “Antisemitism declines dramatically.”

Step 3. Sharing and Building the Future Timeline

• Participants place their future events on a large paper roll or wall, extending the original timeline forward in time.

• Invite participants to cluster similar themes (e.g., Jewish education, peace/security, culture/arts, identity/pride). This makes patterns visible and sparks richer discussion.

• Invite volunteers to share what they wrote and explain why it matters to them.

Step 4. Group Discussion & Reflection

• Guide an open discussion:

  • “What patterns do we want to break or change in the future?”

  • “What values should we carry forward?”

  • “What can we do now to help make these future events possible?”

  • “What’s one step you could take this year that would help bring us closer to one of these future events?”

• Highlight connections to Jewish identity, community, and Israel.

Step 5. Closing Statement by the Leader

• Wrap up with a message: “This timeline does not end here - each of you is writing the next chapter every day. What you do today shapes tomorrow’s story for the Jewish people and the world.”

• Optional: Take a group photo with the future timeline as a keepsake and reminder.

Facilitator Tips

• Encourage creativity and personal connection.

• Keep the tone positive and inspiring.

• Remind participants that every idea, big or small, helps shape a hopeful future.

• Consider turning the future timeline into a display or sharing a photo with families or your wider community.