Igor & the Cranes Journey Educational Study Guide by Ittay Flescher Synopsis: Igor & the Cranes Journey is the first feature film from director Evgeny Ruman, and it s an emotional experience. Igor s story depicts almost every challenge a child could deal with. His parents are divorced and he tries to understand why he can t stay with his father; he moves to a new city, leaving his friends behind; and he encounters first love. Ruman presents each moment with a realism that instantly connects the audience to the characters. Igor s transformation feels very natural and Itai Shcherback s performance perfectly depicts a young, complaining child who develops into a man more equipped to deal with life s challenges. The relationship between Igor and his new Israeli friend Vered is also a highlight of the film. Migration is a test of personality and character. Some pass it, some fail, but no one stays the same as before - Evgeny Ruman, Director Igor & the Cranes Journey is suitable for students from Grade 4 to Year 10 undertaking: History/humanities English/ ESL Hebrew Russian Geography Igor & the Cranes Journey is suitable for units on the following subjects: Immigration Civics and Citizenship Family Community and Identity Combatting Bullying Bird Migration 1
Aliyah to Israel When someone moves to Israel, it is known in Hebrew as aliya meaning to go up. Israel is a country of permanent immigration meaning that people are always moving there. Aliyah to Israel is unique; it is very different to migration to other places. The Law of Return allows Jews and their families to immigrate permanently to Israel and receive citizenship, generally immediately. Jewish immigration from other lands is very important to the State of Israel and is actively encouraged as a way to build the population. Unlike many other countries who limit the number of people who can move there each year, Israel not only welcomes Jewish refugees and immigrants without limit, but the state also helps them to adjust to their new setting with financial assistance and language classes, as well as temporary accommodation. At present, more than a quarter of the current Israeli population was born somewhere else 1 Figure 1: Israel Among Major Western Nations: Proportion of Foreign-Born Total Population, 2007 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Hungary Finland Portugal Czech Republic Slovak Republic Denmark France Norway United Kingdom Netherlands Belgium Spain Sweden United States Austria Ireland Canada New Zealand Switzerland Australia ISRAEL Luxembourg The backgrounds of the people moving to a country can make a big difference to their new homeland. In Australia, Irish immigrants in the 1800s were crucial to the survival of the new colonies, where people were needed for the workforce and population growth. Post-war Immigration of people from places such as Italy, Greece, China, Vietnam and India brought new culture, foods, music and fashion. These are just a few examples of how immigrants have shaped the way Australian society appears today. 1 http://www.herzliyaconference.org/_uploads/3046aliyah.pdf 2
Russian Israelis From late 1989 over 1.2 million immigrants entered Israel, some 85% from the former Soviet Union (FSU); an addition to the Israeli population of some 25%. Since 1990, Israel, now a country of over 7,100,000 people, has taken in more than one million people. In proportional terms, this is equivalent to Australia absorbing over 3.5 million new immigrants. Israel s immigration rate in the early 1990s was higher than that of any Western country at the time. Immigrants from the FSU are the second-largest group, after native Israelis, of the Israeli Jewish population. The aliyah of this highly educated and professionally qualified group has made an impact on various spheres of Israeli life, including the rapid development of the hi-tech and military industries, as well as educational, cultural, and healthcare systems, and the opening of new internal and external trade and business markets. At the same time, the immigration of hundreds of thousands of people with different cultural backgrounds became a challenge for Israeli society, further complicating its social and political controversies and diversity, and, no less important, contributing to the current tense ideological discussions about the future of Israel as the Jewish state 1. Aliyah Questions In both Israel and Australia, at least a quarter of the population is born overseas. What impact can this have on a country? What are some unique challenges that may have been faced by Russian immigrants to Israel? Can you list some positive changes that immigrants might bring to their new lands? What are some reasons why people may be fearful or resentful of new immigrants? 1 http://www.herzliyaconference.org/_uploads/3046aliyah.pdf 3
The Migration Experience I believe that Igor & the Cranes Journey touches the core of the migration experience: dealing with new surroundings, a new language etc. and above all with coming to terms with oneself. It is a test of personality and character some pass it, others fail, but no one stays the same as before. This is a charming and moving story about the way a young boy deals with problems that even grownups fail at and actually succeeds in a very unconventional way in our modernised world by connecting to the world of nature. The adventure he goes through, together with the cranes journey is exactly the adventure I would like to present to the audience young people and also their parents. - Director, Evgeny Ruman 1 Migration Questions What are some of the main challenges faced by Igor when he moves from Russia to Israel? In the film, Igor is initially not included in his peer group. How do you explain the change in his classmates reaction to him from the beginning to the end of the film? What do you think of the strategies Igor employs to become a part of his class? (drawing pictures, involving students in a personal project etc.) Could these strategies serve as a model for migrants from other countries? 1 http://www.sola-media.com/index.php?id=36&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5bbackpid%5d=38&tx_ttnews%5btt_ news%5d=112 4
Further Reading Aliyah to The Movies: Russian and Israeli Cinema, Olga Gershenson www.jewishquarterly.org/ 2011/05/aliyah-to-the-movies Details for visiting the Hula Valley Bird Festival www.hulabirdfestival.org Cranes in Israel: From Pesky Pest to Valued Guest Like many countries, Israel tried to drain its swamplands, and then realised it was destroying wildlife habitats. So the country changed its policy, and has been restoring the wetlands of the Hula Valley in the north. 1 Since the cranes became regular guests in the valley in the early 90s, close to 30,000 of them land from October to March to rest and feed en route from Eastern Europe to Africa. In the first years of the cranes landings, they caused considerable amage to crops. The large birds found abundant food in the nearby fields, which are sown at the beginning of winter. At first, frustrated farmers tried to scare them away with loud noises and paragliders. When this failed, the authorities feared some farmers would harm the cranes. In 2000 the farmers found a solution. They started scattering corn kernels for the cranes twice a day in a designated area, amounting to some 200 tons over the winter. This stopped the birds from wandering to the nearby fields and eating the crops. It also created a major tourist attraction in the Upper Galilee, as thousands of visitors come to the nature reserve daily to watch thousands of cranes feeding. 2 Ingredients to a successful migration The migration of cranes from Eastern Europe to nesting grounds in Africa is a perilous journey, with more than half of the young cranes not surviving their first voyage. Aliyah is not always successful either, with 25% of North American Jews, 18% of Argentinian Jews, 16% of French Jews and 6% of Russian Jews returning back to their home countries after making Aliyah. 3 How do you explain the difference in percentages of migrants returning home from different countries? For example, why do you think more people from North America return home compared to Russia? In what ways is the filmmaker drawing a parallel between the experience of cranes and migrants? 1 http://www.npr.org/2013/02/24/172709727/israel-restores-wetlands-birds-make-it-their-winter-home 2 http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/hula-valley-cranes-get-new-feeding-site-after-old-one-flooded-by-israel-sheavy-storm.premium-1.492999 3 Israel, the Diaspora, and Jewish identity / edited by Danny Ben-Moshe and Zohar Segev. Author:. Publisher: Brighton [England] : Sussex Academic Press, 2007. 5