Yesterday was a difficult day. As Daniel Gordis described it: A yom kasheh – a tough day. It’s irrelevant if the decisions of the Israeli government regarding the flotilla were right or wrong. There are as many articles being published in Israel by fathers and mothers of Israeli soldiers calling the operation a debacle as there are hailing the bravery of our Israeli boys and nefariousness of the so-called “peace activists” (see the Gordis piece above). And now government ministers are protesting that they were not included in the decision. I’m not sure we’ll ever really know the truth of what happened, but what concerns me is something different: What has this conflict done to our sense of humanity and how will it impact on what we teach the next generation.
I’m an old-time Zionist whose pride in Israel was shaped by the events of June 1967. But as I grew, my belief in the righteousness of Jewish nationalism was enhanced by another Jewish value: “That which is hateful to you, don’t do to another.” As a Jewish educator, I try to teach that the value of Tzedek – Justice, is a fundamental component of Jewish living, especially expressed in the context of the Jewish State. It is for this reason that I am repulsed by Golda Meir’s statement of how difficult it will be for Israel to forgive Arab leaders for “forcing us to kill their children.” You see, it’s us, the Jews/Zionists/Israelis who are choosing to squeeze the trigger. Yes, it is in self defense, but I can’t help but wonder if there could be another way.
Zionism is not a movement to create a country that’s just like others, like Thailand or Russia. Its mission is to create a Jewish state – a place where Jewish values thrive. Kedoshim Tehee’yoo – You shall be Holy. These words are from the book of Leviticus, in Parashat Kedoshim. Kadosh means special, distinct. Not like everyone else. It means that we need to take the extra step towards imitating God, in whose image we were created. This belief informs how I approach what happens in Israel, which I consider my homeland, from which I live in exile. I don’t know how to reconcile a blockade of 1.4 million people with holiness. And Hamas be damned – we are talking about human beings. Kids. Old people. They are suffering. Hamas is forcing us to do this? We are squeezing the trigger. How is this holy behavior? In the name of self-defense can one put striving towards holiness on hold? How do I explain this to a 7th grader?
Yes we are at war, and we need to defend ourselves. But, are we doing it the right way, the just way? How do we teach this to our kids? I don’t know. That’s what’s scaring me and made yesterday a yom kasheh.
Peter Eckstein began his career a Jewish educator in 1982 on Kibbutz Ketura, working with children of all ages and serving as the kibbutz Education Coordinator. In 1993 upon returning to the U.S. he became the Director of Education and Programming at Temple Israel in West Palm Beach. Currently he is the Director of Congregational Learning at Temple Beth David in Palm Beach Gardens. In addition, serves as the Technology Integration Educator for the Friedman Commission for Jewish Education.He was very active with the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education as programming co-chair, Shabbat chair and conference chair for several conferences. He has taught professional development for educators, Judaic adult education classes, and the Palm Beach County’s “Introduction to Judaism” course for those seeking to become part of the community. He is specializing in teaching educators how to integrate Education Technology into the Jewish classroom. He has also served on the faculty at URJ Camp Coleman as an informal Jewish educator.Peter is fascinated by how technology and experiential education will aid in the transmission of Jewish awareness to the next generations
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