Vayetze The Dream of Jacob Carol Brauner 13 November 2010

Carol Brauner is Director of International Development at Leo Baeck Education Center Haifa

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I always think of November as a month of broken dreams.

November 1938 Kristallnacht.

Though only a child, I remember exactly where I was on November 22, 1963 when President Kennedy was assassinated.  It was a Friday evening in London; the Shabbat candles were lit; we were about to sit down for dinner.  It was the first time I saw my father cry.  A proud American who served his country in the 2nd World War, he said the world would never be the same.

I remember exactly where I was on November 4th 1995 the night when Yitzchak Rabin, Israeli warrior turned peacemaker, was assassinated.  This time I was an Olah Hadassah, it was Motzei Shabbat and I was watching the Tel Aviv Peace Rally on television.  My husband, proud Israeli who served his country in too many wars wept and said that Yisrael Ha'Yaffa, Beautiful Israel, was dead.

November 1985, Operation Moses, the fulfillment of the Sigd, the Ethiopian Jews' longing to return to Zion.  Today Israel's 120,000 strong Ethiopian community continues to struggle for acceptance and equality in Israeli society. What happened to their dream?

Could it be that the Comic Strip character Pogo, was right when he said, "We have met the enemy and he is us…"
 
"Theodor Herzl, father of modern Zionism who some call the "father of Israel" would have been 150 this year. What do you think he would have thought of our Israel 2010?

Herzl wrote Altneuland in 1902, basing his vision of a Jewish Commonwealth on three pillars; social solidarity, civic equality for all and a delicate balance between individual freedom and the role of religion in society.  All three were crucial building blocks of the new State of Israel in 1948. 

But 108 years later, Herzl's Vision and our Reality are moving in opposite directions and our Jewish Family, you in the Diaspora and us in Israel, are often saddened and angry with one another.
   
Herzl for his part did not believe in our "ethical purity"; he knew that we Jews are no different from anyone else. No angels…

At home in Israel I recently watched a reality programme called "What Would YOU Do?"  A hidden camera films unsuspecting members of the public in controversial situations.  An Israeli Arab actress wearing the hijab walks into a crowded petrol station-café and asks for a coffee.  The Jewish owner, also an actor, refuses to serve her yelling "I don't serve Arabs".  How I wanted the customers who were being secretly filmed, to stand up against the bad Jew. 

52% of the customers actively defended the Arab women.  42% did nothing. 5% stated on camera that Arabs should stay in their place.  The most tragic character was the well-dressed quiet young man who turned away.  When our Arab actress yelled, "Do something, help me", the young man said nothing.  "What's your name" she shouted, "Moshe" he said.  She looked straight in his eyes and shouted in Arabic, "Moshe? You're one of us!"  Later, when questioned on camera he shrugged his shoulders and said, "I just don't want any trouble."

A survey last March showed that nearly half of Israel's high school students do not believe that Israeli-Arabs are entitled to the same rights as Jews. The same poll revealed that given the choice, more than half the students would deny Arabs the right to be elected to the Knesset.

What on earth has happened to us, the Children of Israel?

I would like to think that Herzl would look at the Leo Baeck Education Center, Haifa, your partner community in Israel and one of Israel's finest institutions of education, social action and Progressive Judaism, and recognize that his vision is our reality.  

Thanks to you our Northwood friends, last summer 126 Arab and Jewish children - Moslem, Christian, Ethiopian, Russian, native Israeli – many from backgrounds of extreme hardship, spent two weeks having fun as they learned about one another, shared new experiences and made music together at our 19th Arab Jewish Summer Camp.  (click here for report on the the summer camp)

Two weeks ago I spent the day in Um el Fahem, a Moslem town in the Galilee, considered a hotbed of Islamic Fundamentalism.  Why was I there?  As part of our Schools for Human Rights programme and Tony Blair Face to Faith programme, Leo Baeck is building an educational partnership with Moslem schools aimed at instilling in all our children their right and obligation to live freely, equally and peacefully in Israel.

Our 15 year old student Yoni, who spoke here at NPLS last year, described the first Leo Baeck visit to Um el Fahem, "our adrenalin was pumping on the bus, who knew what dangers awaited us; our parents were panicked, but they didn't dare stop us, it was a school trip after all."  "In the end it was almost a letdown. We exchanged gifts with the Moslem kids, ate breakfast together and a little later 3 of my new Arab friends asked me what the Jews say about Um el Fahem "outside"." "I was honest, "The Islamic Movement is strong in your town and it's frightening for us." "My new friends said, but religion's a good thing; religion is always good, isn't it?"  

On 1st December, Erev Chanukah and International Aids Day, our Jewish students and their Moslem partners will light 8 Candles for the Human Rights most precious to them.  We hope that you at NPLS will join us by lighting your candles in the same spirit - a symbol of our commitment as human beings and as Jews to the values of Human Rights.

106 years after Herzl's death, and with Jacob's Dream this week's parasha I wonder about our Jewish Dream.  Have we failed to serve as an example, are we spiritually shrunken and what, if anything binds us together as a People, a family?

I am a Diaspora Jew and an Israeli Jew; I believe that in spite of our differences what must bind us together are our common values of righteousness, justice, mercy, charity, honesty and the value of human life that Judaism has taught throughout the ages. 

OUR DREAM as Jews and as Israelis must be to stand for something in this world – human decency.

Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav wrote, "If you won't be better tomorrow than you were today, then what need do you have for tomorrow?"