In "Visioning Justice" Daniel Sokatch (then Executive Director of PJA, now Exec Dir of New Israel Fund) said, "So much of Jewish history is about what people did to us. In Jewish social justice we say: What can we do to change history?" What is your response to this quote? What history are we changing or making?
I disagree with Sokatch that Jews were somehow passive figures in their own history. Our history, for me, is not about what others did to us, but rather how we responded during these times, what our values were, how we built communities and not only survived, but managed to thrive culturally, religiously and intellectually. Jewish history is filled with our engagement in social justice. Just because Jews weren't in power does not mean they were not impacting their own societies and their broader societies. It's a very narrow definition of social justice to say just because Jews didn't have the Progressive Jewish Alliance they weren't changing the world. Even when the Jews went out of slavery in Egypt, they took a stance for freedom. Rabbis in Talmudic times worked to uphold the Torah's order that we always remember the most vulnerable in our society; the stranger, the orphan and the widow. Though the Jews were kicked out of many countries and passed around, they never let go of their beliefs and values to educate their children and help the needy. Of course, American history is filled with Jews working to build a better society. Sokatch implies that you can only be an agent of change if you have money and/or are in power somehow. Does it become easier to make change when you have more resources? Possibly. But I think when a people has greater financial security, they have more distractions, more problems and less focus on real change.
In terms of the history we are making, since I'm living in Israel I find myself thinking about this issue all the time. In Israel Jews are the ones in power, so you could say it's much easier for us to control our destiny and shape our society. But a main struggle I see is Israelis wanting to build and create a just society but being too occupied with maintaining their physical security to do that. We are more captive than ever to another people. We are not nearly as free as we should be to make and change our history here. This is not to negate all of the change work that goes on here in civil rights, dialogue, poverty and hunger, but this work is not where it could and should be. The gap between rich and poor here is astounding.
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1. Daniel Sokatch, though wise and learned, is not a Rabbi...here's his bio: http://www.sfjcf.org/aboutjcf/bios/sokatch.asp
ReplyDelete2.I like your notion that Jewish history is about how Jews have responded to the situations they have been in. I also appreciate your recognition that power is a dynamic at play in the creating and telling of history.
3. I'm not sure about your inference that "Rabbi Sokatch implies that you can only be an agent of change if you have money and/or are in power somehow." Your follow up question, "Does it become easier to make change when you have more resources?" is an excellent one - when I was growing up in the Habonim Dror youth movement we were keenly aware that it was middle class parents who were sending their kids to learn about socialist ideals but that the socio-economic diversity of our camp experience did not match the greater society about which we were talking and learning.
4. In your last paragraph you name several big and important challenges that are very real in Israel and often provide obstacles to the very social justice work to which so many people are committed. I wonder, though, how you reconcile this paragraph with your opening idea that Jews are not subject to their history but shapers of it. For example, if Israelis hold values of social justice but do not actualize them are they shaping their history or letting others create a narrative that they are unable to do so because they are focused on security? What about people, for example, Shalom Achshav http://www.peacenow.org.il/site/en/peace.asp?pi=43, who are linking the security and justice narrative - that in order to have a safe and secure society, it must also be a just one?
Thank you, as always, for these! I'm really enjoying reading and thinking with you!! Chag Pesach Samecah, Jenni
Thanks for your comments, Jenni.
ReplyDelete3. My inference is based on his statement that our history is about what people did to us. That implies that things were being done to us and we couldn't stop it. These other peoples were able to do what they did (ie expel us from countries) because they possessed power that we did not.
4. I think that's the struggle in Israel: We are in power and can be shapers of our destiny, but are also being held back by external forces. I don't mean to say that throughout our history we were completely in control. I just really disagree that our history is about what others did to us. That's not how we tell our history to our children; that's other people tell their history ("And then we conquered the Jews"). Rather, when we tell our story we talk about our survival, our culture, our rabbis and communities--what we did is remarkable; how other peoples treated us is unremarkable. Today, in Israel it's unremarkable that there are still people who hate the Jews. We are still making history despite this, and that is remarkable. It's a daily struggle and Israelis haven't completely succeeded, but they are doing amazingly well considering all of the factors.
Also, just to clarify, when I wrote "security" I was referring to government funds relegated toward the military and maintaining a presence in Hebron, things like that, not the peace work that goes into maintaining security with countries within and outside our borders. When I hear people talk about security here, bitachon, they are always talking about the IDF.
ReplyDeleteYour notions of power are important ones in history and in service work. Developing and maintaining a strong awareness of power dynamics and how they play out is important - whether it is between communities or within a group, i.e., group leader with student participants.
ReplyDeleteAre you coming across anything at your work at Pardes that taps into the power dynamic question?
Absolutely, mainly in my Talmudic Personalities class. We read stories that demonstrate who the rabbis (may) have been as real people--what are their personalities, essence, values, strengths and limitations. We have read stories about the relationship between the Jews and the Romans mainly, and their perceptions of power (G-d in relation to the Romans and the Jews in relation to the Romans) and ultimate reward and punishment. Some of the rabbis, like Akiva, saw clearly the Romans as temporary power holders, very superficial and wealth oriented people, and G-d as the ultimate holder of power who will, at the right time, grant the Jewish people (the better people) their own power and sovereignty.
ReplyDeleteAt Peace Players, there is also an interesting power dynamic. It's all top-down. The students don't have any say in anything, it seems. The coach gives all direction. Even we the volunteers just do as she says. I think it would be a stronger program if the participants could have some control, or at least be given choices. They are certainly at an appropriate age for this--they are in 7th grade mostly.