[HANASHIR:14327] Re: Another Hatikvah question

[rahel <rahel...>]

Shalom,

A few years ago I was teaching a group of 8th/9th graders at Hebrew High. I 
was asked why, (here at school) we only learn about the Jews - Jewish 
perspective - on events in Israel? My answer was that they were here at 
Hebrew High to get a Jewish education - to understand how Jews think and 
feel - on any and all issues! This answer did not satisfy some of the 
students, and after more discussion, it came to light that what the 
students wanted was a more balanced perspective - they wanted to know about 
the Jews AND they wanted to know other perspectives as well. Because then 
they could formulate their own educated opinions. The staff took the 
students' point into consideration. We tried to invite guest speakers to 
present their perspectives on issues. We tried to present subjects based 
only on facts. Did we satisfy the students? Perhaps. Somewhat. In my 
opinion, we wasted a lot of valuable time. So little time is allowed in our 
busy lives to teaching Jews about Jews. Let's just stick to the point, 
shall we?

The next year, in a different class at a different synagogue, I was asked 
by a student if I could teach the class about Jesus Christ. I declined 
stating that we were here to learn about Judaism. I suggested that they 
could research about Jesus Christ in many other places and on their own time.

Teens are notorious for trying to manipulate a discussion AWAY from the 
required curriculum. They love to distract a teacher off subject!

It is our job as educators to make sure that our Jewish students receive a 
Jewish education. We are not Arabs, Palestinians, Christians, Buddhists or 
anyone else. We are Jews. We are Jews because our Jewish heritage has been 
taught us throughout the centuries and throughout the generations. It is 
our job to teach Hatikvah with the correct wording that is sung IN ISRAEL 
because it is Israel's national anthem. It is our job to teach about Israel 
because it is part of our heritage (and identity) as Jews. It is our job to 
teach the Jewish perspective about various world issues and events as much 
as it is our job to teach the Jewish perspective on sex, drugs and rock and 
roll. It is our job to teach about G-d. Yes, G-d IS part of being Jewish. I 
am assuming that parents send their children to Sunday/Hebrew school to get 
a Jewish education. I am assuming that this means we are to teach about 
Jewish laws, traditions AND perspective, and not just to have students 
learn a Hebrew passage memorized and chanted by rote in order to 
participate in some vague and meaningless ceremony commonly known as a 
"Bar/Bat Mitzvah".

If singing Hatikvah (correctly) is, or becomes irrelevant to us as Jews, 
because we are overly concerned about someone else's opinion and reaction 
our country's national anthem, then I really don't know what we're doing 
here anymore at all. To me this is a NON-issue. As Jews, we sing HaTikvah 
because it is part of our Jewish lives. It is the national anthem of a 
legitimate state, part of the United Nations and today's world.

Teens, especially, need to know firmly and without question, what it means 
to be a Jew. We, as Jewish educators, must accept our role and 
responsibility in passing on our Jewish identity, laws, traditions, customs 
and national anthems to our youth.

Rahel








At 11:48 AM 5/19/2003 -0400, you wrote:
>Another question about this song...
>
>In my work as a religious school teacher, songleader and music specialist, 
>I have lately been questioned by my older students (middle and high school 
>age) about the "relevance" of singing Hatikvah in light of current events. 
>As one of my seventh-graders put it, "If I were an Arab member of the 
>Knesset and had to stand while the song was being sung at the opening of 
>session, I'm not sure HOW I'd feel. It sure doesn't speak to the 
>Israeli-Arab's view of things."
>
>I've already brought this question to my Educator, who says to welcome the 
>questions, but that as long as the song remains the national anthem of 
>Israel, we will sing it (and I will continue to teach it) at religious 
>school Israeli-related events.
>
>I would welcome the perspectives of other teachers who have faced similar 
>questions, and how they worked with them in the context of a lesson. 
>Thanks in advance. --Beth Hamon