Thank you for sharing this. This is a voice of humility in ignorance; yet, profound empathy, vulnerability, courage and trust in loving relationships. Where are all the emotionally intelligent people like K? Let’s find as many as we can!
Elissa, thank you for this. I'm new to your Substack (via Elyse Fenton), and this resonated deeply. As a Soviet immigrant to the US, I struggle with conflicting feelings all the time—profound love for/gratitude to the United States and equally deep doubt and disquiet and worry. (I wrote about this literally less than 24 hours ago, so it's very much on my mind: https://open.substack.com/pub/irenasmith/p/this-is-not-a-political-post?r=xmo7s&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web). And I have the same question you do: why don't more of us acknowledge complexities? Why can’t we acknowledge the humanity of the people across an often contrived divide? Why is it so hard to be heartbroken for more than one group of people at the same time? Like you, I don't have answers, but THANK YOU for asking the questions and for engaging in conversation. I look forward to being here.
It is a beautiful message but its most profound aspect, to me, is its open-mindedness as opposed to the closed-mindedness of so many people on both sides of various political divides. This person freely acknowledges that she is ignorant of many things, as all of us are. She reaches out trying to find answers. This is the Socratic method of debate. Isn't it being taught anymore? (This is a rhetorical question; I know it's not).
As to the content of what she wrote, I have taught many Israeli-Palestinian students. Most of them would rather be eaten by sharks than live under Hamas. It does not mean they are Zionists; it means they are Israelis. They share the culture, slang, social connections, and everything else that beings citizens of the same country means. I have heard from many of them now in the US and Europe that they connect better with Jewish Israelis than with Arabs from Qatar or elsewhere. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not about religion (many Palestinians are not Muslim), let alone race (you cannot tell Jewish and Arab Israelis from each other by appearance). It is a political conflict between two nations that could have been solved a long time ago. Unfortunately, now it has become a global conflagration stoked by antisemites and jihadists.
Thank you for sharing this. This is a voice of humility in ignorance; yet, profound empathy, vulnerability, courage and trust in loving relationships. Where are all the emotionally intelligent people like K? Let’s find as many as we can!
Absolutely, and let's BE them as well!
Thank you for sharing this beautiful piece, in time for Shabbat.
Elissa, thank you for this. I'm new to your Substack (via Elyse Fenton), and this resonated deeply. As a Soviet immigrant to the US, I struggle with conflicting feelings all the time—profound love for/gratitude to the United States and equally deep doubt and disquiet and worry. (I wrote about this literally less than 24 hours ago, so it's very much on my mind: https://open.substack.com/pub/irenasmith/p/this-is-not-a-political-post?r=xmo7s&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web). And I have the same question you do: why don't more of us acknowledge complexities? Why can’t we acknowledge the humanity of the people across an often contrived divide? Why is it so hard to be heartbroken for more than one group of people at the same time? Like you, I don't have answers, but THANK YOU for asking the questions and for engaging in conversation. I look forward to being here.
Elyse is the best. I'm so glad you're here!
I also experienced it as a balm. It is really this that I want and need from humanity. My gratitude for you and her sharing it.
It is a beautiful message but its most profound aspect, to me, is its open-mindedness as opposed to the closed-mindedness of so many people on both sides of various political divides. This person freely acknowledges that she is ignorant of many things, as all of us are. She reaches out trying to find answers. This is the Socratic method of debate. Isn't it being taught anymore? (This is a rhetorical question; I know it's not).
As to the content of what she wrote, I have taught many Israeli-Palestinian students. Most of them would rather be eaten by sharks than live under Hamas. It does not mean they are Zionists; it means they are Israelis. They share the culture, slang, social connections, and everything else that beings citizens of the same country means. I have heard from many of them now in the US and Europe that they connect better with Jewish Israelis than with Arabs from Qatar or elsewhere. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not about religion (many Palestinians are not Muslim), let alone race (you cannot tell Jewish and Arab Israelis from each other by appearance). It is a political conflict between two nations that could have been solved a long time ago. Unfortunately, now it has become a global conflagration stoked by antisemites and jihadists.