Making Polarization a Last Resort

W I N T E R 2 0 1 1 W W W. T I K K U N . O R G T I K K U N 63 T rue healing rarely conforms to ideological preconceptions. Itisimportanttolisten.Mymostfrequentmistake istryingtoimposemypointofvieworotherpersonal expectation on a multifaceted world. When we set outtoimprovelifeforotherswithoutafundamentalunderstanding of their point of view and quality of experience, we do more harm than good. Often, little more is required than to listen. The best change is one that enables those with plugged ears to hear what the so-called “voiceless” have been voicing all along. When we do set out to actively change systems, it is important that we implement the changes people request of us, or that we at leasttrytoapproximatethosechanges.Sometimesoureffortsare imperfect. It is better to implement an imperfect change that our religious, as they do our civil rights, by putting all on anequalfooting.Butmoreremainstobedone,foralthough wearefreebythelaw,wearenotsoinpractice. Here in Palestine, we unfortunately face a unique narrative that acquired tremendous power and resulted in a large population of refugees after World War II. The question many Jews are struggling with is how to separate this Zionist narrative from the rich and wonderful history of Jewish contributions to humanity. The way forward is certainly not to replace the Zionist narrative withanothertheocraticnarrative(basedinsteadonmisrepresentation of another great religion) but to apply the remedy that Jefferson spoke of to Noah. Transforming Palestine/Israel into a state for all its people with a constitution that separates religion from state power is described in detail in my book Sharing the Land of Canaan. This is the path that will ensure survival and prosperity to all people regardless of their particular narrative. That is the real road to peace and the path that will make us a “light unto the nations.” ■ MakingPolarizationaLastResort byLaurenReichelt LaurenReicheltistheDirectorofHealthandHumanServicesforRioArribaCountyinNorthernNewMexico.Shestrivestoimprovequalityandaccess tohealthcareforminoritiesbyimprovingandimplementingsoundpublichealthpolicy. 25 YEARS OF TIKKUN The9millionolivetreesintheWestBankareamainstayofthePalestinian economy, though subject to theft, destruction, and violence against harvesters by Israeli settlers. The author writes of the narratives that are makingitimpossibletosharethelandofCanaan. CREATIVE COMMONS/MICHAELRAMALLAH 64 T I K K U N W W W. T I K K U N . O R G W I N T E R 2 0 1 1 25 YEARS OF TIKKUN I t was the final meeting of our course on “The Binding of Isaac in Jewish and Christian Traditions.” It was time to descend from the mountaintop after an intensive exploration of this dramatic biblical text and a variety of post-biblical commentaries on it. Class by class we moved from Genesis 22 to the works of the early rabbis and Church Fathers, to medieval philosophical and mystical interpretations, to modern literary adaptations of this ancient and timeless narrative. On this last day of discussion, something special happened as the level of trust in the room peaked. After nine weeks of studying together, the twenty or so rabbinical and ministerial students from Hebrew College and Andover Newton Theological School shared of themselves with unprecedented honesty and vulnerability. The catalyst for the conversation was a poem entitled “Heritage” (and especially its final lines) by the modern Israeli poet, Hayim Gouri: … Isaac, as the story goes, was not sacrificed. He lived for many years, saw what pleasure had to offer, until his eyesight dimmed. But he bequeathed that hour to his offspring. They are born with a knife in their hearts. After discussing at length various literary and historical dimensions of this heartrending poem—including the place of the Holocaust and the establishment of the State of Israel in Gouri’s work—my co-teacher from Andover Newton, Dr. Gregory Mobley , and I invited the students to reflect on the poem personally. Within a few moments several hands went up throughout the room. A rabbinical student who had just become a father spoke of the great sense of trepidation he felt when thinking about the pain he might cause his son in the name of God and other lofty ideals. An African American student from Andover Newton spoke of the difficulty of carrying the sacrificial theodicy she had learned in her childhood congregation: that her ancestors bore the burdens of discrimination and oppression so that she and her classmates could live better lives. Students from both schools shared their...