<HTML>I brought in to class the other day an editorial written about some of the
recent issues relating to Kosovo. (I teach in a girls high school in
Israel - Pelech).
I began with a background introduction to the conflict. Then, through
reading the article, we discussed some of the relevant issues, i.e. if the
comparison to the Holocaust is accurate, if (Israeli foreign minister
Ariel) Sharon's comparison to the Palestinian situation is appropriate,
etc.
In the first part of the discussion, all the students made it quite clear
that this is a terrible tragedy, etc. and esp. as Jews, knowing what it
means to be oppressed, it is clear that we should help.
In discussing then what one can do to help as a country and as an
individual, the conversation shifted gears. When it was suggested that as
individuals we should, perhaps, send money to the refugees, most of the
class immediately jumped up and said that we have enough of our own to
help and that Israel has enough of her own problems. According to this
group, we ought not send more help than we already have (and that what we
sent was already a lot). To my surprise very few students realized the
importance of helping a nation to whom a terrible, inhumane tragedy has
occurred (esp. after just discussing the Holocaust and how no one was
willing to help the Jews). Of course they quoted the halachic obligation
to help our own first. Only one student pointed out that many people who
will give money to help out in Kosovo would not necessarily have given
that money to a Jewish cause. She also pointed out that one cannot
compare the needs of even the most needy people in our country to the
tragedies that are taking place in Kosovo.
It was interesting for me to see what an argument (including lots of
screaming) ensued with most of the class vehemently objecting to giving
any money. I had mistakenly thought that having a tzedaka drive in the
school to raise money was an obvious thing to do. I'm not sure if this
reflects an insensitivity to other nations, etc. or a preoccupation with
our own problems. I also think it is part of a broader problem I have
noticed among my high school students which is a lack willingness to
accept responsibility for others.
This actually may be a good forum in which to try to teach them the
importance of assuming responsibility for others. In terms of the
halachic obligation to help our own first, the gemara in Gitin 61a says
that we support the poor of the non-Jews also because of darchei shalom.
Michelle Farber</HTML>
