Several weeks ago, I was contacted by my student Ellen Weismer and asked to speak to her Midrasha class of 11th and 12th graders. Ellen is a DYNAMO; she is everywhere, inspiring the Jewish community in Madison. She has worked at Camp Shalom, she teaches Israeli dance, she is involved in Gan Ha'Yeled, the Jewish preschool in Madison, and she is a powerful yogi! Wow. I admire her dedication to the Jewish community, her generous spirit, and her laughter! The Midrasha students are very lucky to have her as a teacher.
Midrasha is the Madison Hebrew high school. Beth Israel Center, Temple Beth El, and the Jewish Federation all jointly run the program. Students take Hebrew, Jewish studies, and other classes. When I went last Wednesday, March 21, I was inspired to see the classes so full and thriving. I was proud to be a part of the Madison Jewish community, and I was honored to be asked to speak to such a large group of students.
I prepared a slideshow for the class, but initially spent a lot of time talking about language. It is better to acknowledge up front that you may say words (Palestine, Israel, settlement, apartheid wall or separation wall) which trigger ingrained responses of anger or indignation. I called on the students to listen, not to what they THINK I was saying, but what I really was saying. I mentioned how language is a form of respect, and I respect all the groups I work with in OTYF. Each person may think that because I used a certain word, I AM something (pro-Israel, pro-Palestinian). But I challenged them to go beyond labels they are used to using and listen. And they did.
I knew a few of the students from when they were much younger, and it moved me to see them listen intently to the stories about the women and children I taught last summer. Their questions moved me, and their genuine interest in OTYF's mission floored me. Several students stayed after class and thanked me and asked me questions about how they can help OTYF. Again, I learned that if you speak with love and respect AND call upon the listeners to listen powerfully, you can create huge possibility.
Thank you, Ellen, for inviting me to share OTYF with your students.
