I just heard this interview with an Orthodox rabbi who lives in the West Bank and is working with his Palestinian neighbours to create recognition by both sides of the others' stories, thereby addressing the fear and the ignorance. I thought you might appreciate it in light of the conversation you started.
I've been playing with the idea that it's not fear that is the problem, rather the self-righteous justification of violence and abuse of power that comes out a sense of victimization. As with your discussion of fear, there is usually a factual basis for feeling abused and often a legitimate claim for redress and institutional change. It is when victimization becomes the foundation of one's ethnic identity that true problems arise because then power acquired is used to victimize others with no transition to toleration of differences in sight.
I just heard this interview with an Orthodox rabbi who lives in the West Bank and is working with his Palestinian neighbours to create recognition by both sides of the others' stories, thereby addressing the fear and the ignorance. I thought you might appreciate it in light of the conversation you started.
https://open.substack.com/pub/danielgordis/p/i-suddenly-realized-i-didnt-know?r=49vex&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Excellent!
well written and honest! xo
I've been playing with the idea that it's not fear that is the problem, rather the self-righteous justification of violence and abuse of power that comes out a sense of victimization. As with your discussion of fear, there is usually a factual basis for feeling abused and often a legitimate claim for redress and institutional change. It is when victimization becomes the foundation of one's ethnic identity that true problems arise because then power acquired is used to victimize others with no transition to toleration of differences in sight.
So glad you wrote about this. Not easy. But so vital. And so well done.
Brilliantly written Aviva