OPINION: Harness the voice of the peace-seeker
This week’s Progressive Judaism column asks: how can we harness the voice of the peace-keeper?
By Rabbi Miriam Berger
Another three-year old playing too roughly with my son brings out the lioness response in me. On a different scale, an attack on Jews, be it rockets in Sderot, a Jewish museum in Brussels or the brutal murder of three teenage boys in the West Bank, does much the same thing.
The difference for me is that when my son is pushed off the roundabout in the park so bigger boys can have a go, I can wade in.
I can speak in an authoritarian voice to the ‘bigger boys’ because it will be about 12 years before they are able to intimidate me.
I can take control of the roundabout in a way which makes the boys think about how they treat the smaller kids. I can also choose to stay out of it and let my son develop the skills to negotiate his way back on to the roundabout or just find something else to do.
As Jews in the diaspora, we are ready and comfortable with rushing to the defence of Israel when we feel or we are being attacked.
This collective voice is often a powerful one. I was proud that thousands of Israelis publicly rallied against violence and revenge following the funerals of Gilad, Naftali and Eyal.
Yet part of being within the collective voice means trusting those around you not to let their lioness, their protective streak, overpower them, an event that could lead to heinous crimes against “the other”.
As a Jewish community with tight links to our neighbouring Muslim community, I know we both are holding our breath.
Neither of us wants the next extremist, fanatic rogue to come from our people. The problem is that when politicians meet, when peace treaties are negotiated by those in suits in another country, they don’t allow for the “well meaning” lone radicals (who in their own eyes are furthering a cause for their entire people) who derail everything.
As the Middle East tips further into unrest, I’m wondering how both sides can harness the voice of the moderate peace-seeker to become the mainstream and so curb the fanatic rebels.
• Miriam Berger is Rabbi of Finchley Reform
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
