Israel
Children Learn About Democracy, Peace, Israel's 60th Birthday
By
Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency
Jerusalem
----- May 20, 2008 ....... From Metulla in the north to Eilat
in the south, every school in Israel is teaching their students
the meaning of Israel 60th birthday. Students of all ages and
grades have been assigned a variety of tasks from collecting
photographs of family, making posters, creating green environmental
exhibits to learning how to use free speech on radio, TV and
in the newspapers.
The
Israel News Agency entered a secondary school today in
the central Israel town of Ra'anana and recorded exactly what
the children were up to.
Many
children were selected to perform at Israel 60th birthday anniversary
celebrations. To sing, dance and entertain the public from Tel
Aviv and Jerusalem to Kiryat Shomona and Sderot. A few from
the American International School in Even Yehuda were even lucky
enough to sing for US President George W. Bush during his historic
visit to Israel and attendance at the Presidential Facing Tomorrow
Conference in Jerusalem.
In
fact, the theme of Israel's 60th birthday was "children"
and the future.
Thousands
of children enjoyed family picnics and barbecues, as Israel
national parks and nature reserves opened the grounds up for
free for all children under 18 years of age.
On
the eve of Independence Day, Israel's children were provided
with huge displays of light, fireworks, music, lasers and special
effects.
For
those kids who made it to the beaches in Tel Aviv, Ashkelon,
Hadera and Hafia, they witnessed the Israel's Defense Forces
salute the country with aerial, naval and parachute-jumping
displays.
To
strengthen the relationship between the general public and the
IDF, the 60th Anniversary Administration, in cooperation with
the Ministry of Defense and the IDF, organized a large variety
of events. Among these are the hosting of Israel citizens in
military bases and museums, and at monuments for fallen soldiers.
There
was a fun family event at the Police Academy in Kiryat Ata.
The
Israel police demonstrated its advanced capabilities in investigation
and criminal identification, the facilities and devices it uses
in its fight against crime, the skills of its special units,
and the use of animals in the fight against drugs and the search
for missing persons.
And
there was the International Bible Contest for students that
has become a tradition from Israel's 10th anniversary.
But
perhaps the most fun that Israel children shared among one another
was inside the walls of their schools. They worked in teams
to produce colorful and creative exhibits. They produced wonderful
displays and in doing so learned about Israel's many achievements
over the past 60 years. How Israel was born from the ashes of
the Europe Holocaust and turned the desert sand into green plants
and trees. They were and are being exposed to the elements of
democracy, how the Knesset works, who was Ben-Gurion, David
Marcus, Ze'ev Jabotinsky, Theodore Herzl, Ann Frank, the Labor
and Likud parties, voting, free speech and how to protect the
environment.
Today,
not much different than the children who trekked upon the Exodus
in 1948, many Israel children now come to Ben-Gurion Airport
on aliyah with their families to realize and maintain a dream.
To restore and claim Israel's birthright, its historical greatness
from the times of Masada and Gamla to learning about Entebbe
and Israel's first astronaut Ilan Ramon.
But
perhaps of greatest value, the children are being taught that
in a free democracy, the citizens must not only exercise their
freedoms but must also respect other people with tolerance and
understanding. To respect other Jews regardless of their origin,
color of their skin and religious observance.
To respect Israeli Arabs and Christians.
In
contrast to many of the children of the soon to be state of
Palestine from the West Bank to Gaza, there were no hateful
Hamas Mickey Mouse or other animated Disney characters preaching
hatred, supporting suicide bombers and inciting children to
violence against those who are not Islamic.
Israel children grow up to fight in the Israel Defense Forces
not due to instilled hatred but rather to physcially defend
themselves, their family and their nation. They learn about
the ultimate sacrifice made to maintain freedom and democracy.
The many wars for which Israel was forced to fight from the
Independence War to the Sinai Campaign, the Six Day War, the
Yom Kippur War, the two Lebanon Wars and Israel's daily battle
against Islamic terrorism.
They
learned that the Palestinians were given the chance to have
their own state back in 1948 but chose to join invading Arab
armies on the promise of owning all Jewish land. And today these
Israeli students realize that Israel is not occupying anyone
or any land but no different than 1948 Iran is pledging to wipe
Israel off the map and as such keeping the Palestinians in poverty.
That Iran is creating a tragic situation through the use of
its terror puppets in Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah.
Israel
children are being exposed to democracy and the highest moral
values. Israel children will be among the first to help their
Arab neighbors realize a better quality of life - something
that Saudi Arabia, Iran and Syria choose to ignore. But they
know that they can only do so only after they stop seeing Jews
and Christians as infidels but rather as good neighbors, friends
who also share the same food, beaches parks and weather.
It
will be our children - Israel's future, who will grow up ready
to defend themselves but also ready to make peace. To trade
bullets, bombs and tears for bread, butter and smiles.
Golda
Meir said it best when meeting Egypt President Sadat in Jerusalem:
"We can forgive you for killing our sons. But we will never
forgive you for making us kill yours."
Israel's
sons are growing up in an enlightened Jewish culture. Israel's
schools and professional, underpaid and over worked teachers
deserve our greatest thanks and appreciation.
The
above news content was edited and SEO optimized in Israel for
the Internet by Leyden Communications.