"And you shall teach them diligently to your children." (Deuteronomy 6:7)
This commandment is an obligation beyond simply teaching our children; the Hebrew word utilized is
L'shanen, meaning to teach through constant repetition.
Rabbinic commentary notes that even repetition is not enough. We are obligated to explain the depth of God's Laws so that our children "will be able to have both a passion for, and an understanding of, the unique singularity of the Jewish faith".
The framework that children are to be taught is Torah, God and Israel.
By Torah, we mean all of the laws, traditions, and customs of the Jewish People.
God is the spiritual means by which we connect our mere mortal existence to a "Higher Authority".
A
nd, Israel is both the Jewish People and the Land of Israel itself.
In the 21
st century - living in the safety of America - young Jews might not realize the need for both belonging to the Jewish People and the Land of Israel.
Living in an open society, devoid of feeling of direct external pressures targeting Jews, the urgency for Jewish Nationalism is not always keenly felt.
For the generation who experienced a world without Israel, they can testify to their direct experience for the need of a self-autonomous Jewish State dedicated to protecting and welcoming all Jews in need.
But, as the State of Israel has grown and become stronger, the American Jew might feel as if security of the Jewish State isn't really threatened.
It isn't helpful to rely on existential arguments for why the Jewish State needs our concrete support. Rather, we should constantly teach about Israel's accomplishments as it balances the desire for security along with a pursuit of democracy.
Teaching diligently is a constant reiteration of what something means and why it's important.
Jewish children can come to appreciate and take pride in the "Start-Up" Jewish Nation that has excelled in so many areas, like technology, agriculture, medicine, etc.
Also, pride can be taken in how Israel attempts to share her own blessings with other challenged nations throughout the world.
Finally, the critical strategic partnership with America's own needs is of paramount importance.
We cannot assume that Jewish children will know why Israel is important.
We need to teach, re-teach, and re-teach yet again.We need to share
past experiences, have dialogue on present needs and jointly imagine what the Jewish Land's future might one day look like.
For those who have children ages 18-26, there is no more effective a way to teach Israel than to encourage your child to participate in the free 10-day
Birthright Trip to Israel.
Birthright Israel is a journey through both Jewish history and the contemporary Jewish state.
The travelers are accompanied by some of their Israeli peers.
During the program there is open discussion and dialogue about all issues: identity, geopolitics, religion, and Jewish life.
Birthright itineraries can differ in emphasis, but always there is a focus on three core educational areas:
- Narratives of the Jewish People - Participants visit a Jewish heritage site, a Zionist heritage site, a contemporary national heritage site, a "natural" heritage site, and a Shoah (Holocaust) heritage and learning site.
- Contemporary Israel - Through visits to different organizations, institutions, and businesses, participants explore Israeli geopolitics, society, and statehood; arts and culture; and innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology.
- Ideas and Values of the Jewish People - Group members celebrate Shabbat together, form a Kehilah (community) with mutual responsibility, and engage with Talmud-Torah and Beit Midrash and Hebrew as a living language.
If you want to succeed in teaching your children diligently, you will help your children learn and love Israel; not just in theory; but, because of practical on-site knowledge and enjoyable experience.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Mitch
