When discussion stops so does society
We arrived back to a very grey and drizzly UK yesterday but last night I joined some fabulous Israeli women and their British counterparts as a guest at their Lions of Judah mission to the UK. Every Lion worldwide has philanthropy at their heart and the projects they involve themselves in are amazing, as are these women. We were hosted by South Hampstead Sunagogue and the wonderful Rebbetzin gave us a tour of this modern Shul full of heart for the future. My cousin attends here so I already knew what a vibrant community it is.
We heard from Lions inthe UK and also from Israel. One Israeli lion talked of how she supports her company employees through this time, how she supports her philanthropy projects but also her personal family too as her niece and fiancée were murdered was so touching. I met several other non-lion guests including the lady responsible for the Shabbat candles with the hostages stories in them. We all discussed the good the bad and the ugly of life here, in Israel and the world. Open conversations and sometimes challenging but with love and heart.
Today I will be interviewed by Jeremy Havardi , the historian for Bnai Brith via zoom. This organisation is very dear to me for it brought myself and David together as well as my parents. Again, we will share conversations that are not always easy.
Conversations that seemingly we cannot always have with others. One of the Lions was asking about this. She said but we keep telling them what is happening, why do they not hear?
This is the hub of the question- they won’t hear. Facts do not sway the conversation because the useful idiots choose not to hear or listen. We have known this for quite a while now, cognitive dissonance is something I have written about before. We see it daily. Currentlly pressure builds on those who banned Maccabi fans on spurious evidence and those who caved onto pressure. Not based on real fact, ever.
It is possibly the biggest worry and why this whole issue of Israel is playing out now in this way. Because decades of lies and decades of not teaching people to really question, along with the immediacy of social media and the bias of mainstream media plus a soundbite culture that spreads discourse for a living, has led to the fact that facts do not matter and conversation is not allowed. Even Oxford Uni, a bastion of debating in the past, cannot now listen and discuss. The debates are just closed forums there for spreading more hate.
Jews discuss everything ad nauseum. It is how our religion and race works and often leads to disagreements. Talmudic discussions go on for centuries. Shul mergers also go on for centuries seemingly. It is how we are. But it is how we move forward, by talking and discussing. When that stops then dictators take over, one way for all.
Let’s hope we can get back to a world where we can talk things out. Currently it seems we can’t. It either offends someone or we do not want to hear the discussion. But Jews, our small minority, will go on talking for Israel and for us. Because not only is it how we were made, it is how we survive.
Www.voicefromtheheartbook.com