Friday’s ceasefire began after more than 4,000 rockets and missiles were gratuitously fired by Hamas terrorists at Israel’s heartland with the aim of killing innocent civilians.
Beyond the tragic loss of life, property damage and the depths of fear instilled in our youth, we witnessed something far more concerning. Across Israel, violent flare-ups and conflicts erupted between Jewish and Arab citizens, especially in integrated cities like Lod, Acre and Tiberias. In many cases, these toxic clashes undermined decades of peaceful coexistence and harmony. This has left many on both sides unnerved and unsure of how to repair these bonds.
Against this backdrop, 150 people from the leadership of the Israel Scouts gathered for a day of dialogue, discourse and more importantly, doing. Far from the camera’s glare or media’s cynicism, this shared encounter of the diversity of Israeli society signaled that the sane and compassionate majority refused to stay silent and instead resolved to act.
The very existence of this gathering at this critical juncture reinforced the belief that we can put our differences aside and unite around common values. That there can and MUST be a better way forward.
Set in the picturesque and tranquil Carmel Mountains, the encounter was initiated by the volunteer leadership of the Israel Boy & Girl Scout Federation (comprised of Jews, Druze, Greek Orthodox Arabs, Catholic Arabs and Muslim Arabs) and part of the World Organization of the Scout Movement.
We all committed to take time out of our lives, pause for a moment and deliberate ways to restore the values of coexistence as part of our shared reality and daily routines.
As the chairman of the World Confederation of United Zionists, the General Zionist political faction inside the Zionist Congress, I can say we are committed to reengage the center of the Zionist movement. We refuse to cower or be manipulated by the tyranny of the extremes. And we recognize that the Zionist dream, as envisioned in our Declaration of Independence, is not limited to simply building a strong, secure and sovereign Jewish state. We must continue to appeal to our Arab neighbors inside Israel to “participate in the upbuilding of the state on the basis of full and equal citizenship and due representation in all its provisional and permanent institutions.”
But I also participated on Friday as the head of our local Israeli scout chapter and perhaps most importantly as a father of three young Israeli scouts.
AFTER THE past days of violence across Israel and the painful images of virulent antisemitic attacks around the world, I needed to step out of my comfort zone and away from the echo chamber. I wanted to engage with other parents and reinforce my belief that there were people from different ethnic and religious backgrounds who shared my concerns for our society. To find fellow citizens who feel that we cannot sit on the sidelines any longer and leave it to our leaders to advance co-existence.
I am generally NOT a believer in one-time gatherings designed to create the false illusion of understanding. They are often shallow, superficial and short-lived and lack the sincere and genuine depth of relationship to overcome the waves of hostility that can arise.
To expect that there would be an immediate repair to the recently exposed raw fault lines in Israel would be foolish. But it was a promising start.
The scouts know how to bring people together around shared ideals. For starters, we broke into random groups and interacted. We met strangers who belonged to a shared movement in a shared country but who did not know, understand or communicate with one another. Along the way we rediscovered what we all knew but had forgotten: That which unites us is orders of magnitude greater than that which divides us.
It was a day of building new bridges and tackling mutual frustrations following difficult days. We began an internal process of healing and laying the groundwork for continued and deeper discourse with real and concrete cooperation for the day after.
There were no press releases. No riveting revelations. Just concerned community leaders and parents who deeply believe that our combined and collective hope resides in our youth, our scouts. What we invest in them will shape the future of our society.
As advocates of informal education and the value of “youth educating youth,” we resolved to find ways to open our imagination and empower our children to move beyond barriers.
Even a little light illuminates the darkness. By putting aside our prejudices and embracing the light, we took a first courageous step toward rebuilding trust.
Now it is your turn.
The writer is the chairman of the World Confederation of United Zionists and a proud scout leader in his community.