Explaining Zionism to my Kids
July 28, 2006
I wrote a post a while back about explaining world politics and being Jewish to my 9 yo – now 10. So happens that my children are staying with my parents this summer in MA and attending day camp at the local Jewish Community Center. It is great for them to be exposed to their culture & heritage. After all, Judaism is part of who they are. We don’t attend synagogue or church (hubby isn’t Jewish) regularly, but they are brought up on Judeo-Christian values & we have wonderful children (the parents ain’t too shabby either).
I know you don’t want me to babble all day about my woderful kids…so When I entered the JCC to pick the kids up, they were ending 15 minutes of talking about Israel and the war. Needless to say, the kids had tons of questions for the next 20 minutes in the car. I wish I had a photographic memory or at least a dang tape-recorder. Oh well, this will have to suffice.
Kids: Why is Israel in a war?
Me: Well, there are a lot of people who want others to think like them and hate them so much they would like to kill them. They want Israel and hate the Jewish people who live there and want to destroy all who are different.
Kids: Is that why we are in Iraq?
Me: Well, partly (I didn’t go into their former governement or WMDs). You see, there are alot of Countries that like to help the bad guys by giving them money and letting them train and hide on their land. Then when we (the US) ask them about it and they say “what bad guys? We don’t know what you are talking about. We don’t do that”
Kids: Why don’t we (the US) just bomb all those countries?
Me: The US and Israel – who are friends – don’t believe in harming innocent people like babies and old people. The bad guys don’t care who they hurt – they think if they blow up more people and themselves, they will get to heaven faster.
Kids: That doesn’t make sense Mom.
Me: I know it doesn’t, but we will leave it to God to decide if they can go or not.
Kids: Why don’t we (the US) help Israel?
Me: We do, we support them and back them.
Kids: Why don’t we just send our soldiers over there to help them?
Me: Well, that is complicated. First off, the military is already spread thin taking out bad guys in Iraq and second, Israel has a good military and can ususally handle things themselves. They join the military after high school. Then there is the UN – kids – don’t get me started on them.
Kids: So where are the people in Israel now – the kids?
Me: Well, they are having rockets fired at them now and many of them are hiding in bomb shelters.
Me: remember 9-11?
Kids: What is that?
Me: When bad people came and blew up the World Trade Center & crashed airplanes.
Kids: Oh ya- we know all about that. Wasn’t that near the Statue of Liberty?
Me: Yep – same city. But those bad people thought if they killed people who don’t think like them, innocent people, it would be good?
Kids: We should just bomb everyone.
Me: No, we don’t do that. Just beacause there are some bad people in say…Lebanon, Syria, Iran – doesn’t mean everyone there is bad.
Kids: D’uh – we know that! (thank goodness they knew that). How close are they to Israel?
Me: Well kids, Israel is a tiny place, surrounded by people that hate it and the people who live there. That is why we (the US) stay their friends and help them out. When we talk about Zionism, we mean we support Israel.
Kids: OK – are we there yet?
Now, I guarantee you I could not debate world politics with you. I can’t debate the bible or the history of any war. I am not an intellectual giant by any stretch of the imagination, nor do I claim to be. I see the world as I see it and feel I have transformed a great deal politically and always beat to my own drum – I ain’t no stinkin’ sheep! I know what I know and bringing things down to a teacher/student dialogue always helps clarify things (I was a teacher). I hope this will help you explain the situation clearly to someone who is mis-informed or lead astray by ideologies that don’t allign with you.
Wish me luck as I attend a lecture/discussion on the War in Israel on Monday, given by a Rabbi. I can pretty much guarantee you I will be the only card-carrying Republican in the room. Don’t you wish you could be a fly on the wall when I start to hear the negative “George Bush this & damn conservative sentiment?” I am not a good tongue-biter!
If you have read my other stuff, you know I usually my posts are much briefer, always posted by the seat of my pants, and I also try and refrain from the “I hate damn liberals” rhetoric or “I hate Muslims” talk – that never helps solve anything. I try and not hate anyone, hate starts war and perpetuates more hate and violence. I am no Kum-Ba-Ya singing chick as I feel the best defense is a good offense, but seriously, who wants war??? NOBODY!!! It is just a fact of life and we all must deal with it whether we want to or not. Imagine what I will say and do with a bunch of left-wing Jews in a room who think the Democratic party (Clinton) would serve Israel’s interests better? Reality is…there won’t be peace in Israel until…well we can only hope (and pray if you do that) that there will be peace and no hate in the world someday. Shalom!
Posted in 9/11, America, Children, George W. Bush, Greta, Hot Topic, In The News, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Personal Crud, Politics, Religion, This & That, United Nations, War On Terror
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July 28th, 2006 at 11:24 pm
Good job, Greta. Your kids are lucky to have you there to explain this to them.
July 28th, 2006 at 11:26 pm
You know what’s sad? That a 10-year-old is actually concerned with this stuff. He should be worried about his baseball cards and Gameboy. This truly is a fucked up world.
Short story time. I remember when the first Gulf War was just getting started. I was in 6th grade. Ms. DeMoss was talking about it and stated that should that war be like Vietnam, then one day we, the students, could be fighting it. She had no idea how close she was. Anyway, that was when I got my first wake up call to geo-political events.
July 29th, 2006 at 9:55 am
Greta, I would give the left-wing Jew crowd the benefit of the doubt going in. That’s what i thought I’d be dealing with in Toronto this week, but I think we’ve just converted a whole community to conservatism by standing up for them. The response was amazing.
Good luck with the kids.
RG
July 29th, 2006 at 10:12 am
Thanks RG – good advice. Maybe they are leaning conservative and don’t even know it!
July 29th, 2006 at 10:17 am
Right Girl is right. As Hebrew U Prof Reuven Hazan explains in a new Pajamas Media podcast:
You can listen to the interview here.
Also, just for the record, I hate those damned liberals, and one question for you: Are we there yet?
July 29th, 2006 at 10:17 am
Oh, I forgot to mention: Terrific post!
July 29th, 2006 at 10:33 am
Excellent, Greta!
You know what’s sad? That a 10-year-old is actually concerned with this stuff. He should be worried about his baseball cards and Gameboy. This truly is a fucked up world.
You’re right, Chris. My 7 year-old is concerned with it too, and asks me about the war all the time. I was a kid during Vietnam, and I don’t remember asking so many questions–I sometimes wonder if I’m letting her be exposed to too much. But I want her to KNOW, and to appreciate how much G-d has blessed us, being born Americans. It is a fucked up world, and I am afraid it’s only going to get worse, with all the appeasers and enablers claiming “tolerance” and “peace.” It’s nothing BUT appeasement and enabling evil. (Oh sorry, they’re “different,” not “evil.” Right.)
Greta, I’m going to have my little one read this too.
July 29th, 2006 at 10:54 am
Good post, Greta!
I was a history major in college so I’m absolutely fascinated with the history of the Jewish people. Since the time of Abraham the history of the Jews is all about occupation and exile from Jerusalem. It really puts things in perspective when you consider that the conflict over this land has been occurring for thousands of years. Add to that the fact that three of the most significant religions in the world consider Jerusalem a sacred and holy place and you’ve got all the makings of a never-ending conflict. What I find amazing is that the Jewish people have remained true to their faith and their traditions despite all the turmoil. That is something to be proud of.
July 29th, 2006 at 1:35 pm
My grandkids have been sending me questions about this some here lately, I know what’s gonna be in the conversation when I get beck home next week, It’s almost embarrassing having to explain the dark side of human nature to kids, isn’t it?
one observation I offer here is obviously SOMEBODY wants war, or we wouldn’t have any, that’s the Issue that needs to be dealt with to prevent future ones. (sigh)
July 29th, 2006 at 3:52 pm
Rocket Science on the Lebanon Border
Over on MSNBC the top story is Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah’s latest explanation of his strategy in the Lebanon War. On Fox, he’s making threats, On CNN, his tirade is four paragraphs down in a general story on the war,…
July 29th, 2006 at 4:40 pm
Greta you did a beautiful job with this. Your a good mom and I am so proud of you.
July 30th, 2006 at 9:50 pm
Wonderful post, Greta!
July 30th, 2006 at 10:08 pm
Explaining Zionism to Kids
Hooah Wife has an excellent post on how she has explained Zionism to her kids.
I hope this will help you explain the situation clearly to someone who is mis-informed or lead astray by ideologies that don’t allign with you.
…
July 30th, 2006 at 11:29 pm
Perhaps you ought to explain to them why all those ‘bad people’ want to do what they want to do….or is the term ‘bad people’ supposed to explain that. Or are you a pioneer for the field of geneticised ‘badness’ which goes to relieve yourself from appreciating the fact that the bad fruits in another’s garden might just find its root in yours?
July 31st, 2006 at 7:48 am
Inquisitor – you certainly are inquisitive. I know my children’s capability of understanding. I also know, it is my job as a parent, to screen them and protect them without smothering or sheltering them. Certainly anyone can appreciate the simplicity of my explanation to my children – even you Inquisitor.
July 31st, 2006 at 10:16 pm
>â€Perhaps you ought to explain to them why all those ‘bad people’ want to do what they want to do….â€
Inquisitor,
I think not accepting Israel’s right to exist and then acting on it by targeting and killing innocent people is a pretty good reason to call someone “bad.†Don’t you?
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