By Eden Schneider, Hasbara Fellowships Canada High School Intern
For the majority of my life, I have always heard these stories from people all over the world about how lonely it feels to have a separate opinion that differs from your family or friends. To me, having a separate opinion or an opinion that seems out of the ordinary from people who I’m surrounded by doesn’t scare me away or keep me quiet. Instead, it allows me to express my views. It makes me feel good knowing that my voice is heard and although at times it is very difficult for me to get my feelings or point across, I know that it is worthwhile speaking my mind. Through the Israel-Palestine conflict, I have learned a lot about how people take other people’s opinions, and how much it affects them. This conflict brings up a lot of different viewpoints and feelings. And although there is no black-and-white answer as to which side is better than the other, we can learn a lot from personal stories.
I read this recent op-ed by Emma Gometz, in which Gometz discusses her negative opinions about the Israeli military’s treatment of Palestinians, which she formed when she was 15-years old. but something that I had realized it’s actually that it seems to me that It is clear that her opinions are based on current mainstream positions, without considering history, which is so important to consider.
Although it’s extremely important for everyone to feel free to speak up and share their perspectives about almost everything, I think it’s even more important to listen to the lived experiences of people in our lives, from whom we can learn a great deal. A lot of people in my life have parents or grandparents that were immigrants who experienced difficult things that most people do not experience like the hardships of moving to a new country during a war or losing family. Gomez’s grandparents experienced both. I find it amazing that her family chooses to put information in her hands, such as DVDs, books, and pamphlets to try and share their unique perspective with her.
I believe that we should always put ourselves into another person’s perspective because it provides insight into why people choose to do or believe certain things. It’s a great way to start a conversation with one’s family and understand their points of view. It teaches us how to be open-minded and accepting.
Growing up, I heard countless stories about my close family and relatives’ experiences growing up. All of my friends’ families had been immigrants and shared similar experiences with me. Being born in a different country than you were raised in causes a lot of complications with making friends and creating memories when you are just a child trying to figure out who you are yourself. My relatives did not have a place to call home, nor did my friends’ parents and grandparents. For us, our identity was solely provided by our religion and skin. With no place to call home during world wars and government regimes, it was a very scary place for Jews.
Nowadays, we can call Israel home. No matter if we are a part of the Diaspora, or born and raised in Israel, we always have a place in which we are truly safe. It is important to pay attention to what these people have gone through and not take it lightly. Our generation has often replaced independent thought with mob mentality, in which very few people truly think for themselves. With this growing trend, we completely diminish the personal experiences of people from the past. In Gometz’s case, she should focus on the need to learn for her grandparents and people who have more experience and truly understand why they have a love for Israel. Listening to older generations’ stories can teach us lessons about how we, as a society, should move forward. Not make the same detrimental mistakes over and over again that cause horrible outcomes.
