Parenting Pointers- Do Not Stand Idly By

The weeks after Pesach are traditionally full of days of commemoration. Our middle schoolers are of an age when days like Yom HaShoah, Yom HaZikaron and Yom Haatzmaut can begin to be understood. They have entered, according to Piaget, the developmental stage of Formal Operations where they can begin to abstract, hypothesize, and ponder concepts such as evil and justice. They are beginning to enter Kohlberg's Conventional stage of moral development where they are moving beyond “what's in it for me” and and learning to look out into the society around them to make moral decisions.

On February 1, we commemorated the tragedy of the Shuttle Columbia carrying the first Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon. At the time, a PBS documentary called “Space Shuttle Columbia- Mission of Hope” aired and focused on the life of Ilan Ramon and the shuttle. After I saw this film, I ordered it thinking that it would be perfect to show to our students in Advisory near Yom HaShoah. Why? What does Ilan Ramon have to do with Yom HaShoah?

Ilan Ramon was the son of a Holocaust survivor. His mother was a survivor of Auschwitz. The film shows Ilan displaying items he has chosen to take with him up into space. He takes with him a picture drawn in Theresinstadt called “Moon Landscape” by a 14 year old boy named Peter Ginz who perished there. He also brought a mezuzah. But, the focus of the film is the miniature Torah he brought with him given to him by Joachim “Yoya” Joseph- also a survivor . “Yoya” was the head scientist of the project that was selected to be sent into space.

Upon visiting Yoya months before the trip, Ilan noticed a miniature Aron Kodesh and asked what it was. Yoya shared that in Bergen Belsen, separated from his parents, Rabbi Shmuel Dasberg approached him and told him he was going to make him a Bar Mitzvah. He taught him to layn and brought out the mini Torah at the “service.” Rabbi Dasberg was doubtful that he would make it out so he told Yoya to keep the Torah and to promise him that he “will tell the story” of this Bar Mitzvah and what they went through. Ilan was touched by the story and asked to take the Torah on the shuttle. Yoya agreed. From the shuttle, holding the Torah in his hands, Ilan stated, "This Torah scroll was given by a rabbi to a young, scared, thin, thirteen year old boy in Bergen Belsen. It represents more than anything the ability of the Jewish people to survive. It represents their ability to go from black days, from periods of darkness, to reach periods of hope and faith in the future." The Torah did not survive the explosion of the space shuttle. Yoya, however, stated, “ I have finally fulfilled my promise to the rabbi- more than I thought was possible.” (We did speak to the students about relating to the contrast between their Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebrations today and his. It spoke volumes to them about the true meaning of become a Bar/Bat Mitzvah).

The film ended that Ilan did indeed fulfill his last mission. His mission, according to the film, was to show the continuation of life, that there can be hope and the Jewish people can survive. My own grandparents, Holocaust survivors, could never have imagined a Jew representing a Jewish state in space. We then challenged our own students to consider, “What is your mission in the year 2013 after the Holocaust?” We thereby empowered them to think about making an impact as Jews.

Our 7^th graders have been learning about the impact that they can make in the world as well in the past weeks. This past Friday Congressman Scott Garrett visited Yavneh Academy and met with our 7^th grade students. Congressman Garrett addressed them and they then made a powerful presentation. They presented him with a piece of art- a rose crafted by an Israeli artist Yaron Bob. Mr. Bob sculpts roses and other art from actual Kassam rockets that landed in Israel, “symbolizing the perseverance of the people of Israel. They have thereby transformed objects of war into expressions of peace.” Proceeds of this project go to build more bombshelters in Israel to protect its citizens. Watch this two powerful, short videos which depict their project and their mission

:http://www.rocketsintoroses.com/slideshow.html,http://www.rocketsintoroses.com/videos/cbn_video.html.

 

They had been spending the past month focused on the Advisory unit "Do Not Stand Idly By" where they focused on their obligation to not be bystanders, but rather "upstanders," when they see injustice. This skill relates to interactions in their school, (i.e bullying), community and the world at large. We focused on the power of political action and the impact that even they as teenagers could make. They had learned about the scud attacks from Gaza into Israel and this meeting with Congressman Garret was their way of being upstanders. They spent a ½ hour asking questions of Congressman Garrett regarding the attacks and various other questions such as gun control, healthcare, and Iran. Our 7^th graders were incredible as Congressman Garret engaged them in conversation, and they were able to reply respectfully with confidence. This visit with the congressman and the presentation of this beautiful rose to be displyed in his office, were ways that the students could practically implement that which they had learned in Advisory, and fulfill their mission. (Please note: You received a flyer and order form via e-mail about the Flowers for Shavuot fundraiser the 7^th graders are running to pay for the rose they presented to the congressman and to donate to the organization supporting victims of scud attacks).

Our students learned this week that it is not enough to mourn about the Holocaust. It is not enough to be saddened on Yom HaZikaron. It is not enough to celebrate on Yom Haatzmaut and revel in the miracle of Medinat Yisrael. We have the obligation and the mission to not "stand idly by" and play a role in the future of the Jewish people.