First reflections from J-Street

Posted on March 25, 2012 by admin

Last night I walked into the ballroom of the Washington DC convention center for the third annual J-Street conference. There was an SRO crowd of 2500 people who had traveled her from all over the USA and from around the globe. Not a bad turn out for only the third year of this conference. Mostly Jews, with contingents of Christians and Moslems- all of who share a belief that a two state solution is not only necessary but viable. After general introduction and presentation of stats (how many people and from where) Jeremy Ben-Ari, the president of J-steet gave a rousing introduction and welcome. He was followed by Stav Shaffrir, a leader of the Israeli Social Protest Movement. She was passionate, powerful and charming. Her words came deep from her heart, as she addressed the myriad of social problems facing Israel today (apart from the Israel/Palestine crises). She offered words of hope, and a return to the values that built the state and that inspired Jews and non-Jews around the world. I should say that I am not blind to the conflicts between Jews and Palestinians that arose in the past- nor am blind to the errors on perpetrated by both sides. But rather, I choose to focus on the positive actions, ideals, aspirations that drove fueled the building of the state. Stav described these important ideals, describing the need to rebuild the social cohesion of the past. She told of the need for the government to return to the programs that provide for the population- all of the population- Jews, Arabs, Ashkenasi, Sephardi, Mizrachi, religious, secular. By addressing these issues, in a new way, in a positive manner, without fear, anger, hate, their is hope. She did not downplay the complexity of the conflict- she addressed it head on, but with a vision for the future that does not include oppression and violence. She said “violence is the style of old politics. we are creating a new style”.

Michael Bitton, the new mayor of A town in the Negev called Yerucham also spoke- Born and raised in ths town, a child of Moroccan immigrants He is of a new generation of leaders, He served in the Golani brigade as an officer and spent time as a soldier in the west bank. He said that those in positions of leadership who oppose a peace settlement actually lack the answers to society’s burning questions and that the work that does for peace is so that his children will not have to do what he did as a soldier.

Amos Oz brought down the house. Clearly frustrated by the comments that came out of the AIPAC conference last month, he stated “Why do we need to support Israel under the banner of AIPAC? Why cannot we support Israel under the banner of J-Street?). The audience was most appreciative of this comment!  SOme of his comments are: Solutions can be found but engaging people to learn, and acknowledge the real difference is society;  We cannot build for the future by rebuilding the left- we need to build a new model, a more inclusive model; Make peace, not love; there will be a Palestinian state and two embassies- an Israeli one and a Palestinian one. The ambassadors will be able to walk to each other’s embassies because the Israel embassy will be in East Jerusalem and the Palestinian one will be in West Jerusalem.

About Iran, Oz sai that we need to differentiate between a miserable government and a good people. He said that the Iranian people who are filled with know-how and motivation. It is impossible to bomb know-how and motivation, and that is only possible to bomb installations. This will not work.

Oz spoke that he has hope. Israel culture is in a golden age- arts, science and technologies are blooming. We need to conclude the conflict with the Palsetinians through through compromise. He concluded by saying that we need to rebuild a social solidarity in Israel. With peace and social solidarity, Israel and Palestine will create paradise on earth.

The three speakers did not shirk from the difficult and complex problems that face us. They spoke of hope and a  vision of the future that includes respect, human dignity and a distance from hate and violence. It will not be easy to achieve, and it will be immediate, but it has to happen- the alternative is too dark to all0w to happen.  It is our choice.

 

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thoughts about technology, devices, process and project-based learning

Posted on March 22, 2012 by admin

Thinking about some of the differences in device-centric or process-oriented learning. It seems a bit of feeding a person a fish or teaching them to fish. When we teach a person to focus on one specific technology, we are also attempting to freeze a moment on the time –line of technology development. A statement is being made that this is the object/device/process that is best and will be for a long, long time. By making a commitment to a particular technology, and developing for that technology may not always be the most effective way of learning as well as innovation. Developers & shareholders of specific devices or processes always try to make improvements on their stuff. But it is crucial for the development of a learner to be just dream about what they can create. They will create their own narrative, story and process. This brings in other types and styles of learning, for both individual and group learning.

An individual can enter learning project from any subject. For example, an individual with a strong sense of science can start a project about of the period of the Black Death by investigating the physical/biological aspects, while someone who naturally thinks in terms of the liberal & creative arts (such as art history), can start by asking about the art of the time- what it represents to both the artist and the viewer; identifying the patrons, source of income, and their place in society; the styles of high and folk arts will describe a different vision of the same period.

This latter style is more flexible and promotes a way of learning that addresses the totality of a subject-, which is particularly useful when working in collaborative environments. Narratives describe the human, investigative side of an investigative. The sciences provide a more structured narrative of formally described processes.  But, neither example is complete. The story of the four blind folks attempting to describe an elephant is an apt metaphor for learning.  By developing and creating “learning adventures” (as Dr. Steger described his assignments), learners learn how to learn, and acquire multiple skills (collaboration, critical thinking and creativity) as well as deeper understanding of any subject- all within the framework of their individual interests and sensibilities.

How much of this is original? Probably not a lot, but I have and continue to learn from some fine educators- at Pepperdine and in life. I’d like to think that any contribution to society that I may be able to make is relates to the delight that I find making connections between disparate ideas, communities, events, and stuff that are sometimes relevant and often fun.

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Art for peace

Posted on March 21, 2012 by admin

In 1988, I was artist-in-resindence at the Hilai art center in northern Israel. I had the opportunity there to work with local Jewish, Moslem and Christian children. We would all meet at a school in one of three local villages to get to know each other (through games), then do a walking tour of the village, visit students’ homes and places of worsh

ip (synagogue, mosque, or church). We finished each visit by working on a collaborative art

project, where each student worked on an individual project, then passed it to a neighbor. In this way, each artwork was touched by Jew, Moslem and Christian. Through the work/play, the children asked each other questions and learned about similarities and differences in their respective communities and cultures. They learned not to fear. I took this image during one of the walking tours, where two girls, one Jewish, one Moslem were becoming friends.

It is possible.

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Rants and reflection

Posted on March 20, 2012 by admin

It is interesting- I also find it damn near difficult to deal with labels. I am pro-peace, but I am not sure if I am a pacifist. I support Gandhi, the Dali Lama, and others, but I have held and used arms and if someone were to raise a hand or threaten my family, I would not hesitate to defend them. I remember a lesson that I learned long ago when I studied aikido- that the highest form of martial art is when a person is attacked without provocation; they can change the situation and energy without damaging the attacker. Then there is defense with some pain, etc. Over the years I have studied a couple of forms of kung fu, but have really settled on tai chi (at least when I have the time to study). It seems to fit my sensibilities the most. Internal health and well being as well as the ability to defend oneself, and always striving for balance in life- both mind and body).

Layer on to this is/was my experience in the military. We did not use bayonets, but we did use physical violence and intimidation to create fear and pain. I spend 2 years and 7 months in very active duty- over ½ of that was in the west bank, doing infantry training, shooting and more. We marched through sleepy Palestinian villages, town and cities (Jenin and Nablus). I taught 81 mm mortar and used Palestinian fields as my practice targets. We shot and hit sheikhs tombs on hills, sheep and who knows what our FO were targeting. One of my comrades was riding through a village outside of Jerusalem when some kids (11-13 year olds) threw some rocks. He cocked and fired his rifle killing one child. There was not much of an investigation, and he was not reprimanded. After all, the child threw stones. Towards the end of my service, I was in the area of Nablus on evening, riding in a command car. A thrown stone hit our window- we stopped and ran up a hill to the only structure in the area- a house. We broke in, toppled furniture, chairs, beds, tables, water barrels and more while the family looked at us in terror and fear. Grandparents, parents and little kids. We ran out and found a couple of teenage boys hiding in a cave and I watched my lt. beat the shit out of them – yelling and curing them in Arabic. I have always thought of that moment and what it led to and I am sure that it was a continuum of violence. I usually do not tell people about this because the conversations become difficult and hard to explain. I got tired of the lack of misperceptions, especially among the Jewish community and of leftists (who look at me one way) and rightists (who think that I was a hero). I look at the situation in Israel/Palestine now and think of the seeds that I helped plant. People think that the violence came out of a vacuum of hate, but neither side is willing to admit to their part in it. As Jew, I focus on our responsibilities.

In 1988, I returned to Israel (10 years after discharge) as an artist in residence at a small town in the north. I worked on community art projects with local Jews, Moslems and Christians. People who are in close proximity of each other, but never had the opportunity to work, play or learn from each other. It was amazing to see these kids discover their similarities as they did art projects together.

As a person, I’ve learned (or try to learn) that we all have the choice to view the world and our place within it. Of course our views are based upon the surroundings of our birth, our education, life experiences- a combination of nature and nurture. It is difficult or impossible for me to define a person by an ism or ist. We are all such complex beings (which I believe is a good thing). Stereotypes are always broken. I think rather than define ourselves as an X, it is better to identify and be aware of the things that influence us, affect us, and help us choose the choices that we make. I can choose to continue to accept the status quo and stereotypes, or I can choose to look at numerous exceptions and ask myself “what if?” what if we spent more money on global education, what if we chose not to look at our neighbors as enemies. Maybe not friends, but at least not enemies.

This brings up the idea the tension between the individual and the group. Like martial arts and tai chi, I find myself looking for the ying/yang, the balance between individuals and group or community. This brings me back to my initial question- the tension between actively pursuing a path of peace and need to deal with psychopaths or nations who use their people as sheep. We know that governments lie to meet their individual agendas. These lies usually involve creating an enemy to distract their population from looking at the corruption of the government, the lack of resources available to them and the idea that they are missing something in their lives. The governments and churches fan the fires of hate and violence against this enemy. I wrestle with this- can I remain an individual apart from the actions of the “representatives” – people who claim to represent the “-ist” of me- the churches and organizations who profess to have a monopoly on my belief, my life, my being, but always label me (and everyone else) as a stereotype, not as the individuals. In the end, I recognize that this inevitably leads to promoting more hate and more violence.

My dilemma (or at least one of them) is how to reconcile the needs of the individual with the needs of the community (a philosophical quandary that has been around since people began to tell stories) and also, how does a person who is opposed to war and violence oppose those who support and use war and violence. This is the paradox if the right vs. the left. The normal left (not the extreme left) posits that violence begets violence and that we do not need to choose it. The right describes violence as a natural part of human nature. Therefore, they choose to use it. How do I describe to those who chose to hate, who choose to use violence that although they often promote the ideal of personal freedom for themselves, their choices can severely impact my own choices. Their choice impacts and imposes themselves on my choices.

Next week, I am traveling to D.C. to participate in the J-Street conference. I do not know if you are familiar with J-Street, but they are a left of center organization in the US (lobbying and educational) that promotes a two state solution for Israel/Palestine. It is a fairly new organization and has been at odds with many of the established Jewish lobbying groups who are apologists for Israel governments. I was basically invited to go and they are picking up my tab. It is an interesting experience for me and is opening up all sorts of things that I have kept under wraps. For a long time, I have chosen not to expose my actions and experiences of the past in public forums. I became tired of having to explain and contextualize my path. This is directly related to my allergy to stereotypes. It should be interesting and engaging and I think ultimately, fun. I plan on blogging from the conference so stay tuned!

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some thoughts on collaborative innovation

Posted on October 23, 2011 by admin

I received a lot of support and guidance from my professors and peers in class this weekend. At the least, I may have been turned onto another refinement on my dissertation topic, but I certainly received some very good pointers and comments on my comps paper, including getting shown a theory that will help describe a whole section of my paper.

I have been looking at leadership styles and forgot about an idea called personal transformation, which describes a a process in which an individual transforms their own actions and practices before informing the organization. Much of this is to lead by example- if I can do it, so can you style. Not in the extreme walk on fire type of transformation, but a style that is informed by values best exemplified by the ability to listen and hear and to communicate in other dialects of discipline. To look for similarities in order to identify common ground. Once a foundation of similarities is established, it can then be possible to build up new ideas based on them and to forge new connections that perhaps had not existed before. Collaborative innovation.

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Practical collaboration

Posted on February 25, 2011 by admin

I have been thinking more and more about my other obsession (which may probably guide my dissertation), which is multi-institutional, cross-sector collaborations to promote partnerships for learning. This is an issue that I have been considering, reflecting and in some cases acting on for a long time. Informally I have been doing this for probable 30 years (geez that’s scary) and formally, since 2000. I began to get more focused on this idea as I did my MA, and have become even more focused during current EdD work. The research question that I am working on now is “What do the key components of a sustainable social entrepreneurial program that supports educational opportunities look like?”.

My goal is to see if and how community partnerships can be created to bring together formal leaning environments (schools and universities), informal or free-choice learning environments (museums and libraries) and businesses (sources of funding) to share resources, create communities of learners and communities of practice, etc. My personal experience shows that it is possible and my early research shows that there is some research, but it is usually focused on specific pairings of institutions, such as museum-school, school-business, school- museum. So far I have not seen any research that is really looking at broad-based partnerships. My vision is to bring large supermarket chains into low social-economic neighborhoods (where food is often gathered at 7-11 or liquor stores). The stores provide nutrition as well as community jobs. After school programs for employee children can be built onto the stores and can be staffed by education students from local college and university students to provide tutoring and content not covered in schools (such as arts education). Museums and libraries can be brought into the mix to add content. As I mentioned, I have seen examples of pairings, but very few large scale projects (Lev Gonick at Case Western is doing some very interesting things over there). One component that I though
about is that investors would need to think about these projects in terms of a longer ROI (perhaps 10 years) but that they can be used to build loyal customer bases as well as good PR.

It is a complex idea, but I think a valuable one and I have been working on an elevator pitch. This falls into several categories such as social justice and education. I guess that I am wondering if this can be considered something that can be made into policy, such as government will provide tax incentives to promote resource sharing for community development and education” I was also thinking about the relationship between arts ed and these types of collaboration trying to identify which is the subset of which and I think that the arts ed is more likely a subset of the larger collaborations.

What do you think?

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Collaborate

Posted on January 24, 2011 by admin

I have seen the effects of what happens when you collaborate and what happens when you don’t and I write to say that I prefer the former- and how important it is to learn to really collaborate.

It may relate a lot to the most basic way that an individual views life. There is justification in looking at humanities (or is it humanity’s) violent, aggressive tendencies. There are also many examples of humans’ ability to be civil, kind, courageous in the face of evil and able to work with others for a larger cause that respects both the individual and the community and society. I think at a certain point we get to choose which way that we want to go. I choose to seek out the examples of humanity that transcend any individual or individual group and truly able to look at the spirit that truly binds us. This idea seems to exist in every religion and philosophy. I guess our challenge is to figure out how to do it. Actually, I think that many answers are really pretty easy- we need to really treat the other as we treat ourselves.

I actually think that we also need to really combine our talents in ways similar to cooking but that is for another blog

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The little heros

Posted on July 28, 2010 by admin

As an anti-war activist, I am always on the lookout for organizations that not only promote peace, but are also actively involved in the converting warcraft into peace craft- from destruction to construction and growth. I just came across this organization that is doing amazing anti-mine work in Africa that can be used in many, many other countries around the globe.
www.herorat.org

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July 20, 1969- Footsteps on the moon.

Posted on July 20, 2010 by admin

Today in 1969 we fulfilled the stated vision of John F. Kennedy, and millions and millions others around the globe for as long as people could dream and tell stories- For All Mankind: www.hulu.com/watch/165094/for-all-mankind

Here is an excerpt of JFK’s September 12, 1962 Rice University speech (http://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/ricetalk.htm):
“And finally, the space effort itself, while still in its infancy, has already created a great number of new companies, and tens of thousands of new jobs. Space and related industries are generating new demands in investment and skilled personnel, and this city and this state, and this region, will share greatly in this growth. What was once the furthest outpost on the old frontier of the West will be the furthest outpost on the new frontier of science and space. Houston, your city of Houston, with its Manned Spacecraft Center, will become the heart of a large scientific and engineering community. During the next 5 years the National Aeronautics and Space Administration expects to double the number of scientists and engineers in this area, to increase its outlays for salaries and expenses to $60 million a year; to invest some $200 million in plant and laboratory facilities; and to direct or contract for new space efforts over $1 billion from this center in this city.

To be sure, all this costs us all a good deal of money. This year’s space budget is three times what it was in January 1961, and it is greater than the space budget of the previous eight years combined. That budget now stands at $5,400 million a year–a staggering sum, though somewhat less than we pay for cigarettes and cigars every year. Space expenditures will soon rise some more, from 40 cents per person per week to more than 50 cents a week for every man, woman and child in the United States, for we have given this program a high national priority–even though I realize that this is in some measure an act of faith and vision, for we do not now know what benefits await us. But if I were to say, my fellow citizens, that we shall send to the moon, 240,000 miles away from the control station in Houston, a giant rocket more than 300 feet tall, the length of this football field, made of new metal alloys, some of which have not yet been invented, capable of standing heat and stresses several times more than have ever been experienced, fitted together with a precision better than the finest watch, carrying all the equipment needed for propulsion, guidance, control, communications, food and survival, on an untried mission, to an unknown celestial body, and then return it safely to earth, re-entering the atmosphere at speeds of over 25,000 miles per hour, causing heat about half that of the temperature of the sun–almost as hot as it is here today–and do all this, and do it right, and do it first before this decade is out–then we must be bold.”

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Reflections on Poland

Posted on July 10, 2010 by admin

I recently accompanied a divers group of 20 university students from two L.A. schools on a trip to Poland. The classes were summer extension of a new class offered called “The Holocaust in Poland” and I participated as an educator and technologist. I have always been interested in my Jewish heritage, but my focus is usually on global Jewish communities and cultures. I am really interested in where Jewish communities exist and have existed and the mixture of the Jewish and non-Jewish cultures in things like music, diet, costume and other cultural identifiers. It is amazing for me to see how many similarities there are. For example, Jewish liturgical music in the communities of Iraq or Syria are very, very similar to the Moslem liturgical chants in the same areas. Food is similar- one community shares with the others. And I find this true with all communities and cultures who have migrated from their place of origin to someplace new. Lebanese food in Mexico (Lebanese immigrants), Indian food in England. For me, it is always quite wonderful to see these intersections.

One area that I have studied, but not focused on was the Holocaust. I am more interested in the living and the future than of the past and of the dead. This does not mean that I am unaware of insensitive to history of my heritage or my family. My grandparents came to the US in the early 1900′s, but everyone who stayed behind was completely obliterated, as were most of the European Jewish communities. I have been exposed to the horrors of the holocaust through multiple classes, friendship with survivors and refugees here and in Israel, memorials, museums, books, movies and even graphic novels. The planned, methodical and methodical destruction of the Jewish community truly demonstrated human-kind at it’s worst. Yet, I tend to look for the examples of people who retained their humanity and tried and even succeeded in assisting the multiple communities who were targeted. Raoul Wallenberg, Chiune Sugihara, Hiram Bingham IV and politicians and the multitude of civilians who put their own lives in danger to try to save Jews and stop the slaughter. These examples of courage illustrate the importance of speaking out when we see evil whenever and where ever it appears – Cambodia, Rwanda, Congo, Darfur, Bosnia. I wonder what would have happened if there was social networking, blogs, twitter, or facebook in 1939? Although there are still glaring examples of humans follies and inhumanity, we are still really new to being able to instantly connect with people around the globe for good or for bad. We have developed and made accessible these amazing communication tools that we are now learning how to use. I guess that it is up to us to decide what to do with them.

My week in Poland was intense and wonderful. I was challenged and inspired aesthetically, historically and emotionally. I really was not prepared for the depth of emotions and feelings that I experienced. It is a beautiful country, with a very complex history and legacy. It made me think of the movie “Shrek” where Shrek compared ogres to onions- that there are many, many layers. Following is one of the blogs that I posted on our class site: http://grou.ps/theculturebridge

One of the powerful moments of this trip happened last week at Lutotow- a small village in the Lodz area (about two hours by bus from Lodz). The countryside on the way was incredibly lush, green and beautiful. We traveled through forests and farmland, through small villages that could be described as quaint and farmhouses- many of which were pre-war brick or wooden structures and still are occupied. Cows and chickens and farmers walked and worked their yards.

We reached Lutotow- a town that one of our translators described as frozen in time. A word on our translators- Kaya and Kristoph- she a student and he a professor, both delightful, friendly and of the present and the future. We had dinner with them the night before at a Polish restaurant in Wodz. You may think, well, of course it is a Polish restaurant, it’s in Poland. But as Kaya said to me, the best Polish food is home cooked and Poles go out – they eat Pizza or things like that. But the Pirogi were tasty, the vodka (bison grass) was tasty and the company was warm and friendly.

We arrived in the town square at Lutotow- the sky was clear and rich blue, the sun was hot and there was no shade. But the mayor was there, the chief rabbi of Poland, dignitaries and representatives of the Polish and German governments as well as Polish representatives of cultural organizations promoting Jewish-Polish reconcilliations. The mayor gave a very heartfelt speech – he apologized for that happened. A friend who spoke Polish said that the language and tone was true. He said that the pre-war town was 80% Jewish. Now there are none. And it was this situation that made him think- What happened to all the Jews? The Rabbi spoke in Polish and English and said several psalms in Hebrew- perhaps the first time that Hebrew was spoken in the village since the war.

The ceremony was attended by a group of students who slowly pealed away- this history is very far from their reality. And some elderly who listened attentively and watched as the various dignitaries and LMU and CSUN students placed flowers on the large stone with the new bronze plaque commemorating the lost Jews.

After the ceremony, we all went to the local culture house for coffee and cake and for us to interview some of the elderly Polish residents. This was an amazing, amazing experience. There were about 6 old men, who seemed just waiting to speak with us. One gentleman really could not wait and it was hard to get him to pause so that we could gather a group and translator. The first question that we asked was : “what happened to you? what was you experience?” These old men were little children when the nazis came in to the town. They had Jewish friends and neighbors whom they were close with who suddenly vanished. There was nothing said about it. People there were trying to survive the war. But there was a tear in their community and society that was not healed. From the nazi era came the soviet era with all of the pain and suffering that the soviets brought. Post-soviet society did not bring the immediate healing of society. This does not minimize the terrible loss of the Jewish people of 1/2 of their community, but healing of the past and rebuilding the future cannot happen if we do not address all of the pain and suffering of everyone.

These old men have been carrying their pain for 60 and 70 years. They are not urban academics, but rural farms people whose community was also ripped. Asking them to tell about their experiences allowed them to open up their hearts and souls to find a bit of peace. Our feeling was that after speaking to us, they would go home and speak to their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren about things long held inside. Perhaps this is really what is needed to mend the past and build for the future.

Posted in Future Society, Holocaust, Jewish Culture, Learning & Education, Poland, Society & Community | 4 Comments