Daniel Baum, a recent graduate of the Anne and Max Tanenbaum Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto, is currently in Israel completing an independent year abroad. With Israeli Apartheid Week coming to a close, Baum offers up lessons learned through the eyes of the innocent and his perspective on how to combat prejudice and reach for true peace among nations.
Here is an excerpt from his blog
A Jewish kid from Kiryat Shmona, a Muslim kid from Rajar, and a Christian kid from Nazareth are all playing hockey together. Words like respect, unity, peace, and acceptance spring to mind when we think about this situation. These kids, however, are thinking of different words: teammates, winning, fun. These kids do not see playing together as a political act. These kids do not discriminate and demand segregated teams. These kids do not utter racial slurs. Language is not a barrier to teamwork. Religion is not a barrier to teamwork. Customs are not a barrier to teamwork. These kids just want to play hockey. These kids are not opponents because some are Jewish and some are Arab; they are opponents because some are wearing blue, and some are wearing red. To these kids, everyone is just another kid. Just another potential friend. Just a human being.
Click here for Baum's full perspective piece.
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