How to Fight Right

Jews always argue. In our history, these arguments have sometimes led to violence, and even flared such hatred that they inflicted ruin on our nation. Yet arguments, or as we prefer to call them, “debates,” have been a core value in our tribe. They have endowed us with wisdom and understanding, the ability to perceive multiple perspectives, and a basis to build love of others that is far stronger than natural love precisely because it has survived trials and tribulations. How then do we fight right? How do we not let it ruin us, but use it to consolidate us?

In order to avoid a breakdown of Israeli society, we should return to our roots: We argue only when it serves the purpose of solidifying our unity. Otherwise, we simply avoid it. If we approach our disagreements in this way, then however deep and fateful our disputes might seem, they will lead to greater unity and successful solutions.

These are pertinent questions since in less than two weeks, Israelis will go to the poles again. It has become a habit; it is the fifth general election in less than four years. So far, political division has brought no benefit in terms of consolidating our society or strengthening our unity; it has only deepened our division and emboldened those who wish to destroy us.

In order to avoid a breakdown of Israeli society, we should return to our roots: We argue only when it serves the purpose of solidifying our unity. Otherwise, we simply avoid it. If we approach our disagreements in this way, then however deep and fateful our disputes might seem, they will lead to greater unity and successful solutions.

If we want the State of Israel to flourish, we must return to our authentic values.?We must shed the masks and the fake smiles, acknowledge our hatred, and remember why we feel it: to strengthen our unity.

Disagreements build us. They enrich us, make our minds keener and our hearts more sincere. They force us to reflect on our values and question entrenched convictions. Conflicts make us respect our adversaries and appreciate what we gain through our disputes with them. Were it not for discords and people who challenge us, we would remain dull, dumb, and undeveloped. But worst of all, we would never learn what it means to love our neighbor—a complete stranger whom we have come to love through common efforts.

Our current struggles revolve around two things that are actually one: money and respect, which translate into struggles for power. Views on Israel’s defense, social justice, the economy, the justice system, education, everything is up for sale for the right price. If you give me the power I want, I will give you anything you ask. This is not unity and it is not agreement; it is opportunism. It will not stop the fights, and will destroy our society and country.

If we want the State of Israel to flourish, we must return to our authentic values.?We must shed the masks and the fake smiles, acknowledge our hatred, and remember why we feel it: to strengthen our unity.

Fighting right means fighting for unity without denying or suppressing our division. Fighting right means understanding that our enemy is not our opponent but our ego, and the disagreements between us are our way to prevail over our ego.

We will never agree with one another, nor should we. People who agree do not argue, and therefore have no reason to build a strong and solid unity. Since we do argue, we have no choice but to build a union that is stronger than our division.

Fighting right means fighting for unity without denying or suppressing our division. Fighting right means understanding that our enemy is not our opponent but our ego, and the disagreements between us are our way to prevail over our ego.

If we all renounce our ego and place a higher value on unity than on opinion, we will find that our opinions have become steps, and our union has become a force that lifts us up the mountain. When we reach the top, we will find each other.

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Education as an Antidote for Hunger

This week, the UN, and several related organizations, marked two significant dates: the World Food Day and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. International organizations for the poor and hungry have existed at least since the end of World War II, but neither poverty nor hunger have been eradicated. If anything, they have increased. What, then, are we doing wrong, and can we change the dismal reality?

Because we do not care, we appoint uncaring people who present plans for dealing with the spreading poverty and hunger, and announce special days to bring the problem to public awareness. They do not do a thing about the actual problems, but simply justify their bloated salaries through professionally designed presentations and verbose speeches that glorify their (nonexistent) achievements.

The problem is not lack of food; there is plenty of it. In fact, much of the food that is produced gets thrown away and pollutes the water and the ground rather than feeding hungry mouths. So people are hungry not for lack of food, but because there is no interest in helping people get it.

The prevailing attitude is one of narcissism. We care only for ourselves and suspect everyone else’s intentions toward us. If we have any surplus funds, we use them to build walls and fences, not to help others. This is how we behave around the world as individuals and as nations.

To quiet our conscience, we create organizations to tend to the poor and hungry. We fund them generously and appoint functionaries and bureaucrats to deal with the problem.

But if our hearts were with the poor, we would not leave them in the hands of bureaucrats, just as we would not leave our children in the hands of social workers to see to their upbringing. We would see that the people we care about get what they need.

Because we do not care, we appoint uncaring people who present plans for dealing with the spreading poverty and hunger, and announce special days to bring the problem to public awareness. They do not do a thing about the actual problems, but simply justify their bloated salaries through professionally designed presentations and verbose speeches that glorify their (nonexistent) achievements.

If they truly wanted to solve the problem, which funds their lavish lifestyle, there would be many ways to do so. However, the surest way to lift people from poverty is education.

First, there are technologies that can increase the yield of fields by multiple times through sophisticated irrigation systems, controlled environments, and other means. Farmers need to be taught how to use these technologies, and should be given the means to acquire them. This step alone would lift countless people out of hunger and poverty.

Next, I think that organizations for eradication of poverty and hunger should use their budgets to buy lands where they will both grow crops for food that will be dedicated for the poor, and use some of the land to teach local farmers more efficient agriculture.

Additionally, these centers for agriculture and education should be used in order to provide general education. It is well known that educated people have more opportunities in life, are generally better off, and can provide for themselves and their families better than uneducated people. Therefore, as a means to eradicate poverty and hunger, these centers should also provide general knowledge and education.

Education should not be only about avoiding poverty. Poverty is not a personal matter, but a social one. Therefore, people who study at these education centers should also learn about solidarity, mutual responsibility, interdependence in today’s world, and other topics that will help them establish themselves as positive elements in a connected world.

Also, education should not be only about avoiding poverty. Poverty is not a personal matter, but a social one. Therefore, people who study at these education centers should also learn about solidarity, mutual responsibility, interdependence in today’s world, and other topics that will help them establish themselves as positive elements in a connected world.

In this way, we can create an agrarian transformation that will become a social and cultural transformation that can free people not only from the grip of poverty and hunger, but integrate them in the global society of the 21st century as confident and positive individuals. In turn, these people will help others rise from poverty, and the process will gain momentum.

[Photo Caption: Participants attend indigenous people tent and sit by the fire during the discussion on Indigenous Peoples Food Systems on Day 2 of the II World Food Forum organised by Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy onOctober 18, 2022. World Food Forum is a new initiative that focuses on global food security, This years' forum leading thought is Healthy Diets. Healthy Planet. (Photo by Dominika Zarzycka/Sipa USA)]