Benyamin Neuberger, Haaretz, April 28:
In Israel, there is a conviction that the Holocaust is unique, that it cannot be compared to any other case of genocide. This perception is irrational, problematic from the moral perspective and also contrary to its aim - the intensification of Holocaust awareness.
A number of years ago I participated in a conference at Bar-Ilan University that was devoted to a discussion of the trips to Poland undertaken by Israeli teenagers. The woman responsible for the trips at the Ministry of Education spoke about their aim - strengthening the high school students’ Jewish identity and Zionist consciousness. In answer to the question of whether the trips have a humanistic aim as well, an outrageous answer was given: “We don’t have time for that.”
I think this is true - because all genocides (or attempted genocides, more accurately) are unique. The moral question does not surround the issue of uniqueness, but rather the issue of moral exceptionalism that may flow from it, which depends largely on the political imperatives of those ‘identifying’ with a given attempted genocide. This statement is sympomatic of such grubby imperatives:
Are tehse people serious? Is the aknowledgement of the Holocaust entirely about consciousness? Aree we not repeatedylremnded never to forget and “never again”? How much more frank can these extrmists be about exploiting this tragedy for political and ideological gain?
I taught in Israel for 15 years and had the pleasure to accompany my year 12 class on the Poland trip. My father who survived Aushwitz (unlike the rest of his family) accompanied us and on a personal level that was important for me, but also to my class.
A humanistic approach to history is “a given”. So while I would have to attribute the outrageous comment made by the MoED representative to her not understanding your question, let me assure you that it could not be otherwise.
One little comment though to show what this trip to expose these Israeli schoolkids to. In our preparation, I asked the kids what they wanted to get out of the trip. One of the girls said she wanted to experience anti-semitism, as Israelis tend to see themselves as Israelis and not Jews. Believe me in Poland she did. Endless swastikas, bottles thrown at our buses and abuse hurled at our children.
I am teacher in Australia and as an educator in Australia, I think Mr. Loewenstein should perhaps concentrate on not only the lack of historical perspective put on any human tragedy in Australian schools,but certainly also the amount of humanism taught.
Jack,
A wonderful and very thoughtful post. I completely agree with your thesis. Humanism is lacking entirely from political discourse. The war in Iraq is a prome example. The only time mention is given to human suffering is to make political points.
Same this with the Israeli/Palestinina conflict. So much attention is given to the fight but so very little to the human cost, not only to lives, but to the psyche - on both sides.