Cteen-U Israel and Me Final Review Questions PDF

Cteen-U Israel and Me Final - Review  Lesson #8 - How To Make Peace What is the Torah’s go-to strategy to resolve conflict? The Torah says to try to offer peace while approaching war. Since when has Israel pursued peace with its neighbors? Since be...

Cteen-U Israel and Me Final - Review  Lesson #8 - How To Make Peace What is the Torah’s go-to strategy to resolve conflict? The Torah says to try to offer peace while approaching war. Since when has Israel pursued peace with its neighbors? Since before 1948. The Declaration Of Independence of Israel pledges full rights for Arab inhabitants and peace for neighboring states. Since then Israel has successfully made peace with Egypt and Jordan. Israel famously tried to make peace with the Palestinians—there are too many attempts to list, but some of the notable ones are Yitzhak Rabin and the Oslo Accords, Ehud Barak at Camp David, Arik Sharon’s unilateral disengagement from Gaza, and Ehud Olmert’s sessions with Mahmoud Abbas.  Lesson #8 - How To Make Peace How has Israel attempted to seek peace? Israel has attempted to make peace with the Palestinians by negotiation, including land for peace as well as by unilateral withdrawal from territories. Do compromise and negotiation always lead to peace? Why? Compromise and negotiation don’t always necessarily lead to peace. They definitely cannot lead to peace with an enemy whose aims are absolutist and uncompromising, who fervently believes in your total destruction, who denies your right to exist, who is philosophically and religiously committed to violence, and who categorically rejects any peace treaties, and will not be bound by them. Often, displaying desperation puts the negotiator in a weaker position. Only when one is ready to walk away from the table can they get a good deal.  Lesson #8 - How To Make Peace What is the best path towards lasting peace? The best path forward for lasting peace is to confidently and strongly assert our claim to the land, to be prepared to fight and not display signs of demoralization and exhaustion, and to not reward terrorists by negotiating with them. What are some examples of Israel’s success in making peace? Israel has successfully made peace with Egypt and Jordan. Israel has successfully entered the Abraham Accords with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco.  Lesson #9 - Faithful and Fortified What is a government's top priority and obligation to its people? According to the Torah, a king/government's first obligation to its people is to execute justice/uphold standards of justice, and to wage wars/concern itself with national security. What does this mean practically? How and when is it prioritized over other concerns? Issues such as Israel’s image in the world, a desire for accolades and Nobel prizes for taking risks for peace, pursuing noble, social and other moral goals, are all lower priority than actual safety and security of a government’s own citizens. Israel cannot accept any peace treaty that will put her citizens at a greater security risk.  Lesson #9 - Faithful and Fortified When must Jews fight their enemies even on Shabbat? When there is a concern that an enemy is approaching with the intent to kill (and not just for monetary gain). Even if we are uncertain about their intentions, we must counter attack them even on the Shabbat. Regarding a border city, even if an enemy is approaching for monetary gain alone, we must fight even on the Shabbat. This is because of the strategic location of the border city, and the security threat it would present if it were taken by the enemy. What is the top concern when considering giving away land for peace? When considering giving away land for peace, Israel must consider whether this is putting her citizens at a greater security risk due to the strategic position of a given piece of land. If it does put her citizens at greater risk, she must not give away the land under any circumstances.  Lesson #10 - The U.N. Connection What are some of the ways the U.N. demonstrates a clear anti-Israel bias? The UN demonstrates anti-Israel bias by passing resolutions disproportionality condemning Israel. By using hyperbole and not providing countervailing facts in the resolutions. By making Palestine a permanent item on the Human Rights Council Agenda. What are some of the possible reasons for this obsession? Some possible causes behind the UN's anti-Israel bias may be: Undemocratic governments with gross human rights violations are trying to protect themselves by demonstrating their concern for human rights, while diverting attention away from themselves. Arab and Muslim countries form a bloc. Israel is not able to defend itself at the UN because it is not allowed membership in many UN bodies and in a regional group. Antisemitism and anti-Zionism  Lesson #10 - The U.N. Connection What are two interpretations of the verse that states that the Jewish people “dwells alone”? 1. The Jewish people are destined to be alone and apart from the other nations, which do not associate with the Jewish people. 2. The Jewish people have a unique and important mission to be a “light unto the nations" by holding themselves to a higher moral standard, and will therefore never fully assimilate to become just another ordinary nation.  Lesson #11 - The Gifts of the Land of Israel What is the Land of Israel specifically blessed with in the Torah? The Torah tells us that the Land of Israel will be blessed with agricultural bounty. Additionally, the Land of Israel has a special blessing for wisdom and Torah. What are some major contributions of Israel to the world in: a) Torah, b) agriculture, c) medicine, d) economics? Today Israel is home to the most prominent and largest Torah academies and produces the finest Torah scholars. Israel stands out for its agricultural innovations, such as vegetables that are easier to preserve, drip irrigation, organic pest control, and perhaps most importantly, sharing this knowledge and skills with other countries to help them combat hunger. Israel has produced many helpful medical innovations such as the flex stent, the bionic walking assistance system, the spinal surgery robotic guidance system, field hospitals par excellence, and the S&R unit.  Lesson #12 - Why The News Doesn’t Like Israel Besides military might, what can be a powerful tool in war? Excluding military might, another powerful form of warfare is information. An information war can be the cause for a political and, ultimately, physical war. Why is disseminating truth so important? Our entire society depends on information and trust. We rely on other people's first hand accounts and expertise in order to survive and function as individuals and as a society. Who bears this responsibility? Every individual bears the enormous responsibility of disseminating the truth. However, a greater measure of responsibility lies on the shoulders of those purporting to be eyewitnesses or objective sources. News outlets and media sources, upon whom so many people rely for good information, must live up to that role. Is there evidence of media bias against Israel? Give some examples. There is much evidence for media bias against Israel. Many news outlets engage in upside down reporting, false equivalence, and giving platforms to terrorists to perpetuate their lies. In addition, Many news outlets give false impressions by engaging in selective reporting, skewed headlines and careful choice of words.  Lesson #12 - Why The News Doesn’t Like Israel Give some examples of false impressions vs. outright falsehoods The NYT featured an article reading "more than 250 dead, mostly civilians.” This was a flat out lie. The NYT featured a picture on its cover page of a Palestinian mother mourning over her son, giving the impression that her son is the victim. The fine print reveals that she is mourning over her son who is in jail for murdering a nineteen-year-old soldier. How does language affect our perceptions of the conflict? Give examples. Language can frame an argument before it begins. For example, by calling Israeli towns "settlements" and the citizens "settlers", it gives the impression that they are not legitimate. By calling terrorists "freedom fighters" it gives the impression that they are legitimate.  Lesson #13 - The Origins of Antisemitism How would you define antisemitism? Antisemitism can be defined as hatred for Jews for who they are. Not for what they do. It really has less to do with the Jew and more with the antisemite. They have a void and need to hate Do antisemites offer a rational reason for their hate? Antisemites often offer a reason for their hate. However the reason constantly "mutates" and changes. This is because the "reason" is just an excuse and rationalization, it's "give me the criminal, I'll find the crime". Is all criticism of Israel antisemitic? Explain. Criticism of Israel is not always antisemitic. No nation is above criticism and constructive criticism is healthy. If the critic’s goal is to correct the flaw and build up, as opposed to dismiss and destroy, then it is honest healthy criticism. When does anti-Israel cross the line into antisemitism? We can easily discern between legitimate and illegitimate criticism of Israel by using the 3D test. If a criticism engages in Demonization, Double standard, or Delegitimization, this is an obvious tell that the criticism is sources in antisemitism.  Lesson #13 - The Origins of Antisemitism Is BDS anti-Israel or antisemitic? How? BDS is clearly an antisemitic organization, as they fail the above 3D test. There is a clear Double Standard, and there is a clear Delegitimization of Israel. They expressly state that Israel has no right to exist. What is the true root of antisemitism? Jews represent morality and conscience. When the antisemite meets the Jew, he is struck by the Jew's sense of purpose and meaning. This makes him feel a deep void and emptiness and even guilt in his own life. Instead of rising to the challenge, the antisemite would rather get rid of his conscience and the coincidence of the world - the Jew. What can we do within ourselves to limit antisemitism? When we live as proud Jews and we are confident, we may not always be loved but we will command respect. Confidence and light are attractive and eventually we can be a light unto the nations as others raise themselves to be better people.  Lesson #14 - Stand For Israel What must be our reaction when we are faced with antisemitism? 1. Jewish students should maintain contact with administration personnel, namely with student affairs and campus security, even before a situation arises. Alert them and demand action when parameters are violated. 2. Respond to antisemitism in an accurate and succinct fashion in an open letter to editor or op-ed in campus media. 3. Demand fairness and balance when it comes to campus speakers. 4. Document discrimination and bring it to the appropriate parties. Ask for help from sympathetic professors or other organizations. What is the most effective way to defend Israel? The most effective way to defend Israel is by being on the offense—presenting Israel in a positive light, being proactive about educating ourselves and others on the beauty, values, and accomplishments of Israel. What is the most effective way to bring ourselves and other Jewish students closer to Israel? The most effective way to combat anti-Israel and antisemitism, is pro-semitism (not anti antisemitism). By deepening our connection to Judaism and Israel in a positive, and even spiritual context, and by creating a strong Jewish identity, we can become closer to Israel from the inside out.  Lesson #14 - Stand For Israel What are two important qualities to work on in order to be an effective Israel advocate? To be an effective advocate for Israel we must be bold like a leopard and be prepared to confront the haters. Additionally, we must be proud and confident with a strong Jewish identity. What are some other ways we can stand for Israel? Torah, prayer, tzedakah, advocate, educate, support, visit, combat, build - Elaborate Hatzlacha! Good Luck!