This post is in honor of the upcoming Nobel Prize Teacher Summit, taking place October 5th in Stockholm, under the theme – Teach love & understanding: “A world without ignorance and racism starts in school. This year’s teacher summit is about improving the way we promote democracy, non-violence and sustainable development in our daily work as teachers. How can education based on science prepare our students to be tolerant and engaged citizens?”
After my army service as the 2nd female sniper instructor in the IDF, I got my B.A. in International Relations and Political Science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. I don’t remember learning anything significant about how to achieve peace and it didn’t exactly make me an expert on the subject.
On the other hand, being immersed in the authentic wisdom of Kabbalah for the last two decades, does make me an expert on the subject of peace. Why? Because the wisdom is actually a scientific educational process for transitioning from having selfish attributes to having altruistic attributes. Unlike other sciences where scientists examine things objectively, on the challenging path of self-correction, you are the subject. You test everything you learn on yourself.
Jewish Holidays Are Symbols of our Social Development
The Jewish holiday of Sukkot is an appropriate time to discuss this transition and how true peace will be achieved because what we are really building together is a Sukka of Peace. I love this explanation of how things we consider garbage are actually the most crucial element for attaining perfection:
“After the Selichot (the ten days of Repentance), Rosh Hashanah (the New Year), Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), the five days between Yom Kippur and Sukkot, and the seven days of Sukkot, we reach the level of Shemini Atzeret (the Eighth day of Assembly): the unity with the Light. Gradually, day by day, we perform clarifications, the symbol of which is the covering of the Sukkah (Skhakh) made of “the waste of barn and winery.” That is, it is made of what a person disrespects and thinks nothing of, believing the food that we get from barn and a winery is most important, and not the waste.
But namely what seemed to him as worthless waste becomes the most important thing now. If I raise this “waste” above me and use it to cover my ego, if I hide myself under this covering, then I’ll be able to enjoy its shade. This is how we discover the upper Light, which is not revealed directly, without the shade. Thus, we reach the Sukkah of peace (Sukkat Shalom), under the perfect (Shalem) covering, the screen.”
Michael Laitman
So here are 7 points that demonstrate how we are focused on the wrong kind of peace that will bring no lasting harmony to the region. If we want to secure our good future we must open our hearts and minds to new ways of securing our sustainable development:
#1 No one really wants peace
My beautiful little country is always being attacked from all sides. Israel is constantly being singled out and threatened by the world’s nations in the UN. At international relations conferences, the main subject is always Israel. The “peace-loving” leftists in Israel are destroying the country from within, while some weird factions of orthodox Jews abroad are the most vocal anti-Israel protesters we have. Many of the groups claiming they support Israel and want peace are actually weakening the country from within.
#2 Peace is not about signing a piece of paper
When we imagine peace happening, we see a fancy setting with flags flying high, tables packed with dignitaries and diplomats, and the media having a field day. But in reality, all those fancy ceremonies are not where real peace takes place. Real peace begins in the heart of the nation, with the people. All politicians have an agenda, and peace is right up there as one of the greatest achievements a politician can strive for. Even the famous Oslo Accords is not an agreement. The whole world simply pressured Israel to get what they want, and the Israeli government couldn’t stand up to the pressure and finally gave in.
#3 No partner for peace
Being lenient with our enemies has never been a good strategy. Giving concessions such as land in exchange of peace, has not advanced peace in any way. Just the opposite. Our neighbors get more confident and audacious with each passing year, as all eyes in the world are on the “occupation” in this region. We are living in such an upside down world that at this point, Israelis are more afraid of harming an Arab than they are about harming an Israeli. Israel is a democratic country and its army abides by the highest moral human standards — but now our enemies are using all these things as weapons to damage our image in the eyes of the world. Not only do we have no viable partner for peace. We must face the fact that all our neighbors only want one thing — to run us into the ocean and take Israel for themselves.
#4 Peace is only dependent on the Jews
If the Jews agree to learn more about their true vocation in this world, which is Tikkun Olam, they would deal with correction of the world. Then the nations of the world would agree to make peace with everyone and they would reveal the upper force. Israel is guilty to withholding this perfect future from the world. We have the power to obligate the world to come to peace, even where there is conflict . This is due to the fact that we have the correction method and they don’t. We need to stop talking with everyone and only talk with ourselves about why we’re not dealing with our correction.
#5 Only partner for peace is the upper force
It is Israel that must bring peace to the world. We cannot depend on any external entity to help us with this. We must reach a state of peace between us, in our foundation that is made up of representatives from all 70 nations of the world. The nations will feel this force and it will help organize peace between all countries.
#6 Peace will begin through education
The true path to peace is in providing the next generation with suitable materials about how our world really operates — the forces at work and how we can influence them. Traditional educational methods need to be completely revised to include meaningful discussions about our purpose for being here, and the interdependent nature of our world. Once we grasp how we are all part of the same network that we must all nurture together, we will be able to accelerate our development.
#7 Israel must share method of correction
The Sukka of Peace is a sukka of brotherly love and unity between all the factions of the nation of Israel. Brotherly love is in Israel’s DNA and this goes back thousands of years to the days of Babylon. Abraham our forefather was the first to discover the method and he gathered people to him and taught them the method of connection. This group, made up of representatives of 70 nations of the world, went on to become “Israel”, from the words, Yashar-El, which means ‘straight to God’.
Here is a modern day sample of the connection method in action. This can be done with a group of people who know each other or complete strangers:
The Power of Connection Circles
Since ancient times, people have gathered in circles to discuss and solve their most…www.kabbalah.info
Originally published at medium.com