“Violence. Hostility. Bullying. Racism. These are only some of - TopicsExpress

“Violence. Hostility. Bullying. Racism. These are only some of the bad things that people encounter every day here in Israel. These are some of the things that must not occur in our country. Let’s promise ourselves that this year we will work toward tolerance, solidarity, unity and equality — values we need in our country. Countering bullying should have already been on teachers’ radars this fall, as both Education Minister Shai Piron and Rivlin made statements and sent letters to teachers about the need to deal with racism and violence in Israeli schools. “You the teachers occasionally feel at war, alone at the front. Each of you is a commander of 40 opinionated and lively children — you stand firm and motivated in the face of escalating violence from time to time, witness incitement, and sometimes even racism,” Rivlin wrote to the educators as the summer’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza was ending and the school year beginning. “In your war, there are no enemies. In your war, if everyone doesn’t win, everyone loses. Your system requires you to be a protective edge of tolerance and moderation.”