Jan
2
2024
The Jennie
Author: adminSometimes, two widely disparate items in your life combine to offer a jarring dissonance.
Example. For months, we’ve been reading, hearing, watching Israel’s military in action in the Mideast. Action filled with inhumanity and violence in a seemingly no-win situation. Just destruction and death. For Jews, it’s been that way for centuries.
In fact, especially since Israel claimed it’s homeland in 1947, that nation has been continually engaged in some sort of violent activity, trying to find a secure and safe place among nations.
The rest of the world has become accustomed to this continuing violence involving Israel. Jews have historically been faced with it from biblical times. Since the days of Moses leading his people into the wilderness.
I confess. For many years I’ve associated Israel and Jews with anger and violence. Just a natural connection given the constant barrage of news of the many struggles of that nation.
But, the other day, I was brought up short by “news” of something Hebrew-connected I found on the old I-net. Another side of Jewishness.
It was a news release announcing the opening of enrollment for a special educational opportunity. The Jennifer Barnum Luria Early Childhood Learning Center in Portland, Oregon.
The announcement read: “With the opening of The Jennie, fulltime reform Jewish early childhood education returns to our historic campus. With child-led programming for children aged six weeks to pre-kindergarten, “The Jennie” empowers children from the youngest ages to ask questions, explore their curiosities and be advocates for their learning desires.
“We strive for beauty and peace through respect for art, kindness and Kehillah – the Hebrew word for community. This collaboration allows children to feel nurtured and (to) engage with their inner curiosity and inspiration to learn, providing a lifelong love of learning to grow.”
I had just read a lengthy story of the continuing inhumanity in Gaza. Then the item on the opening of “The Jennie.”
Two sides of contemporary Jewish life. Lavish, gentle words about teaching “beauty” and “peace” and “respect” and “community” for little children while adults of the same faith clash with their enemies in violent confrontations.
I had to stop to reread the announcement of “The Jennie.”
So, we’re proudly teaching the meanings of humanity, love and respect for our fellow man to little children, while at the same time their elders are fighting and dying in a war half-a-world away.
The awful disparity of the two stories – adult Jews at war while their children are learning of love and peace – the two divergent thoughts seemed impossible to hold in one’s mind at the same time.
What went wrong? When did the teachings of peace and love fade, to be replaced by violence and hatred? Why aren’t we able to live the ways we were taught? When did we lose sight of the human values we learned in childhood?
I pray children enrolled at “The Jennie” can retain the teachings of peace, love and community better than their elders. All of us who were taught the same things but who’ve seemingly turned our backs on those teachings. We’ve forgotten just how important that early education really was.
I truly hope there are more “Jennies” out there. I hope they’re reaching out to other small children. I pray they’re teaching about peace – about community – about love – to little, open minds who need to hear about those things.
It would do well for all of us to spend some time learning at “The Jennie.”