Our society is so divided that it seems
as if we are about to wander apart into another 12 tribes who do not even
remember being related to each other. How is it reflected in the Israeli schools?
Could the teachers, who also belong to a dozen different groups, prevent
xenophobia amongst the students?
From my subjective experience – if the
teacher can communicate in tolerable Hebrew, even if the accent makes your ears
wilt – the students will listen and even help him get the point across when he
is at loss for words. But in case of a conflict, the teacher’s community, race
and country of origin will be brought in, with all the stereotypes possible.
I’ve once seen a Russian teacher confuse
the grammar structure, and she ended up saying exactly the opposite of what was
intended. The class simply exploded with laughter and comments about “those
Russians”, which she ignored, and eventually they let it go as well.
Another time I watched an 11th
grader (girl) attack a Russian teacher with her firsts, while yelling out
racist slurs. There was nothing much we could do besides offering the
distraught teacher some tea. The student had been suspended, but the damage was
done.
Another example – it’s a known fact that
Russian teachers rarely get to teach English for the Bagrut. Even though I
barely contained giggles at the sight of the mistakes the Israeli teachers
leave on the board. A folder entitled “gremmar” in the teachers’ room… But one
of my bosses, looking me straight in the eyes, said: “Why are you giving them
grammar? Anyway they won’t know it. They don’t need it to pass the Bagrut. Only
you Russians care for grammar, native speakers manage without it, somehow”. You
do not say…
If you intend to teach in a regular
school, you better grow some very thick skin. Every other word that comes out
of their mouths is a swear, and the way to address a friend is “you, son of a
*****”. They don’t even get offended, it’s a figure of speech.
One of the main causes of xenophobia – in
my opinion – is that people usually have no clue about the life of people in
other communities. In 6th grade all students write a paper on their
community and background. How wonderful… maybe we should make them research
other communities?
Once, when I was teaching a group of
Ethiopians, I overheard them discussing the Charedim, who live on the other
side of the street. I said:
-have you spoken to them?
- no, - said the boy – we threw stones,
and they spat at us. They think we are all murderers, haha.
-have you ever been to their houses? Even
once?
-no, why would we ever?
- have they visited you?
-Are you kidding, teacher? We don’t visit
them, they don’t visit us.
-but why do you hate them so?
- because they are black, - answered the
kid, whose only white part is his sparkiling teeth.
When I got my words back, I told him:
-
If I give you guys
bad grades, you call me a racist. And what are you, exactly?
That got him thinking…. But not for long.
Any class I had ever taught, assumed I was American. Any
explanations about me being from the Ukraine were rejected outright. I don’t
fit their stereotypical image of a Russian. The only thing they knew about
Americans is that they eat gefilte fish. Yeah, that slimy stuff in a jar – that’s
Americans. No questions about the Wild West, New York or anything else. Just
the undead gefilte.
My daughter, studying in an amazing school in Jerusalem, got teased
for being American (which she isn’t), and not for being Russian, (which nobody
knew, till she interfered in a conversation of some lost nuns ranting about
Jews at some graveyard they visited with her class, in Russian, but that’s another story altogether)
and saw a certain amount of irony in that.
Once I found myself on the stairs of the Begin school here in Bet
Shemesh, waiting for my son who was taking an exam inside. There were about 40
parents waiting, and they were distinctly divided into 3 groups – Israelis,
Anglos, Russians. That got me thinking – where do I belong? Maybe all 3? And I
decided to listen in in all of them.
The Israelis were talking about the latest scandal with the police.
An obese man in a blue uniform was trying to persuade a woman in white trousers
a la the 20s that Israeli police is not just a vast libido, but also… eventually
they started talking about schools, teachers salaries, homework…
I wandered over to the Anglos. They were discussing hot lunches,
trips, and how to get the kids to read in their mother tongue. The Russians
were – you won’t believe it! – also talking about schools. But why can’t they
discuss it with each other?
We all have so much in common. We all strive to teach our kids how
to live in the society, we survive heatwaves and terror attacks, army and
elections. But always alongside each other and never actually together.
Dear
Anglos, have you ever been to a Russian's house? (Not mine, a real Russian).
What is our biggest holiday of the year? Or maybe you've been to an Ethiopian
house? What's their bread called? Have you invited them over? What do they eat
in the Yemeni community for supper? What's Mimuna all about? What do the Indian
Jews call themselves? How do 'regular Israelis' address a random guy on the
street? Which Israeli writer is known for his most poetic Hebrew? In which Israeli
group of society do Americans constitute 15%? (research came out last week). Is
falafel really Israeli or it comes from elsewhere? Why do Hungarian Jews shave
their heads? Who are the Neturei Karta and why do they call themselves that?
Which chassidut wraps their peot around the ears and which ones fold them under
the kippa? What's a gartel? What language do the French Jews often speak to
their grandparents?
How convenient – Russians chew their salami, Anglos enjoy their gefilte fish, Israelis – their
matbuha, and we continue to be xenoses (strangers) to each other. Maybe let’s
at least say hello?
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