Cherish America School - There is Hebrew school, Sunday school, so let's have - Cherish America School

 

“Welcome children to the first lesson of Cherish America school. Quite a varied group we have! We meet on Fridays from 3pm to 5pm.

 "A big thank you to Rabbi Stein for allowing us use of this classroom in his synagogue where they teach Hebrew school. Should this room be unavailable, we will meet at the YMCA across town, and will notify your parents in advance.Those who attend Sunday school at the local Protestant, Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, we will not meet on the Friday before each of your various Easter Sundays. Ahmed, I would like to hear your family's story of immigrating from Syria, please tell us about it at the end of class.”

 “But first, pupils, stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, Wendy, I know that J’s witnesses are not in the habit of standing for the pledge, you may remain seated, variety and tolerance are one of the hallmarks of what makes America great.”

After the Pledge, the lesson begins.

The teacher takes out a copy of the Constitution. “We the People…” she begins, and reads the preamble aloud.

She continues to enumerate the roots of the Constitution and Magna Carta in scriptural teachings as brought to light in modern political theory by philosophers including Erastus, John Selden, John Lightfoot, the founders of the British Parliament, the founding fathers of the United States, and passed down to Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr.

 "Children, the whole concept of 'rights' stems from scripture. Proverbs, 31:8-9 states:

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

"Some examples of rights found in scripture include a right to one's property, as lent or stolen property must be returned to the owner. We will study the book of Ruth, the story of the Prodigal Son, and verses in the Koran regarding this theme.

"A person has a right to life, this is learned out from the times that the Bible permits capital punishment, this means that a person has to be guilty of a grave sin for his life to be taken, otherwise, life must be preserved."

Two kids start packing up to leave. Wendy turns to them, "why are you leaving? This is just getting interesting."

The teacher responds,  "That is fine, Moshe and Mark, you are excused to get home in time for your Sabbath." 

Moshe is an orthodox Jew, Mark is a Seventh day Adventist. 

"We have a governing body, called the Senate. Note the similarity between the words "Senate" and "Sanhedrin". The Sanhedrin was the Supreme Court of the ancient Hebrew Commonwealth. Judges were not allowed to accept any kind of gift from litigants so as not to affect their opinion of the outcome of a case. This shows the importance of judging favorably, both in court, and in daily life."

 A hand goes up.

 "Yes, Brian, do you have a question?"

"Teacher, in public school, we are not learning anything like this, not the scriptural roots of modern political science, not even the Constitution. My history teacher says that America caused displacement and eradication of the Native Americans, slavery, the detention of Japanese Americans during World War II, the Vietnam war, the patriarchy, sexism, racism, homophobia, everything he says is always negative. How do I respond to him?" 

 The teacher responds, "It is not necessary to correct those who are on a higher power differential that you are. Listen to him, and bring up what he says here, and we will deal with every issue honestly. There is a difference between what is known as "systemic" problems and mistakes that are made and get corrected.

"Injustices have indeed happened in America. But the Constitution has been the central document that has enabled us to get stop injustices, right wrongs, and fix our mistakes."

"We displaced the Native Americans, and many have advocated for their rights and restoration. We had slavery, then we banned it, galvanized for civil rights for Black people, and elected a Black president for two terms.  We suspected the Japanese Americans during wartime, and had the tools to make amends. We entered VietNam in fear that another Holocaust was on the rise in the far east, which turned out to be correct when the Cambodian genocide came to light. During that war, we had freedom of expression here, some supported the war effort, some protested it. 

 "Due to concepts of gender equality, gay marriage is now legal, but also due to concepts of religious freedom, no religious leader will be forced to perform same sex marriages against his or her conscience and interpretation of their religion, just like we were fine with Wendy not reciting the Pledge."

"What makes America great is that we have the tools embedded in our history and law to right wrongs. These tools are rooted in scripture. Our problems are not systemic, on the contrary, these tools have been used by countless people in righting wrongs."

"Teacher, looks like you are doing that too, now."

She looks at the student quizzically.

"You are righting the wrong of false neo-liberal narratives that lead to self-loathing, the collapse of democracy, and the infiltration of a Leftist mindset that will not even have a concept of rights, let alone tools to implement them."

“Teacher, I have a question.”

 “Yes, Ahmed?”

 “Will we meet during Ramadan?”

 “We will continue classes during Ramadan, yes, but if it is too difficult for you to attend because of the fast, you may be excused.”

Ahmed continues, “actually teacher I am asking not because of the fast, but because my cousins from Syria, who wept with joy when they got their visas to the USA, three of whom have already enlisted to serve in the US armed forces, because they know more than anyone how precious freedom is, and how important a secure border is so terrorists would not follow us here...,"

David interrupts:

 "Hey that sounds just like what happened to my family, my great grandparents were so grateful that the Cossacks could not follow the escaping Jews from the pogroms into the USA, thanks to a secure border!"

The teacher gently rebukes David for interrupting.

 Ahmed continues:

 "It's okay teacher, I see we all have a lot in common, especially our mutual understanding of how important a secure border is to safety and democracy. I just wanted to say that my cousins would like to attend in honor of Ramadan, all twelve of them…”

 “Ahmed that is a nice idea but “Cherish America” school is only available for kids that attend the local public school, we just do not have enough space for all those who wish to enroll.” 

David asked, "Ahmed, what brought your family to the USA?"

Ahmed answered, "My grandfather is a Bedouin Sheikh, originally from a country in Africa, but I cannot reveal where because of the threats made against him by the government there. He preached the Koranic teaching that Muhammad, our prophet, loved all people, even the hypocrite. This basic Koranic teaching was considered subversive by the government, as this meant that, by extension, one should tolerate our non-Muslim neighbors. He got help getting out of that country, to another in the Middle East, which I cannot reveal, and then the rest of our extended family made way to the USA."

And that is only the first class. 

 

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Build the Curriculum: Cherish America Schools.

Time to build something else, despite liberal self-loathing, and love America again. I am an orthodox Jew, living in Israel, grateful for the refuge that the USA gave to my forebears, and praying for the USA to redeem itself, and fast. 

(Blogger's note - the narrative above about the Bedoiun Sheikh is absolutely true! He is however not in the USA but in another Western country.)

 

Pelosi's Speech Ripping was a Symbolic Act of Violence

Jaquelyn Kennedy’s dignified response to the assassination of JFK is said to have prevented riots, as the nation mourned in shock at the unthinkable. She held herself with poise and self control when she exited the hospital, when LBJ was sworn in, when she greeted the White House staff upon her return from that terrible day, when she walked with Bobby Kennedy at the funeral accompanying the casket, when she knelt at the casket, when she left the White House with her children, the list goes on.

 

Jaquelyn Kennedy was in a position of influence, and took that grave responsibility seriously, thus acting with poise, touching countless lives and strengthening us by showing that one can respond to tragedy with courage, faith, and poise.

 

Queen Elizabeth II is said to have prepared herself for her coronation. She knew that she was bearing the responsibility of a chain of royalty going back to Alfred the Great, and perhaps to the legendary King Arthur. For hours she would be subject to under bright lights and cameras as she went thought the rites of coronation, yet the young queen did not express discomfort in any way, she was aware that she was responsible for showing an example of royalty, and she took that responsibility so seriously that she did not allow herself one flinch, one extra blink of the eye.

 

Nancy Pelosi’s behavior at the State of the Union address is of grave concern. She is seen mumbling when President Trump was speaking, reading his speech when she ought to have been listening respectfully, clapping when President Trump praised women but conspicuously not clapping when he praised the lowest Black unemployment in US history - now that should be a serious wake up call, not clapping for Black empowerment, wow. Finally, she unapologetically ripped his speech four full times up there on the podium knowing she was being watched by half the world.

 

Her behavior was that of open contempt. The speech ripping was a symbolic act of violence.

 

What followed was swift. Riots, looting, physical violence, murders. Is there a connection? Let’s look at scripture and tradition.

 

Nadav and Avihu were the sons of Aharon the High Priest. In the Sinai desert, the Jews were commanded to build a Tabernacle and dedicate it on a specific day in a specific manner. These brothers deviated from the correct practice of the dedication service: a fire came down from heaven, removed their souls from their bodies, and they died on the spot.

 

Why such a harsh heavenly punishment? The Midrash (tradition) says - because they were the sons of the High Priest and expected to show an example to the Jewish nation of correct Temple service. Any deviation, even if well intentioned, would have had terrible ramifications on the nascent Jewish nation’s understanding of observing the commandments. A slight deviation on the part of a leader can lead to chaos on the part of the people.

 

At the state of the union address, Pelosi’s mumbling, selective clapping, pointing her harshly clapping hands at the President, and finally the brazen speech ripping, were, according to scripture, tradition, and historical precedent, utterly reprehensible actions.