Once Upon an Action Theme
Mookie Kideckel
Each year, NFTY’s General Board - comprised of elected officers from every region - adopts an Action Theme. This theme, typically a hot-button issue, serves as a blueprint for the year’s social action activities and determines the direction of much of the year’s programming and action. This year, the theme is “Kach et HaKoach: Reclaiming the Power of Humanity; NFTY Acts to Confront Irrational Fear and Oppression.” It’s a bit different than what we’re used to.
This year’s action theme has many levels. It is both a reaction to a serious issue, namely fear and hate in society, and a blueprint for more active citizenship. Its changes are both short and long term; its projects both individual and collective. At a concrete level, this year’s theme calls on each of us to react to hate and discrimination where we see it. At a more conceptual level this theme asks us to see through today’s climate of fear.
In almost every crisis this world has known, countries have given up civil liberties for security. And almost every time we’ve done that in the 20th century, we’ve spent later generations regretting it. Propaganda and fear during World War II led to the internment of Japanese Americans and Canadians. Propaganda during the Cold War destroyed the lives of many accused communists. Unfortunately, history has a nasty habit of repeating itself.
Though we have not reached the extremes of previous generations, the world since 9/11 has been engulfed in fear. It has led to actions that run contrary to our way of life. These range from relatively minor inconveniences such as increased border security to flagrant human rights abuses such as torture at facilities housing American and Canadian detainees, illegal wiretapping and spying by the government, and abuses of Muslim Canadians and Americans. In a climate where dissent has become unpatriotic and secrecy threatens to replace transparency, NFTYites are challenged to pay attention to legislation, act out when governments overstep their bounds, and to question the things they see and hear.
What is a war on terror? How can you fight an abstract concept – who is our enemy – isn’t war terrifying in itself?
What is an axis of evil – can people truly be evil – don’t most terrorists consider us evil too – so who’s right?
Why?
Whyis the most important question we can ask. Why are we scared? Why are there hate crimes? If we can answer the why, and discover the cause of problems, we can work better to fix those problems. If we cannot, after research, reflection, and debate, come up with a satisfying answer, then that is a problem in itself.
And it is this that this action theme calls on us all to protest. In 2004, 44% of Americans polled said they believed that Muslims should have some rights restricted. Some scared North Americans have taken out their anger against Jews, blaming them for 9/11. It was Pharaoh’s irrational fear of and prejudice towards the Jews that led to our first enslavement. And it was people playing upon fears that have led to segregation, ghettos, torture, and war. So what will we do to address this?
NFTYites will participate in and run programs at TYG, Regional and North American events designed to raise awareness of the world and it's problems, question the world, take actions, and promote advocacy about injustice and our personal involvement. Main aspects of this include coordinating letter-writing campaigns to officials, organizing projects that address these issues, forming and participating in anti-prejudice groups and rallies, organizing and participating in dialogue designed to mend internal and external inequities, writing petitions, etc. As one of NFTY’s core values is Hitpatchut: Personal Growth and Ethics, it is extremely important that NFTYites take action to reject acts of discrimination and fear while assessing who we are as individuals.
This year, look at the resources provided, work with the organizations listed, run some of the program ideas here or make your own. But whatever you do – don’t forget to question.
B’Shalom,
Mookie Kideckel
NFTY Social Action Vice President
5767-5768
nftysavp@urj.org
