Schoolchildren in the United States recite a pledge of allegiance to their flag over the school public address system. Still, what's right for Americans isn't necessarily right for us. Let's set aside for a moment the fact that the initiative would not apply to Arab schools. The naysayers misinterpret the connection between the people and the state. Their diagnosis is mistaken because they fail to distinguish between possibly controversial laws and a belief that singing an anthem and waving a flag are natural acts of patriotism. Furthermore, if waving flags and singing an anthem are fascist acts, then David Ben-Gurion, Yitzhak Tabenkin and other Zionist leaders were fascists since they encouraged such public displays of patriotism. Other arguments against the initiative are idea that it constitutes excessive interference in citizens' private lives or that it goes over the heads of preschool children. Both these arguments are problematic. Nursery school children already learn about Jewish holidays and sing songs related to those holidays. Isn't that interference in citizens' private lives? Who determines what constitutes interference in private life anyway? There is also the issue of cognitive development. Learning about national symbols will enhance children's cognitive skills as well as broaden their interest in and knowledge of our country. Those opposed to the Education Ministry's patriotism initiatives repeatedly claim that the balance between Israel's Jewish and democratic character is being eroded. Why is that so? Why not precisely the opposite? Perhaps such initiatives actually restore the equilibrium. Do the naysayers have a monopoly on thought? In recent years, textbooks issued by the Education Ministry show an intentional and marked bias towards "democracy" at the expense of Jewishness and Israeliness. Why is educating about democracy more worthy than educating about Judaism? Take, for example, the book "Citizenship in Israel" or other history books that present the Palestinian Nakba as an event detached from any explanatory context. Just as democracy is important, Judaism and certainly Israeliness are important as well, and teaching them includes teaching national symbols. As a Western country, Israel is subject to the bane of reality television and the resulting intellectual vapidity and dearth of critical thinking. Strengthening our connection to the land can be a powerful corrective to the Education Ministry's decline and deterioration. Fascism is indeed destructive, but patriotism is constructive. History reinforces that truth.
Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar's new proposal to have all nursery schools start the week singing "Hatikva," Israel's national anthem, and waving Israeli flags, has raised heckles in certain circles. Some people are trying to connect the initiative to recent controversial Knesset legislation, such as the Admissions Committee law and the Nakba law. Foremost among the naysayers is Israel Prize for Education recipient Professor Gabi Salomon, who hinted to Ha'aretz that Israel is being pushed into the waiting arms of fascism. Is that so? As if visiting heritage sites and adopting the graves of soldiers who died for our country were fascist acts.
Singing 'Hatikva' is not fascist, it is patriotic
אלי ורד חזן
מנהל אגף ההסברה וקשרי חוץ של הליכוד
