Arab Jewish Dialog, Muslim Education and "Why kill the Rabbi?"

Irene Lancaster highlights many interesting points in her article about Arab Jewish dialogue, which is not just about that:

 

Arab-Jewish dialogue in the real world

Meanwhile, back in the real world, my friend Ruth Ludlam has blogged on her recent attendance at a Business Forum for Jewish and Arab women, which was held in Haifa:

http://ruthludlam.blogspot.com/2008/12/israeli-businesswomens-conference.html

This blog makes fascinating reading and is typical of the type of positive interface between Arabs and Jews which actually exists in the real Israel.

In addition, two excellent pieces in today's Times. The first, on the importance of rote learning in education, features Michael Gove MP in his parliamentary role as Shadow Schools Secretary. See it here:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article5270092.ece

The argument is that facts are important in education and that discussion is not possible without a 'store of knowledge in your head to draw from'. This is definitely the Israeli model, in contrast to much of current education in England. Here, learning has become increasingly personalized - the 'feel-good' factor being all important. Maybe Israel leans too far the other way, but the desire of Israelis to better themselves through knowledge is admirable, and serves her citizens well, whether Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Druze, Bahai or 'other', as we Jews are often labelled in the apparently all-embracing English racial monitoring system.

Speaking of which, there is another fine article in today's Times, by David Aaronovitch, entitled

Psychotic terrorists in search of a grievance:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/david_aaronovitch/article5269730.ece

It starts:

So why kill the rabbi?

and explores the mentality which actually seeks out 'a few Jews', including the Chabad rabbi in Mumbai, and concludes that it is 'a psychosis in search of a grievance, not an expression of an existing grievance'.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1042932.html

Read the rest here: Arab-Jewish dialogue in the real world 

Cross posted: Israel News  Middle East Analysis