Four Lessons from the Election: Long-Term Education and Identity Building
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
The author proposes four lessons from the recent elections, stressing the need for long-term educational and identity-building campaigns. He argues that engaging people requires starting from a young age, similar to how diaspora Jews need early Jewish education. The piece highlights the effectiveness of emotional campaigning, citing Shas's success, and advocates for deeper engagement through methods like one-on-one study. A notable incident involved hostage survivor Agam Berger criticizing Yair Golan for using her footage in a political video, emphasizing generational differences in understanding national identity.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Long-term educational and identity-building campaigns are crucial, starting from a young age.
- Effective engagement requires deep understanding, not last-minute persuasion.
- Shas's emotional campaign videos offer a model for effective public relations.
- One-on-one study and dialogue are recommended for fostering deeper connections.
- Hostage survivor Agam Berger criticized Yair Golan for political use of her experience.
The author draws four preliminary conclusions from the recent elections, emphasizing the need for long-term educational campaigns and identity building, even before final results are known. He likens the challenge of engaging disconnected diaspora Jews to the difficulty of reaching Israelis unfamiliar with political nuances like the "deep state" or the intricacies of the Netanyahu trial.
The core argument is that effective engagement requires starting early, fostering Jewish education from childhood, and building a sense of belonging. Attempts to educate or persuade individuals at the last moment, like trying to convince someone at the wedding altar, are deemed ineffective. This approach, the author suggests, should be applied to political discourse within Israel, focusing on deep understanding rather than superficial arguments.
He highlights the success of the Shas party's election campaign, particularly its emotional videos that resonated with viewers, and suggests that similar professional, long-term public relations efforts are crucial for the religious and right-wing camps. The author also recommends engaging in one-on-one learning, such as "chavruta" study with secular individuals, to foster deeper understanding and connection.
A significant event cited is the exchange between Yair Golan and hostage survivor Agam Berger. Golan's party released a video using footage from October 7th, which Berger publicly rebuked, stating that her story should not be used for political purposes and that Israel's existence is based on the "merit of the ancestors" rather than mere strength. Berger, a 22-year-old former observer, asserted her understanding of truth, war, and victory surpasses that of the 64-year-old former Deputy Chief of Staff, emphasizing the generational shift in understanding core values.