In the past two days we’ve seen violence and loss of control among citizens as well as the authorities.
Especially now, when it seems as if nobody holds the responsibility for us citizens, at best, and, at worst, intentionally throwing gasoline on the fire - it is our time to take responsibility for what happens today, and tomorrow. The day following the violence will come, and at that moment we will have to face the rifts across all areas of life. We will all still be living here, Jews and Arabs, and we must find a way to coexist.
Here at ACRI, we take responsibility, and offer teachers educational resources to deal with racism, hate, and incitement at school and in the classroom. Our Education Department works throughout both times of routine and emergency in order to provide educators support and mentoring, out of a recognition of their critical role in the fight to preserve a democractic Israeli society that denounces racism and aims for a shared life.
What else can be done?
We must take responsibility for our children. Parents - pay attention, WhatsApp and Telegram are used to spread inciting messages and recruit our youth to violence. We must all take responsibility, practice awareness and prevent instigators from exploiting the feelings of fear and anxiety.
It is also possible to take responsibility through various initiatives, from expressing an opinion to organizing a protest. Each and every single one of us can join an existing initiative or start a new one - and take responsibility for our shared space. Up and coming initiatives are listed in several places, like here, here and here.