Misconceptions

I am not one who makes quick assumptions or judgments of others. My opinion and ideas of an individual is left open until I learn more of that person. It is as simple as that. This simple act is, however, not as common as one would hope and think. The phrase, “don’t judge a book by its cover” is often said but rarely implied in society. 

Of course it is somewhat inevitable to completely not judge someone at first sight, whether by their physical demeanor or associations, but it is important for our opinions to be flexible and willing to change from an opinion based on assumptions to an opinion based on facts.  I am grateful to have learned this lesson at a young age and I really it owe it to my diverse community and family. I learned to question the norms and taboos of society to formulate my own opinion.

What keeps coming to mind at the moment is the 9/11 tragedy. As an eleven-year-old forth grader, my parent’s intentions to shelter me from the event drove my curiosity even further. What had stood out the most, while secretly investigating the incident, was Muslims. At the time I knew very little about Islam but I understood like any religion there are its bad and good aspects. Many of Americans, during this time, sadly began to associate any Muslims with the Taliban.  This ignorant, and sometimes overly emotional misconception is what encouraged me to further study Islam and pursue a Muslim Specialization Studies. This all ties into my discussions and experiences in Israel this week.

When discussing with the MASA represented, Daniel Schuval, I could not agree more with the idea on advertising the study abroad by word of mouth. Information is thrown at college students everyday and it is very easy to disregard pamphlets or emails. Although, the challenge MASA is facing is not lack of advertisement but the misunderstanding of the Israel and in general the Middle East. The media is telling society of the instability and dangers that occur in Israel, not of the historical and academic opportunities. Thus, the perspective on Israel must change and in time through education I believe it will.

The documentary, State 194, also reminded me of this issue on misconceptions. Let me just say the Dan Setton did a excellent job in portraying the importance of state building not just in relations to top-down but bottom-up as well. What had stood out to me the most was the commentary from the founder of the Parent Circles, Yitzhak Frankenthal. I was shocked to learn from him that most Israelis youth believe that approximately 30,000 Palestinians live in Israel when the actual number is close to three million. He also said many Palestinians only know of Israeli soldiers and not civilians. I had honestly forgotten of the youth in Israel and Palestine and how their opinion and ideas impact the future of these two nations. Frankenthal's goal to reconstruct the misconceptions of Israelis and Palestinians is vital for peace in the conflict. For if you want to positively impact the future you must impact the youth.