Two Days of Emotion
Memorial Day/Independence Day

Today in Israel is Independence Day-yesterday was Memorial Day. I am privileged to be in Israel to have once again been part of this two-day celebration. At dusk, two days ago, the Memorial Day events began. Stores closed early, the radio music shifted and the entire country, religious and secular, people who have come from dozens of different cultures, put aside their differences and paid homage to those responsible for our freedom this day. It is something short of magical to witness. You see this is a country comprised of many dozens of different cultures and religions. Visitors are often struck by the velocity of life here and by the Israeli behavior as foreigners are fond to declare. Yet each year at this time of year according to the Hebrew calendar, people put aside their differences and pay homage to the fallen soldiers.

I was able to attend the evening Memorial event that honors Israeli soldiers who gave their lives for the freedoms we have today. I watched with emotion as the local soldiers names, photos and date of death was flashed upon a large screen while prayers and song filled the evening air. As I looked about the audience, the pain was clearly visible in the behavior and upon the faces of so many in attendance. Songs were sung, prayers were offered, candles were lighted and individuals spoke some words of wisdom. For nearly 60 minutes, an Israeli audience was quiet, was respectful and displayed the appropriate honor to those who have fallen. Those of you who know about our life here may have a smile on your face and for sure you have a deep appreciation for such meaning.

We awoke the next day and went to the cemetery and participated in a short and honorable military ceremony. Each local group had two representatives walk solemnly to the soldiers’ memorial and place a wreath at its base. A lone trumpet played, prayers were said, and the audience joined in saying kadish. With precision found only in the military, a 21-gun salute was followed by the Israeli anthem-Tikva. It was time then to pay respects at your family members grave-the fallen ones who are in part responsible for our freedoms today. Along with millions of others in the country, I realized how fortunate we are-it is only through the strength of our military that we can sit today, Independence Day in our favorite café enjoying family and friends-and a good coffee! Yes, my dear friends, it is true, without our military, in this land where we are surrounded by millions of others who want Israel pushed into the sea, we live a “normal” life.

This must be the only country in the world that has, in a matter of moments, a transition from sadness to joy-this day was about Independence and democratic freedoms that are not taken for granted. At dusk last night, all the solemn behavior shifted to one of joy-we began with our first mangel (bar-b-q) and sat with friends upon our balcony –the fire works displays were astounding-they happened all around us-what a sight to behold. Yes, today is Independence Day, more ceremonies and a great deal of “mangeling”. The roads were packed, you could not move-but most remained calm and ultimately arrived at some out-door venue. This you have to see to believe-it seems as though the entire country goes outside to their favorite spot. After eating too much but having shared with my Israeli friends and family many stories, laughter and gossip, the entire country made its way home. The belagon on the roads made LA traffic rush hour a breeze. Yet, this is expected and each year this repeats itself. We shall do this all over again next year, no one here takes for granted that freedom comes with a price and for the most part, everyone, in their own way, serves so maybe, some day, their children and/or their grandchildren will have a different life. We in the West can learn a great deal from Israel, if we would only put aside some biases, prejudices and open our eyes to what the world is really like, this day.

I regret that my words are not able to share with you the emotion and the grace that was on display these last 48 hours. I know this, tomorrow I will say thank you to the soldiers, male and female, who understand that their service is required yet for the most part willingly give three years of active service and another 20 years of reserve duty so we may enjoy the coffee we had tonight at one of our favorite cafes. The scent of blossoms, the quiet sea breeze off the Mediterranean Sea still lingers in my senses as I write to you tonight. Tomorrow will come and we shall begin our lives anew!


I will place this on my new Blog-Doc’s Talk-you are invited to read some of my musings
http://docstalk.blogspot.com/

Israel must live!

By W. Thomas Smith, Jr./ http://www.townhall.com/opinion/columns/WThomasSmithJr/2006/05/01/195455.html

May 1, 2006

Ten years ago, as a journalist covering the Israeli-Palestinian clashes on the West Bank, I found myself on patrol with an Israeli Airborne squad in the ancient town of Hebron. As we moved down a narrow alleyway littered with stones and a few shell casings from a previous clash, one of the young paratroopers turned to me.

"So, were you in the American Army?" he asked.

"Well, not exactly," I responded. "I was in the U.S. Marine Corps."

With that, the soldier’s eyes widened. He then uttered something in Hebrew to the other members of the squad. A few turned to look at me. One of them – chest out, jaw forward – boasted, "We are tough like the U.S. Marines! Don’t you think?"

I smiled. "Yes, of course."

Those young paratroopers were proud. In fact, as proud as any members of any elite military unit I had ever served with or encountered. What bolstered that pride was a committed-to-death blending of nationalism, military tradition, and religious faith that few national armies can match. Though military service is mandatory in Israel, there is an almost spiritual quality to it. There is a reason for that.

Grafted to an ancient homeland that had achieved statehood only a few decades earlier, the soldiers I patrolled with knew their country was surrounded by enemies. They knew those enemies wanted Israel driven into the sea. They also knew that their forebears had fought a series of blistering albeit successful wars against those enemies, and they themselves were battling domestic – sometimes foreign – terrorism. Beyond that, those soldiers saw themselves as warriors defending a temple of refuge in the broadest sense.

TEMPLE OF REFUGE

Israel has always been considered something of a temple of refuge since its founding 58 years ago. But for Holocaust survivors like Romanian-born Al Linder, who now lives in Stamford, Connecticut, that "temple" was too long in coming.

When he was a boy during World War II, Linder and his family were rounded up by the Nazis and shipped to Bershad, a slave-labor camp in the Ukraine. There he watched as his grandparents and his 18-month-old sister died of starvation and disease. "If you were a Jew living in Europe [during the war], you had nowhere to run," he told me last week. "Nobody wanted you. But had Israel existed then, we would have had a place to go and survive."

Such a "place" was founded three years after the war, on May 14, 1948, when Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben Gurion, declared Israel’s Independence (Based on the Jewish calendar for 2006, Israel’s Independence Day will be celebrated, this week, on May 3).

"THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD"

Daylle Deanna Schwartz, an author and music-industry writer in New York, likens Israel to "'The Little Engine that Could' – a tiny country that stands up for itself in a hostile environment." But Israel, as a state, is not just a symbol of greatness for Israelis, she says. It represents immeasurable pride, international justification, and a redressing of past wrongs for non-Israeli Jews (like herself) living elsewhere in the world.

"After being oppressed throughout the centuries, the scapegoats for people’s anger, the target of extinction during World War II; Israel is a symbol of survival and winning for many Jews," Schwartz says. "It is Jews standing up for themselves in a region filled with hate for them."

The land Israel was founded on, and has since fought for, is sacred to much of the world.

For instance, Israel’s ancient and often-embattled city, Jerusalem, is key to three of the world’s great religions: To the Jews, it is Yerushalayim, the place where God laid the bedrock for the creation of the earth. It has also been considered the Jewish capital since the reign of King David. To Christians, it is the place where Jesus Christ was crucified, buried, resurrected, and ascended into Heaven. To Muslims, it is known as El Quds (the Holy), the place from which the Prophet Mohammed embarked on his nocturnal journey to Heaven.

Jerusalem is but one of many cities and sites located throughout Israel considered sacred to so many. And so many want a piece of her.

THE PALESTINIANS

There is also the issue of the Palestinian people. Palestinian Arabs (mostly Muslim) make up nearly 20 percent of Israel’s population. Those numbers are well over 80 percent on the West Bank, and over 99 percent on the Gaza Strip.

Palestinians have been living in what is today Israel for thousands of years. Thus, there is the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Though complex, it can be boiled down to four basic realities: First, Palestinians want rights, full citizenship, and independent statehood. Second, some of the more radical Palestinian elements want nothing less than the annihilation of the Jewish state. Third, for Israelis, it is the issue of Israel’s very "right to exist," and a refusal to succumb to terrorism. Fourth, years of killing have added a variable of retribution into the mix.

Not surprising, there has been tremendous friction between the two. According to the International Peace Research Institute, Oslo, the Israelis and the Palestinians have been in a perpetual state of civil war since 1948. And the recent election of the terrorist organization, Hamas, as the majority party of the Palestinian Authority Legislative Council, has not helped matters.

Additionally, there is little love for Israel from most of its neighbors.

THE SWORD OF GIDEON

Israel had to learn to fight, and it had to learn fast. On the day after declaring its independence, the new Jewish state was attacked by five Arab armies. It won that war, and all others militarily (though there have been some politically based concessions over the years). The nation, however, has suffered tremendously at the hands of suicide bombers and other terrorists. Israel’s citizens have been hit with artillery shells and missiles from neighboring countries. Terrorist networks like Hezbollah and Al Qaeda hate Israel as much, if not more, than they hate the United States and its European allies. Now Iran may be close to developing a nuclear capability, and has repeatedly called for Israel's destruction.

Fortunately for Israel, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and the Mossad (Israel’s foreign intelligence service) are masters of both conventional warfare and counterterrorism. They are known for aggressively collecting and acting on intelligence. They waste no time in preempting any threats against their nation. They stand by their allies. And we Americans – today, deeply involved in our own war against terror – have learned much about combating terrorism from the Israelis, and they are learning from us.

"A WESTERN COUNTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST"

"The only thing standing between Western Civilization and the anarchy of Islamo-fascism is the fact that there is a Western country in the Middle East, namely Israel,” says Linder. "If Israel did not exist, all of the energy and attention of the Islamic World would be focused on Christian Europe."

My friend, Gary Goldstein, a New York-based books editor and fourth-generation Jewish American, agrees.

"Strategically, Israel is a major deterrent to the spread of radical Islam throughout that part of the world," says Goldstein. "Israeli intelligence is a vital component to the U.S. and our country's interests in that oil-rich but wildly unstable part of the world. And Lord knows we could take a page from the IDF and the Mossad on fighting terrorism – you don't read much about bureaucratic infighting and the not sharing of major intelligence between those two groups."

So, the big question might be what the future holds for the Jewish state. No one has that answer. What is known is that Israel is one of the most hotly contested lands in the world. It always has been. It may always be.

And on this 58th anniversary of Israel’s Independence, I am reminded of the words of the late social commentator Eric Hoffer, who in 1967 said, "I have a premonition that will not leave me: as it goes with Israel so it will go with all of us. Should Israel perish, the Holocaust will be upon us. ISRAEL MUST LIVE!"

W. Thomas Smith, Jr. is a Townhall.com columnist who has written four books and penned over a thousand pieces for a variety of publications including USA TODAY, George, and U.S. News & World Report.

Copyright © 2006 Townhall.com

A piece I wrote with a colleague a few years ago but still applies today-enjoy:

November 9, 2003

It is another evening with light breezes off the Mediterranean Sea, clear skies and warm temperatures as we walk along the tayelet (promenade) in Netanya Israel. As we walk briskly we pass and are passed by hundreds of fellow exercisers, of all ages, sizes and fitness levels. Both genders and a multitude of ethnicities are participating in this daily evening ritual of walking and jogging. There isn’t a better or more beautiful setting to engage in such activity and this continues all year long. It is not unusual to find dozens of would be travelers up and about as late as11 pm-in the summertime folks are just beginning to walk at this hour due to the heat and humidity of the day.

As an American Professor of Kinesiology living now part time in Israel, I often find myself engaged in a comparative analysis of activity levels between both peoples. Eitan, born in Jerusalem and raised here, understands the beauty of this evening activity. He is the Director of the School of Education at Zinman College, Wingate Institute in Israel. We met many years ago here in Israel and I have been invited to join his pedagogy research and development team. Eitan still remembers his early school days when there was no television and all of the children played outside and had ample social interaction opportunities. Likewise computers were only part of American science fiction movies, televisions were few and far apart, and thus no time was spent in front of a lifeless monitor. Drugs were something you only took when prescribed by a doctor for a significant illness. Alcohol was something “those older people drank” at parties. These were the days that sport was played on the fields, in the streets, everywhere that kids could run, jump, and freely move-these were the days of made of games and “u pick ‘em teams” and the rules changed daily. During the early years of this country a culture developed that through social design and necessity embraced sport and being physically active. For purposes of this article, Eitan and I will discuss the nature of Physical Education in Israel where a significant cultural, political and social change is taking place.

For most of the article the status of Physical Education is viewed through the eyes of an American Professor who has a unique perspective of Israeli life and institutions. I have lived here, off and on, approaching six years. I live in a local neighborhood and am one of those evening strollers along our beautiful sea. With this in mind, allow us to share how physical education has responded to the economic, social, and political conditions of these times.

Israelis of all ages seem to move more frequently and for longer durations. Where does this begin? Certainly its geographic location, weather and lifestyle play an important part in the creation of an active culture. What should not be overlooked are their Physical Education programs contributions as well. An examination of these programs from a fitness, social-cultural, and programmatic perspective might offer important insights into life in Israel, home of a unique social operation-Jews and Arabs living together in the same country.

First, some basic information:

Israel is a country that belongs to the Asian continent. Its western border is the Mediterranean Sea. To the north it is bound by Lebanon and Syria, to the east by Jordan and to the south by the Red Sea and Egypt. Long and narrow in shape, Israel is about 290 miles long, 85 miles across at its widest point 9 miles wide at its narrowest point and thus contains about 7,886 sq. miles. The State of Israel is less than half the size of San Bernardino County in California and it fits easily within the borders of New Jersey. Its population is about 6,640,200 (roughly 5 million Jews, 1.5 million Arabs), and its population by ethnic group is as follows:

Jews	77.2%
Muslims	15.4%
Christians	2.1%
Druze	1.6%

Education is highly valued within the state of Israel. In the year 2002, there were roughly 118,000 university students studying in seven different universities. Public education is also offered to all children age 6-16.

There are over 3660 public schools serving elementary through high school populations. On any given day 1,330,000 students are scheduled to attend class. The numbers of students are increasing every year across all of the grade levels. The average class size is 27/class. In addition there are religious schools of several persuasions operating across the country. If you observed from the outside any school in the country, it looks like many of our public schools in the USA. However, go inside the grounds and things appear different in many respects. Aside from a different curriculum, a different set of social-cultural rules seems to exist. Common to many Israeli schools is a mixed ethnicity, varied socio-economic population and this adjusts itself dependent upon location inside Israel. It is useful to know that public schools in Israel are divided into a variety of groups. Israeli-Arabs typically have their own separate schools, teachers, administrators and the classes are taught in Arabic. This is not to say that in the larger cities Israelis and Israeli-Arabs alike participate in the same school with common teachers and curriculum. There are also religious schools that are physically separate and engage in their own curriculum. There are additional schools found on Moshavs and Kibbutz's that have yet another standard of educational requirements. Funding comes from the state of Israel on a per student basis that is then matched by the local communities in which the schools reside. The result is funding level varies from school to school as does the level of academic programming.

It is important to remember that as a country Israel is but 55 years old and its population came from all over the world. Yes an indigenous population was here for thousands of years and millions of people from all of the world’s continents have also settled here during these same 55 years. Israel was established as a homeland for Jews and while today the majority population is Jewish, a substantial population is Arab who are also Israeli citizens with the same requisite rights. This presents a unique socio-cultural experience, especially here in the Middle East. Additionally, the Jewish population consists of many different ethnic and cultural groups from around the globe-the common denominator being their Jewish heritage. However, it is important to understand that not only do you have different cultural beliefs; there exists a varied difference in religious orientation. For example, there are multiple sects within the Jewish faith and they have different sets of beliefs that transcend into quite different lifestyles. Couple this with about 50% of the population living a secular lifestyle and you have the ingredients for many interesting socio-educational situations in public schools. Add to this a growing Arab group that practices the Muslim faith; add in some Arab Christians and life is never dull.

Why provide all of this as a lead in to our article? Without this very basic information it makes it nearly impossible to understand what students bring to their Physical Education classes. An Israeli teacher sees many different kinds of students every day and often has to transcend multiple cultural points of view. This makes curriculum and methodology choices critical at all times. Before we discuss the nature of these teachers’ programs, who are the Physical Education teachers of Israel and what does Physical Education look like?

They are typically graduates from one of five Physical Education Colleges in Israel. Each of these five colleges produces 30-35 graduates every year and Zinman College at Wingate Institute produces 200 teachers annually. Teachers of physical Education then find jobs at K-12 grade public schools. As in America, the number of teaching days and minutes provided varies across grade level. For example, in elementary to high school, students receive instruction for 2 hours every week, about an hour two days per week. It is recommended to have an additional hour each week. During fifth grade all students are taught swimming lessons across the country. One final common activity performance in all schools is fitness and sport testing beginning in grade four. Special Education Physical Education typically permits all students to be engaged by a PE teacher daily (30-45 minutes/day).

The following description of Physical Education curricula is the result of onsite visits and teacher interviews currently in the field. Just as in the USA, Israel has a quality special education program designed in a similar manner to the USA program. The Physical Education programs for Special Education and for Regular Physical Education differ not only in content, students served, but also in frequency of contact minutes with the students as previously noted.

Let us begin with Elementary Physical Education. All schools have their own physical education specialist. The curriculum focuses upon physical fitness, motor skill development, gymnastics when possible and introduction to games similar to those found in the USA. Each teacher develops his/her own curriculum keeping in mind the National Physical Education Standards that recommend certain activity groups. Although I observed many single standard game designs it was refreshing to witness multiple adaptations of game structure throughout the country. It is gratifying to know that our book, Changing Kids Games, Morris and Stiehl (1999), forms the basis for first year study programs at colleges like Zinman. The application of the principles outlined in our work can be seen throughout Israel-children included rather than excluded, standard game designs adapted to fit the local needs of the students.

Briefly we now mention the curricula found in grades 7-12. Each Physical Education teacher designs his/her own program using the National Standards as a guide. The curricula address the preponderance of non-coed classes-most classes are gender specific loaded. A primary focus is upon fitness, games development (skills and concepts), gymnastics, rhythms, invasion-type games. At this level emphasis is placed upon the theoretical aspects of fitness-something akin to our comprehensive health/nutrition programs.

Going beyond the specifics of what is taught, it is useful to understand the issues that Physical Educators face daily in Israel. Teachers do not complain about lack of resources, movement space or equipment, they simply make do with what they have. Depending upon school location these resources vary in quantity and quality-regardless, this does not seem to them to be a problem. However, there are concerns. Support for Physical Education by the local administration and by classroom teachers is a large concern at many schools. Without a strong Principal (Manager is English translation for Hebrew title) Physical Education is lightly regarded. Yet, if the Physical Education teacher(s) is/are highly competent, operate a well-managed program, Physical Education is considered as important as all academic subjects. Time and again, physical education teachers indicated that it is a constant battle to retain Physical Education’s status among academic courses. In high school, Physical Education, particularly the fitness components become important-why? All Israelis must serve their country, primarily in the military services beginning on their 18^th birthday. The students must have a particular level of fitness in order to succeed in the army (generic term for armed forces). This is quite different from the USA. The security of Israel is fundamentally based upon its army and its ability-one can imagine the impact this has upon secondary-aged students as they approach age 18.

Another issue that almost every teacher expressed to me was behavior management in Physical Education and in academic classes. Before I expand on this, allow me to refresh the stage for you. Please recall that Israel as a Jewish state is but 55 years old and has a substantial Arab population coexisting within the country. Its national organizations and its social institutions are still maturing. Israeli citizens are a mixture of many different cultural and ethnic groups, arriving from countries around the world. The common thread is their Jewish heritage and desire to live peacefully in a country free of anti-semitism. Remember also that 50% of this diverse population is secular while the remaining 50% is comprised of multiple religious Jewish groups and Arab groups. This is clearly demonstrated in the separate synagogues for Aschenisem and Sephardim Jews. Now realize that 1.5 million Arabs possessing Israeli citizenship with all of the requisite rights also live within Israel. The Arab population also has several religious sects; the most notable are Muslim and Christianity. It is beyond the scope of this article to share all of the social behavior descriptions or attempt to offer explanations for the nature of these interactions. One might, rightfully, assume that this very important social experiment is unfolding before the world’s eyes complete with its warts and blemishes paraded in front of the world’s media.

Keeping this in mind, the problem that is constant across all of these schools and all of the groups and in most subject matter classes is behavior management. The concerns begin in grade 5 and decrease by grades 10/11. Does this sound familiar? It may be no surprise to understand that violence in many schools is now considered one of the schools’ largest issues. Violence comes in many forms and includes abusive language among students and between students and teachers as well as physical invasion of one another’s space. Often the immediate explanation for this, particularly by the media, is the behavior is due to the ongoing political and war-like confrontations that exist in the Middle East. Upon inspection one discovers that this is not true. Rather, there is growing support for belief that rapid social changes are producing an abundant number of social issues within all social groups. It is as though Israel is experiencing social growth and development within a time frame that is moving forward at laser speed. I leave the social explanations to our social scientists. Our behavioral observations and analysis indicates that today’s Israelis, regardless of cultural, ethnic or social group they belong, are less likely to have their behavioral actions held accountable to consequences. In other words, discipline seems to be a major issue in the schools rather than clashes resulting from co-mingled ethnic groups.

Our interviews of Physical Education teachers and School Principals pointed to the problem of lack of discipline. Every teacher interviewed indicated that the management team at his or her respective schools understood that this problem exists. The teachers indicated that many of the Principals did not support the teachers behavioral consequences set forth by these same teachers. Additionally, several teachers indicated that the Principals did not possess the tools to deal with this behavior. The lack of discipline manifests itself with inappropriate language among students, tardiness to classes, failure to complete homework-again, sound familiar? This appears to be magnified in schools where Israeli and Israeli-Arabs go to school together. In Physical Education classes, name calling and pushing and shoving is the extent of the violence.

I want to take moment and briefly share a personal story with you. There are many of these stories across this country, but the following begins to address the Israeli-Israeli-Arab issue. In Jaffo, the world’s first seaport, is an elementary school comprised of Israelis and Israeli-Arab students. The Arab students choose to go to school here even though they have an Arab-only school within walking distance. Two years ago there was not a climate of peace at the school. A new Principal arrived- Limor Bermann. A young Israeli, first-time Principal who recognized that repeating what had always been simply produced the same results. She thought “outside the dots” and is transforming the school. Yes, there was conflict between the Israeli and Israeli-Arab students, especially at Physical Education time. The normal inappropriate language, pushing, shoving occurred but in the upper grades it manifested into racial epithets which in turn led to physical violence. However, enter Ms. Bermann with a multi-phase plan. The plan is currently in phase two and has only started its second year. Here are the outcomes so far: Israeli parents have ceased saying “I want the Arabs out of this school”; almost all, 95% of the teachers are excited, hopeful and they support the plan completely; academic scores have improved; and best of all, violence has just about ceased. More needs to be done and it is “in process”. We shall share the plan upon its completion, for now, it is a work in progress.

I mention this vignette for several reasons. First, a common myth in the world today is that Jews and Arabs cannot peacefully co-exist. Further, in a Physical Education setting it must be impossible to engage in competitive activity and/or group activities without the “issue” presenting itself daily-this could not be farther from the truth. Second, one person can make all of the difference as evidenced with the preceding brief story from Jaffo. If a problem is not confronted, than what is probable will occur and repeat itself time and again. If one chooses to see this situation as a possibility for something else, and acts in accordance with that possibility, social magic happens. Third, Physical Education can easily serve as the venue for teaching social life-skills. Our final thoughts present just such programs. My colleague Eitan Eldar has been successfully engaging these situations around Israel for some time now.

As a country built on immigration, each bringing their own social values, with the potential for facilitating integration with Arab students, with the potential to therefore teach personal and social values as well as self-control, physical education can best serve as the school venue to teach and live in peace.

At Zinman College we have developed and implemented successfully in various Israeli schools a program based on Physical Education as a context for presenting and promoting social skills.

Physical education lessons are characterized by intensive activity, teacher-student and student-student cooperation, stress, frustration, anxiety, joy, and much more. All of these characteristics are presented in a natural highly reinforcing context of movement and games. This is in essence, a special controlled framework, which can be molded for the purpose of achieving pedagogical and social goals. Thus this concept offers the design of situations analogous to other contexts in the behavior of the student population. We offer our pre-service teachers lessons tailored for achieving educational goals-we call these scripts.

For example, in order to help students practice inhibition and self-control the teacher may design a soccer game in which the success (i.e., scoring) becomes less probable (i.e., by prearranging team members). The gradual increase in task difficulty requires students’ higher levels of self-control that are rewarded by an immediate specific feedback. Students are taught to delay their reactions and convey their feelings and difficulties in an appropriate way (i.e., suggesting to better match the teams next time). Therefore, we teach our students alternative communication skills that promote non-aggression during the game. Students are given many opportunities to experience success during the program. A similar context is applied with cooperation and other social skills.

Another example is relating to an individual skill such as goal setting. Students are asked to set a simple goal (i.e., distance in a long jump). They are taught to self-record their performance, to set an appropriate goal and to practice towards achieving this goal. The teacher provides feedback relating to the goal set, to the steps taken to achieve the goal and to the procedures used in recording the performance.

The Applied Behavior Analysis Program at the Zinman College has developed a series of stages implemented in a yearly Physical Education program. The program is first shared with Zinman pre-service Physical Educators. Next, from the very first year at our college, students engage public school students on and off our campus. Following an incremental plan during the next three years of study, our students practice and learn how to successfully deliver the program with a variety of student groups, e.g., autistic children, other special education students, at-risk youngsters, and yes, regular education youngsters. The program requires reaching proficiency in each of the following steps in order to proceed to the following one:

1. Complying - Adhering to teacher’s instruction.

2. Attending - Focusing on relevant stimuli. Effective use of all senses.

3. Rules and routines - Learning to cooperate with class procedures.

4. Waiting - Practicing patience.

5. Demand - Confronting cognitive tasks.

6. Don’t give up - Persisting in task fulfillment.

7. Activity termination - Coping with a termination of reinforcing activity.

8. Cooperation - Collaborating in a team.

9. Self control - Coping with aversive situations.

10.Self-management - Assuming accountability for one’s own learning.

11.Peer teaching - Assuming accountability for a peer’s learning.

12.Generalization - Performing in contexts different than the clinical one.

We are fortunate to have many success stories. One of those stories focuses upon yet another population of students in our public schools- there is a significant number of students with severe behavior problems that also participate in one of our specially designed programs. Within a year they were able to reintegrate into the regular school successfully. Learning to apply the model is relatively simple. Teachers gain effective and alternative teaching strategies enabling them to reach students with special needs and concerns thus helping them to integrate with their fellow students. This is an important goal in light of implementing the concepts of inclusion and integration found in many education systems around the western world and now in Israel. Zinman students have managed to learn how to teach during their time with us on campus. They report that their student teaching experience proceeds with fewer “bumps in the road” compared to their student mates in other Colleges. At Zinman, theory is essential and practical application of the theory under the guidance of our professors is crucial and helps produce quality physical education teachers thereby strengthening physical education in schools.

In summary let us say that Israel is portrayed in many ways in the media. Having lived here, taught here and performed research here, our perspective is authentic. A young country, attempting one of the world’s greatest social experiments, is alive in a land with a population of very different peoples most of whom are here to celebrate their Jewish heritage. The people are comprised of many different nationalities, ethnicities; and have different values and cultural backgrounds. Their social institutions are still in the infancy stage and they live in a part of the world full of constant danger beyond Israel’s borders. Inside this country 20% of the population is of Arab descent. Yet, there is relative social harmony within this small country. The institution of education is working reasonably well given these conditions. A perceived and very real social change across all groups is taking place causing some emerging behavioral challenges within their school system.

AND

People still go for evening walks and enjoy one another’s company while pondering what tomorrow will bring.

References

Eldar, E. (2001, August). The role of confrontation games in the assessment, prediction and reduction of violent behavior patterns among Elementary School students. Paper presented at the conference: Teaching Games for Understanding in Physical Education and Sport. Plymouth State College, New Hampshire, USA.

Morris, GSD, Stiehl, Jim, Changing Kids Games, second edition, Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL. 1999

Hamas Double-Speak-sound familiar?

April 25, 2006


Attack in Egypt (April 24, 2006): Hamas condemns the attack that took place in Egypt, calling it '' a criminal action that dishonors our region''. ''This attack destabilizes the national security of the Palestinians and works against the interests of the Arabs'' said the spokesperson of the terrorist movement.

Yet, this very next day, Tuesday April 25, 2006, Jordan announced that it had arrested several Hamas activists on suspicion of planning to execute a terror attack in the country. A government spokesman said that the alleged operatives received orders from the Hamas leaders in Damascus. During their interrogation, the suspects confessed that they were planning to attack senior members of the Hashemite kingdom.


This is the same Hamas who said last year, August 17, 2005, “The armed struggle is the only strategy that Hamas possesses."

A Hamas who operates in disputed territories, notice where: In recent months a Hamas terrorist cell was uncovered in Shia'h, a village north of Hebron. The cell was responsible for planning and perpetrating terrorist attacks in the region over the last few years. The Hamas leadership in the Hebron area ensured that the cell received weapons and operational instructions. This cell was comprised of a large number of people who had been trained in firearms and the use of explosives. The commander of the terrorist cell is Mussa Hala'akia, 37, married with nine children and a resident of Shia'h. Hala'akia was responsible for recruiting and training most of the cell's members.

Just in the last 4 years Hamas’ history for use of terror speaks for itself. Here are but a few examples:
· On February 10, 2002, cell members Khaled Tal and Muhammad Batat opened fire at the entrance to the IDF Southern Command base in Be'er Sheva, murdering Lt. Keren Rothstein, 20, of Ashkelon and Cpl. Aya Malachi, 18, of Moshav Ein Habesor. Four others were wounded, one critically. One of the terrorists was killed at the scene; the second, wearing an explosives belt, fled in the direction of a nearby school, where he was shot and killed by a soldier and police officer.

· In recent months a Hamas terrorist cell was uncovered in Shia'h, a village north of Hebron. The cell was responsible for planning and perpetrating terrorist attacks in the region over the last few years. The Hamas leadership in the Hebron area ensured that the cell received weapons and operational instructions. This cell was comprised of a large number of people who had been trained in firearms and the use of explosives. The commander of the terrorist cell is Mussa Hala'akia, 37, married with nine children and a resident of Shia'h. Hala'akia was responsible for recruiting and training most of the cell's members.


· On August 28, 2005, during the Tahdia, Rahman Kaisiya attempted to perpetrate a suicide bombing at the Be'er Sheva Central Bus Station. Two security guards were seriously wounded preventing Kaisiya from blowing himself up in a crowded area.

· As recently as last month, March 28,2006 “Yes we did suicide attacks, but we are not terrorists’, stated by Dr Dweik, a longtime Hamas member and leader, studied for his PhD at the University of Pennsylvania

· On April 1, Siyad Siyam, the interior minister of the Hamas government, announced he was appointing Jamal Abu Samhadana , head of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), as general supervisor of the interior ministry and police. He also ordered the formation of a security force which, he claimed, would assist the Palestinian police to restore public order. The new force would be composed of members of the various terrorist organizations and would be directly responsible to the interior minister. The appointment set a precedent by being the first time the new Hamas government appointed to a senior position a self-declared terrorist leader with a long record of attacks against Israel and with Israeli (and possibly American) blood on his hands. In addition, after his appointment Samhadana gave interviews to the media and made it clear that he had no intention of giving up his position as head of the PRC and that he would continue carrying out attacks against Israel . He also stated that there was no contradiction between his continuing as head of a terrorist organization and his new appointment. This is the kind of logic that leaves one shaking his head!

· And yes, the Islamic Covenant still calls for Israel’s destruction. Hamas defines the transition to the stage of Jihad "for the liberation of all of Palestine" as a personal religious duty incumbent upon every Muslim. At the same time, it utterly rejects any political arrangement that would entail the relinquishment of any part of Palestine.



I submit for the reader’s consideration that you have once again a leadership that says one thing and its actions are the direct opposite of its words. Arafat was infamous for his double-speak, have we learned anything? To the media Hamas stresses that they are anti-terror, yet their covenant and as recently as today, their behavior tells the truth. The West should not "fall" for moderate-sounding statements the Hamas leadership will likely issue in the near future to gain international legitimacy and financing. Who and what will you choose to believe speaks volumes about your understanding of terrorism as it is practiced.

Understanding Israeli Checkpoints

January 23, 2005

The sun has risen; it is cold this morning for everyone standing at the Qualandia checkpoint, it is two degrees above zero C. A light drizzle begins to fall and many of those waiting to cross into Israel proper are becoming physically uncomfortable. The soldiers face another tense day. Imagine serving 10,000 people a day, 8-16 hours every day and always having to make life and death judgments about who to believe and who you must question. Each soldier knows the facts, the so-called data: 98% of those passing through the checkpoint are hardworking individuals who cause harm to no one. They, too, endure this cold dreary weather and tolerate the questions as they pass through the checkpoint turnstiles without ever displaying inappropriate behavior. Wanting to also provide for their families, desiring security at their homes and wanting to sit at an outdoor café talking about life's events without fear of interruption, these Palestinians are likely wishing the same thoughts as the 19-year old soldier. The nature of the soldiers and the Palestinians circumstances, events, and situations differentiate one from the other.
This is not an easy life for the soldier or the Palestinian waiting in line. Let us be clear about a few things before passing any judgments. If you are an Israeli you know that checkpoints are necessary in order to save lives-anyone saying this can't be true doesn't know what is really going on here. Yet, these same checkpoints are inconvenient for Palestinians and less than tolerable especially on this cold day. It is an unfortunate moment in the world's history that has human beings having to endure this type of action. However, it is the intention of other humans who want nothing more than terror, destruction and the disruption in two different cultures to continue. If this was not so, we would not even have this daily occurrence.
So much has been written about these checkpoints-an internet search alone yields over 176,000 hits. With very few exceptions there is always something missing in these pieces-context and perspective! Most of the reports provide only a snapshot of the phenomena called checkpoint behavior and intentionally do so to support a political position. This kind of reporting clearly misrepresents ongoing daily activity and it also misses reporting the rationale for the existence of the checkpoints.
One's reality is the result of his/her perception of events even if not supported by the facts or by truth. Unfortunately this is precisely what has occurred in this part of the world. Perception can be managed, even altered by intentionally framing any circumstance, situation or event in a manner that supports an individual or a group's position. Then, all involved act/behave in accordance with this perception, even if facts do not support the actions. Delivery of only event snapshots without providing context and perspective will perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian problem for future generations-in other words, this kind of reporting adds to the problem and does nothing to help solve it. I, for one, call into question the motives of those choosing such action.
Let us examine the context within which Israel has created the checkpoints. Israel did not create checkpoints to humiliate Palestinians but in reaction to an increase in terror attacks. Beginning September 29, 2000, Israel has been under constant state of terrorist attacks. During this time frame, there have been over 20,100 attacks on Israeli targets, killing over 920 and wounding over 6,000, many horribly. Over four hundred and thirty of those killed died in homicide bombings. Terrorists have used ambulances to smuggle themselves and weapons into Israel, they have hidden explosive belts inside computers, musical instrument cases, and clothes chests. They have exploited women and children by using them to also execute terror attacks. Faced with the threats posed by these and other activities, the IDF had no choice but to build and operate checkpoints designed to prevent terrorists from penetrating into Israel's home front. Most Westerners would be surprised to know that prior to this latest Intifada, Palestinians moved freely inside the territories as well as inside Israel Proper. These checkpoints did not exist!
To understand the existence of checkpoints one must know some historical facts. Did you know?
From 1517 until 1917, the West Bank and Gaza, along with the land that is now Israel and Jordan, were ruled by the Ottoman Empire, whose leaders were Muslims but not Arabs. After World War I, Britain was given a Mandate to rule the land. In 1947, the United Nations Partition Plan divided the land of Palestine into two states, one Arab and one Jewish. The Jews accepted their half of the land, and the Arabs rejected theirs. The Arabs attacked the new state of Israel, attempting to gain 100% of the land. Egypt gained control of Gaza and Jordan gained control of the West Bank. So Egypt and Jordan (not Israel) were in control of the land meant for a Palestinian State.
In 1964 the Arab League, a loose confederation of fourteen Arab countries including Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon, met in Cairo and established a political body to deal directly with the problem of the Palestinian Arabs. They called it the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). It assumed leadership for the ÒPalestinian people. The PLO soon began carrying out terrorist attacks in Israel and against Israeli targets worldwide. Keep in mind that the PLO was formed before Israel had gained control of the West Bank and Gaza. They were not protesting Israel's so-called occupation of the West Bank, but Israel's very existence. It was not until May 4, 1994, when Israel and the Palestinians signed the Gaza-Jericho Agreement that the Palestinian Authority was established. It was at this time true nation building for the Palestinians began.
In 1967, the Arabs once again attacked Israel, attempting to gain control of 100% of the land. As a result, Egypt lost control of Gaza, Jordan lost control of the West Bank, and Syria lost control of the Golan Heights. Israel offered to give back the territory in exchange for true peace. The Arab League responded with the Ò3 No's: No peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel and no negotiations with Israel.
From 1967 until the present time, Israel has been empowered by the United Nations and thus the world community to administer these same two territories as outlined in UN resolutions 242 and 338. These same resolutions did not envisage the creation of a Palestinian state. To the contrary: since the Palestinians were still not viewed as a distinct nation, it was assumed that any territories evacuated by Israel, would be returned to their pre-1967 Arab occupiers-Gaza to Egypt, and the West Bank to Jordan.
The years from 1967 through 1991 were a difficult and dangerous period reaching from the end of the Six Day War through the beginning of the Oslo Peace Process in 1991. Arab countries waged war on Israel (1973 Yom Kippur War) and the Palestinian Arabs fought using terrorism, surprise attacks and political maneuvers.
In 1993 the Oslo Accords were signed and they provided an opportunity for resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
On September 28, 1995 Israelis and Palestinians signed yet another deal known as the "Interim Agreement" or "Oslo 2." This agreement allowed for a second stage of autonomy for the Palestinians, giving them self-rule in the cities of Bethlehem, Jenin, Nablus, Qalqilya, Ramallah, Tulkarm, parts of Hebron and 450 villages, while allowing Israeli-guarded Jewish settlements to remain.
The Oslo 2 agreement divided the West Bank and Gaza into three areas, each with distinctive borders and rules for administration and security controls: Areas A (the Palestinian Authority now has full responsibility for internal security and public order, as well as full responsibility for civil affairs), B (Israel maintains overriding security authority in order to safeguard its citizens and to combat terrorism), C (Israel retains full responsibility for security). This agreement, signed by the Palestinian leadership, gives Israel overriding security authority in order to safeguard its citizens and to combat terrorism.
To this day, the agreed upon stages of the Accords (Interim Plan) have yet to be realized. A second Intifada is currently being waged against Israel.
What has this brief history lesson to do with checkpoints? It provides the context enabling one to better understand why Israel has legally developed border- crossing sites along its current border with the territories. Using legal international resolutions agreed to by both Israel and the representative Palestinian Authority, one finds that contrary to public belief only one sovereign country (Israel) exists empowered to administer the territories. Curiously most Palestinians and I might add most Westerners do not know these facts. For many years there has been an intentional misrepresentation of these events by the Palestinian leadership. Almost two complete generations growing up inside the territories have been taught revisionist history about the sovereignty of the disputed land. Thus, their perception or understanding of truth is based upon misleading information and they do believe these misrepresentations as fact and act accordingly. Consequently, the justification for terror is based upon false premises. Keep the truth from a population and you own their thinking and their behavior-since the mid 1960's several generations have been so indoctrinated. This has fulfilled the leadership's political and social agenda.
So, what is really an accurate presentation of Israel's notorious checkpoints-the truth may surprise you. There are two types of checkpoints operated by Israel. Israel operates 7 permanent border-crossing sites between the West Bank and Israel Proper (I acknowledge that the final borders are still yet to be determined. As stated in UN Resolution 242, final borders will be determined through negotiations.) These are similar in nature to other country's border crossing points such as exist between the USA and Mexico and the USA and Canada. As a sovereign nation, Israel has the international legal right as well as mandate of its citizens to regulate the human flow of traffic into the country; therefore, it has border crossings along its border with the West Bank territory. Additionally, Israel operates 12 checkpoints around selected West Bank cities such as Nablus. Finally, from one day to the next, Israel operates a varying number of temporary checkpoints and seam zone checkpoints inside the West Bank territory. All of these checkpoints are legal and are part of the jointly agreed Oslo Accord (I&II) agreement. The temporary checkpoints respond to the terror threat status inside the West Bank territory and are dismantled as soon as the threat subsides. As previously stated, Israel has, by mutual agreement with the Palestinian leadership, security authority in all of the identified parts of the West Bank. Inside this territory there are also physical barriers that prevent total freedom of movement by Palestinians upon existing roadways. Without question these barriers are a source of upset and daily conversations. They do indeed cause travel difficulties for the local population.
To summarize the preceding discussion, a clarification is offered to provide a perspective that reflects facts on the ground. For me it is a misnomer to call the permanent border crossings into Israel Proper checkpoints. As a sovereign nation, Israel is entitled to have border control crossing sites identical to all other international countries border controls. There are however, two properly named checkpoint types inside the West Bank territory: those currently in place around 12 cities/villages and those temporary sites placed in operation when a terror alert presents itself. Contrary to popular opinion that these checkpoints are meant to harass the Palestinian population as expressed in the media, these checkpoints are necessary because the Palestinian territorial leadership has not taken action to prevent the actual terror activity. Thus a cause and effect situation exists. Terror activity leads to temporary checkpoints-stop terror and there are no temporary checkpoints. The data supports this statement; however, it is not presented in the media. Read on as suggestions are made explaining the reason this information is with held from the Palestinian people.
Finally it is important to mention that Israel's checkpoints are highly visible political and social flashpoints. The ongoing world opinion making strategy, since the late 1960's, is to portray the Palestinian people and their cause as victims. The history of this strategy is indeed an article unto itself; suffice it to say that victimization has yielded high returns on their energy and time investment selling this concept to its people and the rest of the world community. You can see it, hear it and read it daily across all forms of the media. Note online the specific victim stories that appear regarding the treatment of Palestinians at the checkpoints. No context is ever provided, no perspective offered, rather a snapshot in time, often played to the cameras and reporters by the Palestinians themselves. I have spent a great deal of time at many of these same checkpoints and I offer anecdotal data indicating that the usual activity at the checkpoints is contrary to what is reported. Did you know that at the Kalandia checkpoint the average passage time is down to five minutes? Many people likely experience longer lines at USA airport security check lines (aka checkpoints)? At these American checkpoints have you been inconvenienced by having to take off your shoes, other garments and waiting patiently to cross through the metal detector? Have you ever been asked to step aside and embarrassed in front of strangers, friends and even family when you are selected for a more thorough random screening? You know, when they open your suitcase, rummage through its entire contents, when they ask you personal questions as to the nature of your trip, have you had this experience? Did you have to show identification proving who you are? Have you ever been physically examined for carrying concealed weapons? Ever missed a flight because of this action or otherwise had your daily plans inconveniently altered? In today's world, not only at Israeli checkpoints, we all have to pay a price for the sake of security. Most of us don't perceive these inconveniences as humiliation or ourselves as victims. Unfortunately, the Palestinians feel otherwise. They have been taught and therefore learned to be victims. Victim behavior and belief leads to a sense of powerlessness. This in turn leads to irresponsible behavior that is justified by oneself and by others with an agenda to promote.
I have watched kindnesses shared between soldiers and Palestinians at these same checkpoints. You think the following story ever makes it to the media? A man approaches the gate, offering apologies and with a look on his face that begs for understanding, the man tells the soldier he has forgotten his ID. You see, he is a known doctor, in his hurry to get to a local Israeli hospital to serve one of his quite ill patients; he forgot his id card-a simple human error. The soldier must make a quick decision, and after conferring with another soldier who recognizes the doctor, the soldier immediately ushers the doctor toward the hospital, without his ID card being present.
With no context, misrepresentation of the truth sells to the media. A classic example of this occurred recently. A Palestinian was said to have been humiliated at a checkpoint because he was made to play his violin. Here is what actually occurred. The man approached the soldiers, carrying a violin case. Mind you, soldiers have found bombs inside similar cases. He was naturally asked to take out the violin so they can make certain that the case did not contain explosives, but they did not ask him to play. He just decided to do that himself. He certainly embellished his story, once he was informed that he was a cause celebre. It seems that there was an activist with a camera who was so far away that she couldn't even hear the conversation between the Arab and the soldier, and since it was in Arabic, she wouldn't have even been able to understand it anyway. Later, the investigation clearly indicated that the Palestinian who played his violin apparently did it of his volition; he was not asked to do so by soldiers. The PR damage was done, even though proven incorrect, no correction was ever forthcoming from the media outlet-this misinterpretation played around the world. What is the normal USA working citizen to believe when all that is shown is this kind of untruth?
I have also witnessed the abrupt change in behavior of Palestinians in line when a camera crew or a Peace Now type of group arrives. Calm, decent and even cordial behavior transforms in a matter of moments. Everything returns to this state of calm after the cameras leave and the reporters drive away.
I have a caution for everyone reading or viewing reports on the Israeli checkpoints. Become aware of loaded words and phrases: segregated, through concrete lanes resembling cattle chutes, humiliation, and dehumanizing- these and so many others are used by groups meaning to reinforce the victimization of Palestinians at border crossings and checkpoints. Words are important, as are photographs and video. They attempt to describe behavior and provide meaning for our world. Used intentionally incorrectly, without context or perspective, the truth can be misrepresented thus only sharing a revisionist version of the truth to the world. If standing in a line for a long time, if made to wait inside the territory, if having to open your belongings is interpreted only as an act of intentional harassment or humiliation is to misrepresent truth. It has been my experience over several years that these same actions are the result of terror warnings. They are in response to direct terrorist behavior. Need anyone be reminded that there is a consequence for one's actions?
I will not leave you with the notion that mistakes are not made, that misbehavior has not occurred or will not in the future. However, I will share that the IDF and Border Police do their best, day after day, to respect and honor the dignity of all Palestinians and they do so knowing that there are individuals taking advantage of this behavior as they mean to kill the soldiers, the police and innocent civilians. The IDF has been developing educational and ethical instruction programs for checkpoint personnel? New technological advancements have been studied and implemented, e.g., carousels for ease of transitioning to the other side. The IDF instructs all of its personnel in performing their duties ethically. Special courses are given to IDF personnel that give them tools for dealing with moral issues and other predicaments that may arise when manning a checkpoint. How many of you were aware that the IDF also conducts inquiries and holds dialogue sessions on all levels to continue to improve the effectiveness of checkpoints? A special program of humanitarian soldiers has been present at selected checkpoints for a couple of years. These are seasoned, older reservists who volunteer to assist hands on to model behavior for younger soldiers.
Watch and listen carefully to the next story you read or see on television about the Israeli checkpoints. Did the reporter provide all of the details for the snapshot you are watching, was the event placed into proper context for you to then make your own judgment? If these are absent, be leery of the message. Perhaps it is time to notice how victimization has hijacked an entire people-change is in order. Let us resolve the issues so Palestinians and Israelis can all sit comfortably at their respective cafes enjoying the company of friends without fear!

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