I’ve been in and out of internet communication over the past few weeks, spending my time out of classes with a family in Ar’ara (an Arab Israeli town 10 minutes east from us on the main road), as well as the past few days on weekend two of a leadership program in Jerusalem. Life is pretty jam-packed, what with class, getting buses to and from the kibbutz, trying to fit in conversation, study, and the requisite Arab TV programs (such as Star Academy, an American Idol / Big Brother / Eurovision combination, with musical contestants from around the Arab world living together and performing for weekly vote-offs). The past weekend was particularly heavy, looking at charity and social justice NGO work in Jerusalem, and trying to empathise with their approach through “Jewish values”. I guess I’ve decided it doesn’t really matter to me why people rationalise doing ‘good deeds’; nevertheless, I guess it’s good to know where another’s motivations lie.
Filed under: General
