Guiding Students Through the City of Disputes and Dreams

Jerusalem’s Unfinished Story: Guiding Students Through the City of Disputes and Dreams

Tonight, I had the privilege of leading an evening tour for Israeli high school students, twelfth graders from the periphery, as part of a two-day program hosted by the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem.

Our goal wasn't just to see Jerusalem's famous stone, but to delve into its complex, often conflicting history of ideas, people, and protests. For young Israelis about to enter military service or national life, understanding these historical tensions is key to navigating the future of our society.

The Noble Art of Disagreement

We began our walk on Ben Yehuda Street, weaving through Nachalat Shiva toward Kikar HaHatulot (Cats Square). This small plaza, actually named for the Haganah commander Macabee Motzeri who fell in the battle for the road to Jerusalem in 1948, became the launching point for a discussion far older than the State of Israel.

We spoke about the famous disputes between the House of Hillel and the House of Shammai, two great rabbinical sages from the end of the Second Temple period. The core question I posed to the students was this, Why were their disagreements framed as being "in the name of heaven" with pure intentions? It’s a profound lesson in Israeli culture, that genuine debate, even fierce argument (machloket), can be a holy act, provided the goal is truth and unity, not personal victory. For students witnessing today's political and social fragmentation, the concept of a "heavenly dispute" was instantly fascinating.

Oranges, Architecture, and Quiet Protests

Our route led us past the Police Central Command and the Courthouse in the Russian Compound. Here, we took a moment to hear about the bizarre historical footnote of the "Orange Deal", a surprising exchange between Israel and Russia that involved a $4 million deal worth of citrus fruit. It was a perfect, quirky example of the unexpected ways diplomacy and economics weave their way into history.

Next, we observed the new Bezalel School of Art and Design building. We noted its exterior, strikingly modern, composed more of clear glass than the standard Jerusalem Stone cladding. This provided a visual metaphor for the ongoing tension between tradition and modernity, between preserving the city’s ancient identity and embracing a dynamic, transparent future.

The contrast between tradition and modernity came into sharp, painful focus in the adjacent Musrara neighborhood. Here, we discussed the formation of the Black Panthers in 1971. This was a pivotal protest movement born from a severe lack of communication and empathy. Young residents, many of them sons and daughters of immigrants from Eastern countries, felt marginalized and left behind by the establishment, personified at the time by figures like Golda Meir. Their movement was a vital eruption that permanently changed the face of Israeli social politics, asserting the dignity and needs of the "forgotten" communities.

The Bridge Builder of Zion

Our final stop offered a vision of healing and unity. At the corner of HaNevim and Harav Kook Street, behind the modest home of the first chief rabbi, we focused on the outstanding figure of Rabbi Abraham Isaac haCohen Kook.

A leading student of the prestigious Volozhin Yeshiva, Rabbi Kook was originally called to serve the Jewish community of Jaffa. Following World War I and the start of the British Mandate, however, he was elevated to become the first Chief Rabbi of Eretz Yisrael.

Rabbi Kook was a huge inspiration, striving to bridge the widening chasm between the Old Yishuv (pious Jews dedicated to maintaining tradition and Torah study in the Holy Land) and the pioneers (Halutzim) (secular pioneers focused on plowing and cultivating the land, often with less interest in ancient commandments). Rabbi Kook saw the work of the secular pioneers not as a rejection of God, but as a necessary physical preparation for the spiritual redemption, a bridge that connected the seemingly disparate parts of the Jewish soul.

The Reward of the Guide

Guiding Israeli twelfth-grade students from the periphery, teaching them about this rich history of conflicts and inspirational figures, is always exciting and brings great satisfaction. Hearing their questions, watching them wrestle with the "why" behind the machloket of the past, and seeing their interest ignited by figures like Rabbi Kook and the Black Panthers, is one of the greatest rewards of my work. They are not just learning history, they are inheriting the complex, unfinished story of a nation constantly striving to fulfill its potential.