Freedom of Expression: How I Learned to Use My Voice
By Aviva Slama
As a Jewish teen in public school, I found that participating in the LFT program this year was a very valuable experience. The program taught me the importance of Jewish advocacy, how to use my voice to prompt change, how to debate respectfully and effectively, and not to be afraid to openly express my opinions.
Throughout my life, I have always been someone who stays true to my own opinions, but expressing them openly can be somewhat of a struggle, especially when I find myself surrounded by people who disagree with me. For most of elementary and middle school, I attended Jewish day school, where everyone was aligned with very similar political and religious views. When I transferred to public school in 8th grade, I was not used to seeing such a wide variety of opinions, so I was scared to express my own out of fear of being judged or rejected. Being exposed to this abundance of viewpoints made me increasingly open-minded, and I remained friendly and respectful to others even when I didn’t always agree with them.
Nonetheless, while I succeeded in expanding my own views and making friends despite their different beliefs, I still suppressed many of my opinions out of fear of not being accepted. For example, although I wasn’t confronted with many deliberate anti-Israel statements or actions, I was still hesitant to outwardly express my support for Israel with non-Jewish individuals, as I was afraid I would be socially rejected as a result. Additionally, my school is predominantly liberal, but I tend to hold more conservative ideals. My peers frequently depicted conservatives as intolerant, careless individuals, so I was scared of being shunned for some of my own, more right-wing viewpoints.
Furthermore, I was raised with the notion that I should avoid expressing my Judaism and Zionism in public, out of concern for my own safety. This is largely due to my parents’ background growing up as observant Jews in less tolerant places. My dad grew up in France, where it was dangerous for him to express being Jewish in public, and his parents were North African refugees who lived with the same fear in their home countries. Although I live in a city with a large Jewish population, I was taught to be proud of my Jewish identity in Jewish settings and in private while limiting my Jewish pride in public. For me, this idea manifested itself by avoiding voicing my opinions surrounding Israel in order to limit situations where I could potentially encounter anti-zionism from my classmates and friends.
Although I have learned to accept many non-Jews’ general political opinions, I was previously often quick to judge Jews for holding more liberal values, or for criticizing the Israeli government. It used to be hard for me to comprehend how Jews could claim to support our homeland while still advocating for the rights of Palestinians and criticizing government decisions. I thought that, as the Jewish people, it was our job to express full support of Israel, including its government and its military.
During an LFT meeting, we once had a discussion about anti-Israel slogans, and about whether they were examples of antisemitism or rightful examples of self-advocacy. Personally, I view all anti-Israel slogans (“free Palestine”, the watermelon symbol, “from the river to the sea,” etc.) as antisemitic, as I believe that Judaism and Israel are very interconnected, and that Israel is a very necessary part of Judaism and Jewish protection. However, most of my cohort actually did
not view the slogan “free Palestine” as antisemitic, which initially appalled me. Upon listening to their reasoning, I began to understand their perspective and realize that the topic was more complex than I originally thought. Although my opinion didn’t change, I understood where they were coming from, and it led me to realize that even within the Jewish community, there is a wide variety of opinions regarding our homeland and our religion. We don’t need to agree with or understand all of them, but it is important that we remain respectful regardless. Accepting one another despite our differences in background or beliefs is essential for a strong Jewish community, and healthy discussion encourages this unity.
This experience is just one of many examples of how participating in the LFT program allowed me to engage in productive and respectful debates regarding Israel and Jewish advocacy. These debates and discussions taught me how essential healthy discussions and conversations are for coexistence and acceptance despite our differences. Through these experiences, the LFT program has helped me broaden my horizons by talking to other American Jews with different viewpoints and backgrounds. Just as they were entitled to their opinions, I realized I could use my voice to express mine as well, rather than suppressing them out of fear of rejection.
Additionally, the LFT program taught me the importance of debating in a diplomatic and logical manner. I have not personally experienced much blatant antisemitism, as I live in a city with a pretty prominent Jewish community. However, when I encounter antisemitic or anti-Israel comments, statements, or actions, my first instinct is usually to lash out at the perpetrator. This is often very counterproductive, as it only gives them more motivation and is not going to get them to change anything, nor does it allow me to fully express my thoughts. Across a few LFT sessions, I learned that when arguing with difficult people, it’s imperative to
avoid responding emotionally, as that only ends up clouding credibility and coherence. It’s important to debate logically, clearly, and respectfully in order to encourage open-mindedness and educate others. It is difficult to deliberately change people’s opinions, but we must respond in a civil manner and attempt to find common ground when possible. Everyone thinks they’re right, but one cannot truly grow unless they open their mind to other opinions. This does not mean altering one’s own opinion, but rather accepting different perspectives and understanding their reasoning.
Along with the ability to express my Jewish pride by voicing my opinions, LFT helped me realize that Jewish advocacy can involve using Jewish values to achieve a secular goal. For my advocacy project, another LFT student and I organized a schoolwide Jewish Culture Day along with our school’s Jewish Student Union (JSU). We used the day as an opportunity to celebrate Jewish pride and accomplishment through guest speakers, food tastings, and engaging activities. One of the guest speakers, whom I had the privilege of interviewing, talked about how Jewish practices influenced his worldview and achievements. Specifically, he talked about how his observance of Shabbat gave him a necessary break from technology, and how the discipline that came with keeping Kosher allowed him to remain disciplined in his work. After hearing his story, I realized that I could use Judaism as an asset to achieve success in the secular world and in advocacy.
In the future, I plan to use my voice more often to advocate for myself and my community, despite social pressure. I intend to debate respectfully and remain open-minded, even if certain viewpoints make me emotional or angry. I aim to overtly speak out on my views on Israel, despite my fear of being rejected by my peers. Moreover, along with a few other students from Greater Boston JSU, we plan to start a JSU podcast where we talk openly about
Jewish experiences and issues. This project will allow me to tangibly utilize the skills and strategies I learned at LFT through self-expression, Jewish pride, and healthy discussion. Additionally, as president of my school’s Jewish Student Union, I plan to make Jewish Culture Day a recurring annual tradition to showcase Jewish pride and accomplishments, allowing us to exemplify how we thrive despite antisemitism and struggle. In general, I plan to use the skills I learned from the LFT program in order to express my Jewish pride and identity, establish myself as a Jewish advocate, and use my voice to prompt change. I will no longer be afraid to express what I believe, because as a member of the Jewish community, it is my duty to defend and express my support for our people and homeland.
