三年前，以色列对于我来说只是一个神秘而又遥远的中东国家。 我所知道的关于以色列的所有信息都来至于新闻，几乎每一条关于以色列的新闻都离不开巴以冲突，恐怖袭击，军事战略等关键字眼。众所周知，以色列是中东第一经济和军事强国， 这更加让我对以色列充满了好奇心因为我非常想知道作为一个国土比新泽西州还小，又被敌国包围， 建国不久却多战多难的国家是如何让自己变得如此的强大的？尽管我对这个国度充满了好奇，但是却没有近距离学习和接触的机会。 然而近两年，通过我所在读的大学圣荷西州立大学（San Jose State University），我接触到了犹太学生会（Hillel of Silicon Valley）， 并成为了那里的常客，我非常有幸的交到了很多犹太朋友 并了解到了很多关于犹太人的宗教，文化和习俗。通过了解和学习，我发现了中国人和犹太人有很多相似之处。比如说我们都曾遭受过法西斯主义的受害者；我们都有着坚韧不拔的品质和吃苦耐劳的精神；我们都是在40年代建立的国家并且发展迅速；我们都是当今世界局势不可或缺的有重量的大国之一。虽然中以建交才21年，但我们却一直有着良好的双边关系，中国曾经在二战期间帮助过以色列，而以色列是第一个承认中国的国家。也许这就是缘分吧，我有幸的参加了由犹太学生会承办的一个叫蓝色之心BlueStar的项目。这是一个让我无比兴奋的项目，还有什么比这种游学的方式亲自去以色列了解那里的风土人情和宗教文化更好的教育方式？ 而且一切都还是公费的。这场旅途一路随行的不仅有来自旧金山湾区各个大学的同学，还有专业的记者帮助和训练我们如何提高我们的观察能力和写作能力。
今天是旅途的第三天，虽然每一天的行程都安排的紧紧的，但是每一项我都不想错过。第一天我们在阿姆斯特丹停顿了十多个小时，并参观了著名的 “安妮之家”， Anne Frank House，坐观光车游览了市区，还顺便去了海边看看。 阿姆斯特丹的美丽就不用多说了，如果有机会的话我肯定还会再去的。对于我来说这一天最大的亮点是Ann Frank House, 之前读过很多关于犹太人大屠杀的书和纪录片，但是从来没去过真正他们生活过的地方。“安妮之家” 是一个很独特的博物馆因为它不仅是二战期间安妮家人的藏身之处，更是安妮写下著名的日记的地方。这些日记反映了安妮都藏期间复杂的心理，而写作成为了她的慰籍，从她的日记可以看出她卓越的写作天赋，但是最后她却没能幸免于难。我对这个博物馆有着特别的感觉是因为我看过的两本书，《偷书贼》-<The Book Thief>和<Maus- a survivor’s tale> 都有描述写到当初许多遭到迫害的犹太人是如何躲在房子的暗格里生存的情节。不管是看书还是看纪录片还是实地参观，都让我无比难过。不仅为犹太人难过，也为死去的三十万南京同胞而难过。用安妮的一句比较激励的话作为第一天的结尾吧：我知道我需要什么，我有目标，我有自己的想法， 我有信仰的宗教，我还有一颗充满爱的心。（I know what I want, I have a goal, I
have opinions, a religion, and love.）
第二天我们参观了特拉维夫的独立厅（Independence Hall）。 最让我印象深刻的就是讲解者给我们看了1909和现在的特拉维夫的对比照片，1909年的特拉维夫还是一片荒漠，而现在的特拉维夫却是一片繁荣与美丽。反过来看巴勒斯坦人干了些什么，同样的一百年来他们有进步吗，遇到困难了除了抱怨报复和搞恐怖袭击还干了什么？除了洗脑自己的下一代毁掉他们的童年还干了什么？有好好的建设自己的国家吗？看着人家拔地而起日益旺盛的城市就眼红了就不甘心了，就要把土地给夺回来了，如果当初自己不去袭击人家哪里来的难民？
说到这些问题让我想起了今天去以色列恐怖主义情报中心（ Intelligence and Terrorism
Information Center）看到的关于巴勒斯坦的煽动性的录像。这段录像上一个非常可爱天真的加拿大籍的巴勒斯坦小孩在回答他爸爸的知识问答 问题是关于一些国家的首都是什么，而当问到以色列时，这个小孩使劲的挥了挥手并带着天真不谙世事的口气说: “There is no Israel” 。看到这里我真的不仅替以色列遭遇恐怖袭击的群众难过更为巴勒斯坦儿童叹息，因为他们从小就接受着偏激，洗脑式的教育，过着自欺欺人的生活。就从这一点我很欣赏以色列人的聪明的做法，与其自欺欺人，洗脑下一代不如好好学习敌人的文化和思想，洞悉他们的一切才能做好抵抗的准备。用一句中国的成语来形容就是：知己知彼，百战不殆。这也正是以色列情报中心的宗旨。
English Version:
Three years ago, as a Chinese who
just arrived to America, Israel for me was just a mysterious and distant Middle
Eastern county. All the information I had learned
about Israel was from the news, and most news about Israel on the TV or in the newspaper involved acts
of terrorism. As I have learned over the past 3 years, Israel is the most outstanding country in
Middle East in terms of its economy, democracy, education and military. What makes me even more curious about Israel is
how it not only survived but became powerful while it has been surrounded by enemies,
having fought six wars after announced independence, and having suffered from countless
terrorists’ attacks.
Although I was curious about this
country, I never had a chance to learn about it; however, in the past 2 years,
I found a great Jewish community called Hillel of Silicon Valley through San
Jose State University. Soon after I learned that Hillel House was open and
welcoming not only Jewish students but everyone; I became a frequent visitor
there. I made a lot of Jewish friends and learned a lot about Judaism. I
discovered there are many similarities between the Chinese and Jewish cultures.
For instance, we both were victims of fascism, we both have a gritty quality
and hard-working spirit, and we both announced independence in the 1940s.
Although we didn't establish diplomatic relations until 1992, we have had good
interactions. China has helped Israel during World War II, and Israel was the
first country to recognize China.
This summer, I am so fortunate to have
the opportunity to participate in the BlueStar program. What could be better
than a ten-day trip to Israel to reinforce first hand what I have learned about
Israel as a secular democracy which is also the home of the Jewish religion,
culture, and literature? A special aspect of the trip is that a professional
journalist will assist and train us how to improve our observation and editorial
skills during the trip.
Today is the third day of the journey,
although every day has a lot of events and has been arranged tightly, I do not
want to miss one moment. The first day we stopped in Amsterdam. We visited the
famous "Anne Frank House", took a city view tour bus, and also walked
along the port. For me, the highlight of the day was the Ann Frank House. I
read a few books and documentaries about the Holocaust, but I had never been to
a museum or place where Jewish people actually lived. "Anne Frank
House" is a very unique museum not only because it is a place where Otto
Frank’s family hid from persecution during World War II, it is where Anne Frank
wrote her famous diary. The diary reveals Anne’s complex world she created while
not being able to step one foot outside of the hidden room for almost
two years. Her remarkable writing talent showed us how her life was so different
from an ordinary one. It was tough for a 13-year-old girl who has to go through
puberty in a dark jail cell, so she wrote, “I long to ride a bike, dance,
whistle, look at the world, feel young and know that I’m free.”
I had a special feeling attached with this
museum because I read two books that described how Jewish people had to hide in
many places in order to survive, and those parts of the stories touched me. Those
two books I read are “The Book Thief” and “Maus- a survivor’s tale”, and I strongly
recommend these books to all. Whenever reading a book or watching documentaries
about the Holocaust, I would be so emotional and feel pain in my heart because
I do not only feel sorry for the innocent Jewish people, but also can truly
feel empathy for the Jews as the Chinese also suffered the death of 300,000
Nanjing compatriots who were massacred by Japanese during World War II. Although
not by any means are the two equal, I am moved and can relate. I want to end the first day with one of Anne's
inspiring quotes: “I know what I want, I have a goal, I have opinions, a religion,
and love."
The second day we visited Tel Aviv's
Independence Hall. What impressed me was a set of comparison pictures of Tel
Aviv in 1909 and 2012. Tel Aviv was just a desert when it was founded in 1909,
but now Tel Aviv is a prosperous and beautiful modern city. This picture made
me think about a question. Where were the Palestinians and isn't obvious from
the barren landscape that they did not even know or care about this piece of
land? How could this land be considered “occupied”
when Jewish settlers found this virgin land with no occupants? Contrary to what the Palestinians have done
over the same hundred years, did they build such an attractive city that has
developed a unique style of combining a relaxed modern Mediterranean seaside
town with an edgy urban vibe? From my point of view, I did not hear
anything other than terrorism attacks or related issues on the news about
Palestinians.
Speaking of these issues today
reminds me what I saw today during a tour of the Israel Intelligence and Terrorism
Information Center. On a YouTube video, a very cute naive Canadian Palestinian
boy is memorizing the names of major countries’ capitals. When his father asked
him about Israel, this boy waved his arms and talking with a strong tone:
"There is no Israel". Instead of being angry, I feel sorry for the boy
because he is not educated in a correct, healthy, and just way. He is trained
to accept the lie, be brain washed, and grow up in a world of self-deception. After
visiting the IICC, I think I found my answer to the question of why Israel won
six wars right after the country just established. I would like to use a
Chinese old saying to conclude: “Know yourself and know your enemy, you
will win every war.”
Q.L.
San Jose State University
No comments:
Post a Comment