Jerusalem in Between—The Story of Two Boxers, One Conflict

February 24, 2023 marked the one year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. As part of student led prayer, we discussed the loss of lives, the devastation and displacement of Ukrainians from their home. Though tragic, it is good that young people are aware and informed about this war. Obviously, they are having conversations in class and at home for they were able to easily share and offer insights about what they knew. 

Just two days prior, one of the bloodiest battles in nearly a year of fighting in the West Bank and east Jerusalem took the lives of at least 11 Palestinians. Over 100 others were injured. It is too rare, that a student brings up this tragedy. I get it. As an educator, this conflict has never been easy to teach or understand. It is political, problematic, pointed and polarizing. And yet, how can we secure peace unless we understand the rationale (or lack thereof)? How ought we lend support and offer our prayers if aren't aware of the struggle, the special forces, the strife, and more. The short film "Jerusalem in Between" is one way to start....

This short film was shared with me by a trusted educator with whom I traveled to Israel. It does not chronicle the history of division or why it persists today. It is simply a personal story of two men from both sides of "enemy lines." Let me be very clear, I am in no way equating the war in Ukraine with the conflict in the Middle East. And yet, I think it's important to raise awareness  of any place where war, violence and conflict persist. 

Featured in the Jewish Film Institutes short film series, Jerusalem In Between offers profound connections between sport and spirituality. If you teach the course or even a unit on this topic, you will find a piece that allow for conversation over the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the way our religious traditions shape our identity, how sport can bring people together and ultimately leads to connection.... which leads to love. 

Each man comes to boxing for different reasons—one because he wants to, the other because he has to. They discover "it is everything," including the bedrock of their friendship. Where they train—the Jerusalem Boxing Club—is the only boxing club for Jews and Arabs. Before they knew one another, neither Nour nor Arthur knew the religious identity of the other.

Thanks to the Jewish Film Institute (JFI) this short film is available for all! Given the on-going death, destruction and violence in Jerusalem, the concluding message from one of the boxers is hard to believe. He says "I know there is going to be peace, eventually, but it's going to be hard." And yet, we must have hope and work for peace. Jerusalem in Between is their story: two boxers, one Israeli, the other hailing from Palestine, come together in sweat and blood to face off and discover their similarities.

Please note, this film has some profanity. I told my students in advance and vetted the program before that with another teacher (my class consists of seniors). We agreed that though it is profane, it the film has too many valuable points of discussion to abandon it.

I spent five weeks in the summer of 2017 studying in Jerusalem. While violence was contained, the climate was one that always proceeded with caution. I walked so many of the same sidewalks and streets that Arthur and Nour traverse, and it was always so hard for me to grasp that this holy city can be a place of such division and conflict. 

Mother Teresa diagnosed the world's problems correctly—both in the Middle East and in Ukraine. She wrote, "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other." These boxers? they say it, the live it...they belong to one another.

I have a study guide for teachers on my website here.

Information about Ukraine as of 2/24/23: In just one year, about 100,000 Ukrainian troops and an estimated 200,000 Russian troops have been killed or injured in combat. In Ukraine, an estimated 30,000 civilians have died and about a third of the country’s population have sought refuge out of the country or been displaced within Ukraine. Reports show that at least 500,000 people have fled Russia. Some fled to neighboring countries following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s draft-like order. This is the largest military conflict in Europe since World War II.

Information about the West Bank/east Jerusalem as of 2/24/23: One of the bloodiest battles in nearly a year of fighting in the West Bank and east Jerusalem took the lives of at least 11 Palestinians. Israeli forces carried out a four-hour-long raid in the West Bank city of Nablus. According to AP News, "Authorities said they were searching for three militants involved in the killing of an Israeli soldier last year. When the alleged suspects refused to surrender, Israeli troops fired missiles. A top Palestinian official called the raid a “massacre.” The Israeli military said Palestinian militants fired six rockets from the Gaza Strip toward the country’s south in retaliation. I had to read and review three different articles just to be sure I understood the situation correctly.

More than a Mensch: A Case for the Glue Guy/Glue Girl

I have been in Jerusalem, the Holy City for over a week know. One of the first questions I get asked from folks back in the US, especially my foodie friends is: How's the food?! I wouldn't say that I have eaten my way through the Middle East, but I've certainly enjoyed trying and tasting Israeli food. I'm intrigued by the rich and contrasting spices they use on meat, in salads, etc. I believe my culinary experiences serve as a metaphor for what I have learned as well.

I am at Yad Vashem for an 18-day seminar for 30 teachers from the US, Canada, Italy, and Serbia. We are studying the Holocaust—known here as the Shoah—and how the events before, during and after relate to the world and our classrooms today. Our days are long, as we have professors from all over the world giving lectures on historical, sociological, religious and ethical matters. 

I am learning about The Final Solution and its Implementation on one day and the history of the state of Israel on the next. During our breaks, I am having conversations about the roots of Anti-Semitism only to be lightened by debates over my super team, the Golden State Warriors...AND they just signed Israeli star Omri Casspi! I have learned about the Maccabiah games and the Palmach. I came to Israel knowing that my time here would be very spiritual. I had no idea or expectation for what I might learn about sports. I needed little time to make a connection.

Welcome Omri!

One of my favorite lectures was "Antecedents to Holocaust Writing in Eastern European Jewish Culture." In order for us to understand this topic, we had to learn about Jewish life and the use of Yiddish. I love language and the origin of words. Yiddish colors the vernacular of many Americans today but before the war was spoken among eight to nine million Jews. Today, Yiddish expressions pepper our conversations but this language—a combination of German and Hebrew, continually offers me new and deeper insights about people and personalities. 

For example, In this afternoon's session: An Introduction to Jewish Leadership during the Shoah, I came to learn about Rabbi Leo beach, a German theologian and scholar. He served as the president of a German organization that united Jews from 1933-1938. The rabbi teaching the class said "he was a real mensch." Familiar and yet unfamiliar with this word, I inquired further. According to Leo Rosten, the Yiddish maven and author of The Joys of Yiddish, a "mensch" is "someone to admire and emulate, someone of noble character. The key to being 'a real mensch' is nothing less than character, rectitude, dignity, a sense of what is right, responsible, decorous." The term is used as a high compliment, implying the rarity and value of that individual's qualities.

I started to wonder if this is a term I should be using more often with my students or athletes.

I have written about awards in athletics many times: my favorite (Defensive Player of the Year), who deserves what, mistakes we have made, and a case for others. I'm not convinced the Mensch Award could work. To me, the word sounds derogatory (it shouldn't) and kitschy. I believe awards can serve as a teaching opportunity, so honor with this title could be bashert, but during my lunch break, I discovered another idea....my palette encountered a new flavor. I finished my Chicken Pomegranate Shawarma and read a great piece by Shane Battier in The Players' Tribune: Elite 'Glue Guys' 101.

I'll let Part Two of this article unpack what it means to be the glue guy or the glue girl: A player who makes everything work when they're on the court. I've encountered her as an athlete and a coach. They are different than Steve Nash, who makes everyone better. They are, exactly what the word suggests.

Enjoy—he's got an incredible personal story, and he is a good writer. He's observant, thoughtful and I think it's safe to say, a mensch. And, I have to admit, LeBron is a decent singer...no surprise, a good dancer. Check out the video in the story! #Battioke2017
Photo Credits
Yiddish
Omri