ONE FOR ALL: A Note from Jackson Block

Posted on 11/15/2011 @ 02:12 PM

"Hate" is a complicated word. At a first glance, the short word might look easy to comprehend; however, when describing it, it continues to stump me. As I walked through Holocaust memorial near the Freedom Trail, questions about this four letter word popped into my head. How could a simple word skew someone's mindset? How could anyone "hate" someone so much to kill them? How could anyone kill another person? I was completely baffled.

As I reflect as I write this blog, I still am baffled and will be for awhile, but that is why I am at the "One For All" Summit. I am here at the Summit to build a community, to equip myself with the resources to speak up! against indifference and inequality, and to reflect on the big picture. All aspects, which I feel are captured in the below quote, play a pivotal role in life and the program. "First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me" (Martin Niemöller). At first, I believed the quote conveyed a moral lesson that everyone should learn: if you stay indifferent when others need you, then others will not be at your side when you need them. While I continue to believe in this axiom, the asterik underneath the quote at the memorial site brought me to the question of hatred and people. The tiny asterisk revealed the history behind the author, Martin Niemöller. The asterisk with few lines of writing explained that In the early start of the Nazi totalitarian regime, he was an anti-Communist and supported Hitler's rise to power. The idea shocked me completely and caused for a internal as well as external dialogue.

In my mind, I asked my questions about killing, hate, and the Holocaust. Meanwhile at the same time, I talked to my best friend from New Orleans about the predicament. She insightfully told me to think about the situation through another perspective in which the author changed. As soon as she brought up the idea, my mind began rushing. I began to focus on the power of people to transform as we talked while crossing the street. Soon, I realized that with new insight and an alternative perspective, "hate" could easily be changed to "love" or to being "nice." While the shift sounds weird out loud, the premise behind the belief is clearly possible. Hate, which most often originates with ignorance, can be changed through education. We, as 80+ teens from across North America, have not only seen that but also know it as a fact. A fact, in which, we, teens of the summit, have been working for in the past two days and will continue on for a lifetime. Fraternally submitted with undying love for "One for All", the Aleph Zadik Aleph, Rodney Dangerfield AZA #2516, and RESPECT I remain, Aleph Jason "Jackson" Jorel Block Valencia, CA

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Service at the Ronald McDonald House

Posted on 11/15/2011 @ 10:40 AM

On Monday teens did service at the Ronald McDonald House in Washington, DC. Part of their job was to bring some holiday cheer to the halls of the house.

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ADL Concert Against Hate

Posted on 11/15/2011 @ 07:00 AM

Monday night, the Panim el Panim seminar attended the 17th annual ADL Concert Against Hate. The show featured the National Symphony Orchestra and recognized four individuals who overcame intolerance in their lives. The students on Panim were all moved by the stories shared. The concert helped improve upon our understanding of advocacy that we have already learned so much about in the past two days. - Sophia Weisberg, Ida Crown (IL)

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Judith Cohen's Thoughts on ONE FOR ALL

Posted on 11/14/2011 @ 11:39 PM

As if it weren't enough to be reunited with my friends from across North America and Canada. That alone would have been fine with me. But since when does BBYO ever settle for satisfactory? So far the Panim el Panim One for All Summit on Equality has exceeded my limited expectations in ways I couldnt have possibly imagined. Coming here I honestly didn't know what to expect. The sessions we've been attending have given me so much that I knoe can never be taken from me, only shared. I hope to take everything this summit had taught me about being different, accepting, and equalminded back to my local community and school and share everything I can with the people I'm around every day.

The program that has affected me most so far was run by a panel from the organization Keshet. We were asked in our groups to write in either a boy or a girl box what societal norms were for each gender. We then switched boxes with another group who wrote about the other gender and were asked to write around the box what happens when someone of that gender steps outside of their box. We went on to discuss the pressing issue of placing people into boxes. My horizons were broadened by miles with the information I learned. There was so much I realized I didn't know. Words I hadn't even heard of, not to mention thought of using in everyday conversation. I'm cisgender and I had no idea. I spent three weeks this summer with a person who is genderqueer and I had no idea. The amount I didn't know astounded me. I left the program in a state of shock and with even more questions buzzing around my head.

The magic of Panim was evident after the program because the program didnt just stop when we walked out the door. The conversation continued. I know in my room we had to reconsider everything we as individuals and we as a movement stand for. This was us becoming the ones who are for all. This, i realized is what Panim One for All is meant to be teaching us. It is not the vehicle with which we are to stand up, but the toolbox equipping us with the tools necessary to do so. I now feel fully equipped and educated and ready to go back to my community and stand up and teach others to stand with me for what we believe in. Judith Cohen Charlotte, NC

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Serving DC - First PeP of 2011 School Year

Posted on 11/14/2011 @ 10:00 AM

Read more about the Panim el Panim experience through the eyes of a teen participant, Leora Einleger.

Leora, and 12 other teens from Deerfield, IL, went to Food and Friends in Washington, DC. The mission of Food & Friends is to foster a community caring for men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses by preparing and delivering specialized meals and groceries in conjunction with nutrition counseling.

Today we went to a food kitchen that prepares specialized food for people suffering with AIDS, HIV, and cancer. We packed over 500 bags with only 14 people. We had to specialize each bag to fit into their dietary needs. It was amazing how many options there were, and there was a big variety. Not only were there options for their dietary needs, but also for their personal likes. Food and Friends has over 1400 clients and only 50 employees. They need the help of volunteers to get most of the work done. We all became aware of the issues of dietary needs for people suffering from sicknesses. I was amazed that Food and Friends is able to serve so many homebound sick while still making everything free and interesting. – Leora Einleger, Heschel High School

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