I taught Eshy how to ride a bike yesterday. I don't know how many other fathers are thinking about Dewey's concept of Psychologization or Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development when teaching their children to ride a bike, but I was (some of the people reading this blog will think that is marvellous - eg JTS students past and present - and some will think I am sad and should get a life - eg my mum, brother, etc). Anyway, the proof of the pudding is in the pedaling, and I am happy to report that after a 1/2 hour in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening, Eshy is riding a bike as if he has been doing it for years. He is over the moon with himself, it is lovely to see. And I, of course, view this as cast-iron empirical proof that educational theory is not a load of waffle, but actually works!
Anyway, the biking reminded me of an incident with Eshy a few weeks ago, soon after we first arrived. We were in Jerusalem on the Tayelet, a beautiful promenade that overlooks East Jerusalem, the Old City, and West Jerusalem. On one end of the Tayelet there are some statue-sort-of-things - I guess it's some kind of modern art installation, but when we were there it was being used as a climbing frame by a bunch of kids, as most modern art installations should be. Of course, my kids wanted to go play. When we got there, I noticed that the other kids climbing on it were Israeli Arabs. Eshy, being his usual adventurous self, wanted me to lift him up to the top part. This Arab girl was sitting there, though. There was room for Eshy as well, but it made it a bit crowded there. I lifted him up, and he sat next to the Arab girl, and then after a bit she climbed down.
Was it just me, or was there some kind of analogy going on there?
I was my usual lily-livered liberal self, saying to Eshy "make sure you make room for the girl too, make sure you don't push her as you climb on, remember that she has a right to self-determination as well" (ok, I didn't actually say that last part).
"Those bloody Jews", I imagine her saying. "First they steal my land, then they cut down my olive trees, and now they chuck me off the climbing frame?"
Eshy, of course, was oblivious to the whole thing and just wanted to have fun. (Maybe that fits into the analogy as well?)
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This reminds me of the two old Jewish men who always read the Jewish Chronicle. One day Moshe saw Hymie reading the Arab Times instead and asked him why
"When I read the JC, Jews are dying, have problems, need jobs. When I read te Arab Times, the Jews own all the big banks, rule the world and have all the influence"
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