01 December 2007 -- Eze Balagan

I'm sure that my faithful readers (ha!) have all been anxiously awaiting (ha! ha!) this post to learn about my return to school after such a long and contentious strike. Well, I hate to disappoint you, but I'm not at liberty to discuss that. Why, Matt? Has the Ministry of Education made all teachers take a binding oath of silence?! That would be cool, but no. Actually, I can't write about the end of the strike because the strike hasn't ended yet! Yup, we're still fighting the good fight. Marx would be proud. Unless he had kids in Israeli schools, in which case he'd be pissed.

The "academic" year so far...
September: 16 school days
October: 3 school days
November: 0 school days

This is what Israelis call a balagan, a slang word (borrowed from Russian) meaning "big ol' freakin' mess" (more or less). In fact, one of the catchier chants one might hear at a teachers' protest includes this word:
Eze balagan!
Eze balagan!
Culam ovdim b'kesef,
V'hamorim chinam!
[Loosely translated:]
This mess is straight-up wack!
This mess is straight-up wack!
Everyone works for money,
But the teachers don't get jack!

A pro-teacher rally in Tel Aviv a couple of weeks ago drew more than 100,000 people. That number would be impressive even in the U.S., so in Israel it's enormous -- well over 1% of the entire population. The gathering was spirited but peaceful, and the event's production values were surprisingly high. Energetic speeches were interspersed with performances by some of Israel's most popular musicians. The president of Leo Baeck's student government was a featured speaker. The protest closed with a performance by HaYehudim (The Jews), my new favorite band!

Sadly, that rally had no effect on the negotiations, and subsequent actions have become more cynical. Outside the National Labor Court last Thursday, police clashed violently with protestors. Remember, these are teachers. They are used to wielding nothing more menacing than a dry-erase marker, and now they're being billy-clubbed and handcuffed in the street. Balagan, indeed.

This is a rally of Leo Baeck teachers outside the Knesset (Israeli parliament building). The flags bear our school crest.


During our Knesset protest, we inadvertently (but enthusiastically) interrupted a ceremony for the unveiling of a huge new menorah-shaped sculpture (visible in the background of the photo). The Mayor of Jerusalem, who was presiding over the ceremony, came over to offer us a few words of support afterward. Politics aside, I thought that was pretty gracious of him. (He's the one wearing the black suit, in case you weren't sure.)


This is at a student-organized protest in the commercial center of Haifa. Yes, those are scout uniforms. Even some cool kids are in the scouts -- and they wear their uniforms in public! Actually, "scout" groups in Israel are associated with different "youth movements" depending on political leanings and degrees of religiosity. They are generally focused on community service of some kind. Leo Baeck students -- or at least the leaders among them -- have been most supportive of their teachers (and the extended fall vacation may have raised their spirits, too).


Leo Baeck teachers and students gathered for a sit-in/sing-in/pray-in across the street from government buildings in Jerusalem. The man with the guitar is Ofek, our school's rabbi. Kneeling to his right is Dani, the Headmaster of the Leo Baeck Education Center. Standing to Ofek's left (in sunglasses) is Eran, the man who brought me to Israel. It is certainly encouraging that Leo Baeck's administration so visibly supports the teachers' struggle.


Here I am with Reuben Moses, my department chair and one of those participating in the hunger strike for justice in education. Our shirts read, Bli Chinuch - Ein Atid (Without Education There Is No Future).