Mothers
Mothers: Oil on Canvas Board, 10” x 8”
I looked at a group of Palestinian women and thought to myself Mothers on both sides of the fence love their children. Sadly, here the similarity ends. While my people long for peace, we must teach our children to protect themselves, their nation, and their country.
We have reached peace treaties with some of our neighboring countries. However, some of the countries we share a border with – believe that Israel must be destroyed, we do not have a right to exist. These militant extremist groups, teach their children to kill. From the early age of 5 lessons of hate are incorporated in the school curriculum. Each child receives individual lessons in the correct and the most efficient way to use weapons for the purpose of killing.
This stark contrast between the teachings of the two societies highlights the tragedy of the ongoing conflict. On one side, Israeli children are raised with the hope for peace, but they must also be taught vigilance and self-defense in a region where their existence is constantly threatened. Their education is intertwined with a sense of responsibility — to protect their nation and ensure the safety of future generations. It is a burden no child should bear, yet it is a reality that Israeli families cannot escape.
On the other side, extremist groups instill a destructive ideology from an early age, indoctrinating children into a cycle of hatred and violence. Instead of nurturing a future built on coexistence, these groups rob children of their innocence, preparing them for a life shaped by conflict. The seeds of intolerance and aggression are planted early, perpetuating a narrative of destruction and enmity. This tragic divergence in upbringing creates a profound gap between the two peoples, one that will be difficult to bridge unless education and ideologies shift towards peace and mutual recognition.
