A Positive Protest

I just received this announcement via e-mail:

“Thousands will form a human chain around the Old City this Tuesday, January 8 to dramatically demonstrate our commitment to a united Jerusalem, on the eve of President Bush’s visit.   Participants will be gathering at the Jaffa Gate beginning at 2:30 p.m.  For more information, call One Jerusalem 1-800-20-20-91.”

I love this type of protest.  Notice it’s essential quality: Demonstrating love for something as a means to protect it, not animosity against something or someone else. From my experience, people engaged in this type of ‘protest’ are usually much more successful than those engaged in the other form.  Think about it.  What would you do for a person you deeply love? Your spouse?  Your child?  Your parent?  Almost anything, right?  How many obstacles are you prepared to overcome to protect them?  An unlimited amount, right?  But now consider the alternative.  What happens if you didn’t love someone but simply hated someone else.  How many obstacles now are you prepared to overcome in order to maintain that hatred?  Perhaps quite a bit in the beginning; after all, hatred boils our blood and energizes a person.  Eventually, though, hatred is not a strong enough motivator to maintain vigilance.  Ultimately, one will become interested in spending his or her time more wisely in a different, more productive arena.  The same never happens when we love something; it’s always a wise way to spend one’s time.If you can’t make it to Jerusalem to hug her, maybe make tomorrow an extra special day in terms of ‘hugging’ people in your life, and not just the people you like, but even some you may be having difficulties with.  After all, Jerusalem was destroyed (as our Sages teach us) because of senseless hatred amongst Jews.  The City will be redeemed, then, by senseless love — expressions of concern for our fellow man simply because he is created in the image of God.  So even if you can’t hug Jerusalem, you can hug someone else — or at least offer a surprising smile and wishes of concern and reconcilliation — and accomplish the same objective.