Ze'ev Zion has just published a children's book--Z is for Zionism-- whose aim is to counter the anti-Israel propaganda that has infected our young people; and to serve as a contra to the controversial children's book, P is for Palestine (see picture below), which promotes violence against Israel. The title refers to the non-existent country of Palestine, but the word for the letter "I" refers to the two bloody Palestinian terror waves, called Intifadas, in which over 1000 people were killed - the second taking place after Arafat signed the Oslo "Peace" Accords on the Whtie House lawn. The Second Intifada is termed The Oslo War by many Israelis. This can only be interpreted as a call to accept or commit violence against Israeli citizens - and it is aimed at pre-schoolers.
"Children can no longer grow up innocent and protected," the author says. "They cannot even attend kindergarten without being inundated with the destructive values of progressive and politicized educators. At schools across America, children are inflicted with climate hysteria; told that the world will end soon, all this sending them into panic. They learn from the media featuing politicians running for President that capitalism is a corrupt system that impoverishes people. They are taught, of course, that Israel is an oppressor, America is racist and President Trump is a fascist."
The David Horowitz Freedom Center has done an important public service documenting this alarming trend. For example, a high school teacher in Oklahoma told students “to be white is racist.” A school in San Diego used CAIR (Council on America- Islamic Relations) material for a supposed anti-Muslim bullying campaign. CAIR’s leadership is comprised of anti-Israel zealots and is sympathetic to the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist network. Middle School students in Tennessee are taught that Islam is the supreme religion. And there is more.
At many schools around the country, teachers are no longer allowed to say “boys and girls” in order to avoid offending the miniscule amount of students who may not identify with one of the two genders. Whatever family means today is up for grabs.
Things aren’t much better with Israel studies.
Third grade students in New York were forced to sit through a radical, anti-Israel presentation by Hamas propagandist, Ariel Gold. A high school in South Carolina used teaching material from Jewish Voice for Peace, an organization that is Jewish in name only, pro-BDS and as awful as Students for Justice in Palestine.
And a popular new children’s book, P is for Palestine, promotes violence against Israel. It led to a controversy of major proportions when a Highland Park library decided to hold a reading for chldren with its anti-Israel author - this in an area with a large Jewish population. (Arutz Sheva covered the story here.)
Students are routinely taught that Israel is to blame for the lack of peace with the Palestinian Arabs. They are told that Israel is a colonialist enterprise that oppresses the Palestinian Arabs. As a result, most students think that if Israel simply gives up enough land to create a Palestinian Arab state, there will be peace. These are lies. The Palestinian Arabs have not given up the goal of destroying Israel. Presdient Trump and his team of advisers saw through those lies, hence the demand for four years of testing Palestinian Arab recognition of Israel before implementing the Palestinian Arab part of his peace plan.
Outside of school, the media and entertainment industry-- which are dominated by the left--reinforce these ideas. When Israel is forced to respond to Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror rockets on innocent civilians of all ages, we are told by CNN and the New York Times that Israel is the aggressor. Israel is capable of reacting forcefully, but that does not put it in the wrong.
A good part of the Jewish community in the U.S. has also adopted anti-Israel, leftwing values. Jewish groups such as IfNotNow and J Street, which demonize the Jewish State, are growing in strength. Too many fellow Jews, who mean well, don’t believe in proudly defending our identity and homeland. As a result, young Jews are growing up and embracing values antithetical to Judaism. As Dennis Prager always points out, many Jews have replaced Judaism with leftism as their religion of choice.
Is there any wonder our universities are full of Israel-obsessed haters?
Even the majority of Jews who consider themselves pro-Israel continue to vote for a Democrat Party that is increasingly dominated by anti-Israel voices. The most popular leaders in the Democrat Party--AOC, Bernie Sanders and Ilhan Omar--are anti-Israel fanatics. Sanders called Israel racist. The few pro-Israel voices in the party refuse to stand up to these radicals.
There is a lot working against parents--both Jewish and non-Jewish-- who wish to instill in their children good values.
"We need to do a better job educating our children about Israel," Ze'ev Zion says. "It is not enough to rely on our instinctive pro-Israel stance being transferred to them automatically. I have written this children’s book, in my area of focus, as a small measure to push back against the misinformation that pervades society."
Z is for Zionism counters the many lies about Israel that children are exposed to at school, as well as in the media..
In an age appropriate manner, Z is for Zionism will teach students about the following:
- God’s covenant with Abraham
- What Judaism means
- History of Israel
- Israel as a force for good in the world
- The importance of Israel for Jewish self defense
- Anti-semitism and how to recognize it
- Palestinian Arab rejection of Israel
Zion works professionally countering the enemies of Israel and the Jewish people, including influential Jewish and pro-Israel organizations. He says: "Unfortunately, too many fellow Jews, who mean well, don’t believe in proudly defending our identity and homeland. As a result, young Jews are growing up and embracing values antithetical to Judaism. I was compelled to write this book in order to provide a way for our children to understand the facts about Israel, in an age appropriate manner, to counter the way they are exposed to the many anti-semitic lies that pervade our society online, at school and in the media.The progressive and anti-Israel left do not let our children be free of politics and continue to force their values upon them. We must fight back. I hope this book, in a small way, helps."
Parents, take heed.