Jewish 16 yr-olds return 16 yrs back to commemorate assassinated leader - they never knew

Nov. 10, 2011 - PRLog -- As Israel marked this week’s 16th year anniversary to the assassination of its former Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin – Rochester 16 year-old high school students got a chance to “learn & feel” their year of birth- 1995.

Congregation Beth Sholom’s ‘ROVA’, - the Brighton Jewish Sunday School for High School students administrated by Rabbi Shaye Kilimnick, devoted a special ‘Yitzchak Rabin session’ as part of its ‘Israel Advocacy’ weekly course delivered by Brighton resident Mr. Nati Katz. Rabin - assassinated in 1995 by a young Jewish law student - was the leader of Labor party and was known for his role in launching official talks with the PLO through the Oslo Negotiations and later – the historic Oslo Accords.    

The students at ROVA were introduced to Rabin - the soldier, the military figure during the six-day war, the public personality – and eventually – the target of Israel’s first political murder. Conveying the political and social heat of the times in Israel around terror attacks, political debate, and resistance to the Oslo accords – the students conducted a Skype-call with David Zviel, a right wing activist at the time and a parliament lobbyist today. Zviel, who at the time was same age as the ROVA students, shared his story on activities he was involved in, with street demonstrations, road blocks, uprisings and other initiatives – with the peak of being arrested 3 weeks prior to Rabin’s killing for his opposition activities.

Learning that much of the criticism and “blame” on the assassination had fallen on right wing groups, ROVA students and David Zviel opened up the discussion of proper political activism bordering with incitement. Zviel said that the Israeli public was struck by “fatal terror attacks against civilians almost on a weekly basis, while watching how Israel offers more concessions and gestures to the Palestinians”. The assassin, Yigal Amir, - he said – “was part of an extremist group, brainwashed systematically and almost encouraged and instructed to act in the way he did”.

Nati Katz, the course planner and instructor at ROVA’s “Israel Advocacy” designed a way that portraits not only the cold facts but rather the emotional atmosphere of the time as well. “I wanted students to relate to the Rabin assassination in a different way than they relate to historical events like the JFK assassination” – he explained. Since the event has had grave implications on the Israeli society and foreign policy, Katz planned for the students to understand the dynamics, impacting factors and finally to become knowledgeable enough to face the questions their student counterparts have faced in the mid 90’s in regards to Israel’s path to peace.

“It is imperative, that our young adults know firsthand the issues and be prepared to engage in dialogue and debate with facts and courage” says ROVA head Rabbi Kilimnick. Launching the program with Mr. Katz this year provides students a source of information and direction on current affairs, Israel foreign policy and even internal politics.
Rabbi Kilimnick who strived to strengthen the connection of the young Rochester generation with Israel is encouraged by the feedback of parents and students alike. “The classes in Jewish and Israel Advocacy, which meets every Sunday morning, has attracted and motivated commitment and courage of our students to stand for and by Israel and our Jewish people”

# # #

ROVA is Rochester's Sunday Hebrew High School. Serving the Jewish community, ROVA offers Jewish and Israeli studies, Conversational Hebrew courses, Jewish Law, and its newest program - Israel Advocacy. Founded in 2006, ROVA is administrated and managed by Rabbi Shaye Kilimnick of Congregation Beth Sholom.

Nati Katz is the designer and instructor of the Israel Advocacy program. Originally from Israel, Nati has earned his Master's in Public Diplomacy from The Maxwell School of Public Citizenship in Syracuse University. Nati also holds an M.S in Public Relations from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications - at Syracuse University.