The
only time I ever saw my grandfather cry was when we were watching the signing
of the Oslo Accords.
At
15 I wasn’t really aware of what was happening but his reaction shocked me so
much that the scene is forever seared in to my memory…
My
grandmother was sitting in stony silence in her chair in the living room,
watching tv. As I came in to the room I saw my grandfather standing, leaning
over the back of the other chair. I stood next to him and we watched the ceremony.
My grandfather, wiping the tears from his face, saw me staring at him. He was
pale. My undemonstrative grandfather, a man who (unlike my grandmother) rarely expressed
any thoughts on politics said: “He just signed away Israel.”
My
heart skipped a beat.
His
were not tears of joy. At the time while most Israelis were overcome with a
feeling of euphoria, truly believing (or at least wanting to believe) that this
event would reign in a new area of peace, his reaction was highly unusual.
Both
my grandparents were extremely concerned and it wasn’t long before I began to
see how correct they were…
Lesson
1: People are complicated
The
death of Shimon Peres has triggered a slew of articles and segments about him
(including this one). Some lauded Peres, practically deifying him. Others
demonized him. In Israel, between his death and his funeral, the media focused
on nothing else, as if the world had stopped because the man who seemed like he
would live forever stopped.
The
media coverage has bothered me enormously, largely because it has been horribly
one dimensional. People are complicated and Shimon Peres was a prime example of
this. He deserves better than being flattened in to a character that is “the
good guy” or “the bad guy,” depending on who is writing the story.
The
influence of my grandparents could have put me in the demonization camp but it
was those same grandparents who taught me to look deeper than that.
Like
his wife, Sonia Peres, who loved the man but hated the visibility of political
life, like Prime Minister Netanyahu who utterly rejected the politics of the man
but, at the same time, loved his personality, I too differentiate between
Shimon the man and Peres the politician.
It
is fascinating that one person can encapsulate such complexity…
Shimon
Peres was a diaspora Jew in a time when it was cool to become a sabra, a new
Jew. He had a heavy accent and he was an administrator, not a fighter. In many
ways he was exactly the opposite of the image the new Israelis wanted for
themselves – and yet he was no less revolutionary. It was his vision that
helped actualize much of the security platforms Israel has today (including a very
important “textile factory”). Things others declared impossible, Peres made
happen. He was a politician but he was also a poet.
Lesson
2: Determination
One
of the most outstanding characteristics of Shimon Peres was his determination.
Many called him an incorrigible optimist, assigning to him extreme, almost
unexplainable naiveté. These qualities would seemingly suggest a failing in
intelligence however, considering that Peres was a highly educated, intelligent
man, I believe that these are a mistaken perception of his almost superhuman
determination.
Contrary
to what it might seem following the infatuated media coverage, Peres spent most
of his political life disparaged and reviled, even by his own party. He wasn’t
looked at as a visionary statesman, he was considered a wheeling and dealing
politician. It was Rabin who called Peres: “A tireless underminer.” Time and
again Peres lost to political rivals and yet he never gave up. He had a vision
and faith and was willing to do whatever it takes to see that become reality.
Differences
of opinion regarding the correctness of his vision or actions are irrelevant in
the consideration of his extraordinary determination. How many people can you
think of with such a strong sense of conviction? What could you achieve in your
own life if you dealt with your challenges in the way Peres dealt with his?
Lesson
3: Maybe I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one
I’ve
been laughed at for being a dreamer, an idealist. Shimon Peres was a dreamer too.
His dreams of peace in the Middle East were both beautiful and dangerous but
those were not his only dreams.
He dreamt of tomorrow with a passion associated only to the greatest inventors in history, people like Leonardo da Vinci and Nikola Tesla who envisioned things way before their time. Peres read while others were sleeping. He thought that resting was a waste of time. He taught himself about the latest developments in science and technology and was able to hold deep conversations on an astonishing breadth of subjects. Peres was a true futurist and he was proud that his nation, Israel, is instrumental in inventing and developing a better tomorrow.
He dreamt of tomorrow with a passion associated only to the greatest inventors in history, people like Leonardo da Vinci and Nikola Tesla who envisioned things way before their time. Peres read while others were sleeping. He thought that resting was a waste of time. He taught himself about the latest developments in science and technology and was able to hold deep conversations on an astonishing breadth of subjects. Peres was a true futurist and he was proud that his nation, Israel, is instrumental in inventing and developing a better tomorrow.
Peres
was widely embraced around the world for his vision of peace but it was his
enthusiasm for the future that endeared him to many at home and abroad.
Perhaps
the most important dream Peres had for himself was the desire to be loved. He
served the public most of his life but only received widespread admiration in
his final public role, as President of Israel. His tireless determination
finally paid off. His controversial political past was largely set aside and,
for the most part, he was warmly embraced by the nation he loved.
I’m
certain knowing that tribute to his vision and personality brought so many
world leaders together, brought them to Israel, would have given him great
satisfaction.
Lesson
4: Age is an attitude
It
seemed like Shimon Peres would live forever. He had an air of timelessness
about him. While most people remain in the timeframe of what was contemporary
in their youth, Peres kept his mind flexible, changing with the times, always focused
on the future. As he grew chronologically older, his attitude remained
contemporary. He kept up with the swiftly changing technology, adopted the use
of social media and participated in the creation of viral videos. For those of
us who were born into the technological age it is difficult to comprehend the
enormous flexibility it takes to change with the times. My grandmother was born before electricity
was common in homes and she lived to see the invention of television, a man on
the moon, cell phones and the internet. Peres not only saw all those changes,
he made use of them.
Peres
proved that age is a mindset, an attitude. He was always excited to see what
tomorrow would bring and that made it seem like there would always be a
tomorrow for him. This attitude made the epitaph he requested for himself seems
so apt: “Died before his time.”
Lesson
5: Narrative appropriated
Watching
the media response to the death of Shimon Peres left me wondering about the
validity of the narrative we are taught about other historical figures. The
Israeli media, like most media around the world, aligns mostly with the
political left. Our artists, musicians and other celebrities tend to identify
with the left as well. Peres was the spokesperson of the Israeli left, he gave
dignity to their ideas, presenting them in world forums, gaining acceptance
abroad which, in turn, reinforced the perception of his colleagues that their
way was the right way. Even following the utter failure of the Oslo Accords, additional
land-for-peace and prisoners-for-peace deals, the left still upheld Peres as
their symbol of Israel’s undying hope for peace. His death created a vacuum for
the Israeli left. They have no more representatives for their ideas. While the
general public still wants peace and would willingly make enormous sacrifices
for peace, Israelis, in general, no longer hold the belief that the next deal signed
will bring peace. With no leader to look to, the left has done everything in
their power to transform Shimon Peres the man, with all his complexities, in to
a symbol with which they can justify themselves. Considering that the people
who set the tone for the culture are the ones redefining the man and deciding
what his legacy is, there is very little room for anyone with a different
perspective. This, combined with a rigid taboo on speaking poorly of the
deceased, makes an honest discussion of his peace initiatives (or the people
hurt by them) almost impossible.
Watching
this unfold raises so many questions….
Is
it so difficult to discuss someone or something we don’t like without being
disrespectful? Or being accused of being a “hater”/”racist”/whatever other
shut-you-up label is currently popular?
Is
it so difficult to differentiate between a man and his actions? What in the
world makes it so easy to convince people that any person is one dimensional?
Only good or only bad? Who says we have to completely agree or completely
disagree with anyone? Why do we have to choose “teams”? Isn’t it possible that
we may have the same goals while still disagreeing about how to achieve them?
Last
but not least, I am left to wonder - if the narrative of a man’s life can be
appropriated so swiftly, so close to his death, how much of what we know about
historical figures is true?
I
remain with more questions than answers. Possibly the historical facts matter
less than the principles we choose to remember and uphold. I know others will
define Peres as the symbol for peace and teach that his methodology is the
correct way to attain peace. To me it seems disrespectful to turn someone so
complex in to a one-dimensional tool to use to further a political agenda…
Personally,
I choose to remember the lessons I’ve learned from Shimon, the man, the poet,
not the politician. To me his legacy isn’t about politics, it’s about a way of
being in the world, an attitude towards life:
People
are complicated. No one is a saint, no one is a devil.
Determination
pays off in the end. Never give up.
Focus
on the future.
Age
is an attitude.
History
is taught according to the narrative convenient to the people in power. This is
a very disturbing realization however I still hold on to the belief that it is
the principles we choose to uphold that will determine our future.
Maybe
I’m a dreamer but, at least, I’m not the only one.