Leffell Student Essay for Times of Israel: “Israel is the Only Country We Must Argue Into Existence”

We are incredibly proud to share this blog by Leffell School rising eleventh-grade student, Isaiah Yolkut, exploring how, “Israel is the Only Country We Must Argue Into Existence”:

Israel is often introduced differently from almost any other country. Most places in the world are first encountered through geography, culture, or some form of neutral description. You learn where they are in the world, what language is spoken there, what cities exist, what food is eaten, and what history shaped them. Only later in your research might you encounter political debates about them.

The discovery of Israel often appears in the reverse order.

Before a sense of place is formed, there is already an argument brewing. Before geography, there is interpretation. Before culture, there is controversy. For many people engaging with Israel in public discourse, especially online, the country is not… <Read the full article here>