By:Romi Morales
Many people invest in buying shares of large companies to obtain economic returns. Understanding and acting quickly in the face of market changes are basic strategies that increase the chances of investment success. But: What strategies should we use to ensure the success of the educational investment in the Tnua? If every peulot is an investment: How can we guarantee that today’s peulot will build the future we dream of for the Ken, Kehilot and Am Israel? I invite you to look at some points from Parashat Va’etzeh that can help us answer this question.
Investing with your feet on the ground and looking to the sky.
Yaakov flees from Esav. Tired on the road to Haran, he rests his head on a stone and falls asleep. There he dreams of a ladder connecting earth and heaven, from which angels ascend and descend.
Many interpreted the meaning of the ladder. For us it is a metaphor that invites us to talk about the connection between theory and practice, utopia and truth, past, present and future, Israel and the Diaspora, etc. That is why this analogy is so closely related to Tnua. As we know, every educational act is based on a dream that we wish to make reality for our chanichim and chanichot. However, in order for it to be achievable, it must be anchored in reality. Identifying our starting point allows us to plan the tnuati cycle with responsibility and purpose. In this way, our chaverim will be able to grow and develop the potential that will take them to their own heights, as they go through their passage through Tnua, a passage that connects them to their roots and their Jewish-Zionist identity.
Invest by following the hunches.
After awakening, Yaakov continues on his way to Haran. There he meets Rachel, the great love of his life, for the first time. In order for her to be his wife, Yaacov agrees to work for Laban, her father, for 7 years. Yaakov has a hunch that Laban will not keep his word, so he clearly spells out that the arrangement concerns his daughter, Rachel, the youngest. Although Yaacov tries to limit the possibility of something going wrong, Laban still gets his way: he first gives Leah, his eldest daughter, as his wife, and promises Yaacov that he will only give Rachel after he works another 7 years. Yaakov agrees, and only after this time does he finally marry Rachel.
Also in the educational act, it is important to be attentive to the messages sent by the heart. Sometimes intuition works as a compass that helps to pay attention to those details that, if taken into account in time, can drastically change the course of events. Sometimes, intuition asks us to pay attention to certain points where our presence is necessary and urgent, even if it is not something that is officially established for us. Intuition is the tool we have to hear what our chanichim and chanichot are saying, even if they have not yet used the words.
Long-term investment: Investing time is sometimes worth much more than money.
Yaacov knew from the beginning that he wanted to start a family with Rachel and so he worked for 14 years. In that time, Yaacov had children with Leah (7), Zilpah (2), Bilhah (2) and Rachel (1) and there were 6 more hard years of work until Yaacov and his family decided to return to Cnaan. Although it took time, when they finally left Laban’s house, Yaacov saw the fruit of the work, effort and dedication of the last 20 years: a large family, a symbol of continuity and a living legacy.
We too, in educating in Tnua, invest our most valuable resource: time. The impact of our investment is not always immediate, but that doesn’t mean we don’t inspire. Persevering, even in difficult times, is the key to leaving a lasting mark on La Tnua.
Invest, but with limits.
Yaakov worked tirelessly for years at his uncle’s house. However, Laban’s constant deceptions led him to make the decision to return home. Trying to avoid arrest, Yaaqov left with his family without telling Laban. When Laban found out, he pursued Yaaqov and after three days caught up with him and arrested him. After a dialogue, Yaakov and Laban come to an agreement that sets clear boundaries for both of them. This allowed them to behave respectfully and create a relationship healthy enough for both of them to grow and move forward in their own ways.
Also in educational frameworks, setting boundaries is a fundamental tool to ensure a normative coexistence among the members of our kvutza. Especially in those groups where the differences between the people who make up the group are too marked, it is important that collective agreements are enabled to ensure that the group will continue to be and function as a safe space where there is no abuse or harassment from or towards anyone. Our role as educators is to guarantee a violence-free environment where people can learn and grow, a place where they want to come and where they want to stay.
Invest in actions connected to our roots.
When the relationship with Laban deteriorated, Yaakov decided to return to his roots. While he could have settled anywhere, he chose to go to the one that connected him to his identity and purpose. Despite the risk involved in returning to where Esav was, he decided to take the risk and invest there. Perhaps for that reason, there he earns the privilege of passing to posterity as the third of our patriarchs.
Investing in education within the framework of the Tnuá means ensuring in the present the deep connection of our chanijim with their roots, and at the same time, ensuring that each peula is a bet on the transmission of the millenary heritage of values, traditions and customs that characterize us as a people in order to guarantee its continuity.
In conclusion
Parashah Va’etze teaches us that the most valuable investments are not material, but human. Yaakov urges us to reach for our highest ideals and inspires us to dream looking at the sky while we patiently build with our feet on the ground, establishing the limits that protect the most important thing we have: the next generations.
As madrichim and madrichot, we have the privilege and responsibility to build the steps of that ladder with love, professionalism and vision. At Tnuah we choose to invest in educating, because we know that the future of Am Israel begins with the actions we take today.
And you, what are you going to invest in today to ensure future success?
