Dateline Jerusalem – I had always heard about Israel's famous Scouts, called Tzofim, and I wondered if the organization was connected to the Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts of the USA or the international Scouts. I was a Girl Scout, early in elementary school, a Brownie, called Ofer in Israel. My mother was my Brownie troop leader. I was the leader for one of my daughters, and that daughter is the Girl Scout leader for my granddaughter's Brownie troop. While visiting family in the USA this week, I attended my granddaughter's troop meeting. This experience evoked such memories, the uniform, the sash of badges earned by the Brownie, the fun. I asked my granddaughter if she planned to be a Brownie leader when and if she ever had a daughter. “Of course, Savta, (Grandma) !”
I never will, forget the Girl Scout motto Be Prepared. I have lived my life by it. In Israel, the motto is Heye Nachon. An illustrated magazine called Heye Nachon reports news and information about Girl Scouting in Israel. Sort of like Murphy's Law, Anything that can go wrong, will, I believe that if I could think of something happening, it will, good or bad. So, if I could think of it, I prepared for it. Living in California where we were overdue for the Big One, meant having earthquake supplies – extra food and water, portable radio, plastic utensils and paper plates and clothes in the trunk of my car, at my law office, in every room of my home, and even a portable grill. In Israel, which is due for its Big One, my earthquake supplies take on a new name and meaning. They are called emergency supplies because they include a gas mask in case of war. I stock up on beef jerky and meals that can be kept on shelves and heated up in their own box. I used to bring those back from trips to the States. Now they are available in Israel.
In 1907, the Boy Scouts were founded in England. Two years later Girl Guides were begun. Scouting began in Israel in 1919, almost 30 years before Israel became a modern, recognized nation. Internationally, scouting is divided into regions. Since Israel is officially in Asia, surrounded by Arab countries, it should really be in a Middle East region. That does not exist, however, in WAGGGS (World Assn. of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts). The five regions are Africa, Asia/Pacific, Arab region, Europe, and Western Hemisphere. Israel does not fit into Asia/Pacific nor the Arab region. Instead it has been lumped in with scouting groups in the Europe region.
One Set of Biased Rules
Europe has adopted Israel in other endeavors, in their sports regions, and even for purposes related to the United Nations. Because Israel is surrounded by Arab enemy nations, it has been the only country in the world that has been ineligible for a seat on the U.N. Security Council. There are five permanent veto-wielding members of the Security Council, the United States, France, Great Britain, Russia, and China, and 10 rotating members from different regional blocs. Although geographically Israel should be part of the Asian bloc –membership to the Security Council is based on regional blocs – Israel's Arab and Islamic neighbors have denied Israel membership in the Asian bloc. Because the members of the U.N. in general tend to be anti-Israel, they developed procedures that precluded Israel from ever being nominated to the Security Council. Finally in 2000, the U.S. pushed for Israel to became a temporary member of the Western European and Others Regional Group, which includes Western Europe, the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It is the only U.N. regional group that is geopolitical not geographical. Although since 2004 Israel has received a permanent extension as a member of the Western Europran group, it has been prevented from serving on any U.N. bodies outside of the United States or participating in any. As a result, it cannot be part of the U.N. Human Rights Council, which meets in Europe, as well as other important U.N. positions. Because of this, since 2006 Israel has been the victim of the U.N. Human Rights Council's condemnations every year while brutal states like Darfur, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Iran, North Korea, all known for human rights abuses, receive no condemnations. What a world mentality. Now that Israel is considered part of the Western European bloc, it finally will have a chance at being on the Security Council in 2019. Because it takes half of the 193 members of the General Assembly to endorse Israel for the opportunity to serve on the Security Council, Germany thinks Israel will lose out to Belgium. And so Germany has decided to compete against Israel. No matter what the situation, Israel always loses out.
Egalitarianism in Israel
In the United States, Brownies and Girl Scouts can earn a Girl Scout Sunday patch, a Sabbath patch for those who observe their religion on a day other than Sunday, and a Shabbat patch for Jewish girls since Shabbat means Sabbath. According to the Girl Scouts’ official site, “Each patch gives girls an opportunity to attend their place of worship and be recognized as a Girl Scout.” In Israel, where 80 percent of the nation is Jewish, Israeli scouting allows for the worship of another religion or ethnicity. In Israel there is the Israel Arab Muslim Boy and Girl Scouts, the Israel Druze Boy and Girl Scout Assn., the Israel Greek Orthodox Boy and Girl Scouts, the Israel Arab School Boy and Girl Scouts, the Hebrew Boy and Girl Scout Assn., and the Israel Arab Catholic Boy and Girl Scouts. All those belong to Tzofim. Tzofim was the first egalitarian Scouting movement in the world. So much for the claim that Israel is an apartheid state!
Just as Israeli scouting is non-discriminatory, Israeli boys and girls, men and women throughout the country are involved in every aspect of Israeli life and government, regardless of their sex, race, religion, or ethnicity. How many Arab or Muslim countries can boast of Jews or other religions sitting on their Supreme Courts, representing their nations in foreign embassies and consulates, allowing university and graduate school enrollment, and representation in their legislatures? Of course these same countries claim Israel is an apartheid state, denying Jews and others basic rights in their countries.
L'hitraot. Shachar
