Belonging

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What does it mean to belong? Belonging can entail many forms and circles. We can belong to a place, to a group or team, in our families. But belonging doesn’t remain static and constant. We may feel that we belong more or less at different times, and we may even want to belong more or less at different times. We may constantly seek a balance between our desire to belong and our desire to remain an individual, between looking inward and looking outward, between wanting to fit in and wanting to stand out.

Many Jews feel, or seek, a sense of belonging in Israel. For those who come from places where Jews are a small minority, Israel can provide a sense of comfort and belonging, as Judaism is part of the mainstream. Yet those same people may feel like outsiders while in Israel because they do not speak the language or understand cultural references and social norms. For many, Israel can be simultaneously a homeland and a foreign country.

This collection explores the idea of “belonging” as it relates to Israel and education. In the song “Yoter,” we ask to what extent belonging is something we can actively strive for, and to what extent it occurs naturally or organically. In a video about the Abraham Accords, we seek to understand how Israel does or does not belong in the Middle East and in the international community, and what it means not only for us to belong in Israel, but for Israel to belong in the family of nations. In “The Things We Carry,” we see the challenge of belonging in a diverse society in which so many people seek a balance between fitting in and being true to themselves.  Finally, in “Poems of Belonging,” we look at how two poets understand belonging to a place, and how intimacy and alienation can be closely linked.

As educators beginning to work with a new group, we seek to build community and create a feeling of belonging. Our role is to help group members navigate how to balance their need to belong and their need to express their individuality. Some will try too hard to “fit in,” and end up alienating themselves; others will realize that any feeling of belonging can be fleeting. Some learning occurs best in a safe environment when we feel we belong, yet much learning comes from the sometimes-painful and challenging experience of feeling like an outsider. Reflecting on this theme of belonging enables us to understand ourselves and others in an endless cycle of interaction and introspection.