Changing Realities by Changing How We Understand and Use Power

Matanya was a quiet, intelligent, serious young man who, in the words of a brochure sent out to those of us wishing to support the construction of a building to be dedicated to his memory, “had a unique gift of being able to make everyone feel comfortable in his presence. Unlike many young people of his age, he was devoid of cynicism and was genuinely motivated to help others.” Matanya was born and raised on a kibbutz and spent the year before his army service working in a social justice program that builds living bridges, promoting cooperative action and social integration between people from diverse sectors of the population in Israel while improving the lives of children from low-income families. Its central pillar is an urban kibbutz leadership program (desperately in need of permanent housing) in a poor neighborhood in Jerusalem, bringing together approximately 30 religious and secular young adult men and women for a yearlong pre-army volunteer program in which they do community service. Matanya and his friends were not “out to kill.” They were in the army to defend their country.