The celebration of freedom in Israel stands in stark contrast to the banners declaring, “We are all hostages until they are all returned.” This slogan embodies the Jewish value of collective responsibility and empathy, extending our care not only to fellow Jews but to all humanity. Judaism also emphasizes the importance of remembering our shared experiences, including the horrors that have befallen and continue to affect hostages. Within Judaism, there is a debate about when the new year should begin, either in the fall with Tishrei or in the spring with Nisan. Shifting the new year to Tishrei, the article suggests, represents a transition from the particularistic Jewish redemption story of Passover in Nisan to the more universal creation story of Tishrei. This follows the Jewish approach of moving from the general to the particular, with our prayers and blessings acknowledging our place in nature before turning to our Jewish identity and our redemption to freedom. Exploring the concept of freedom in democratic societies, the article draws on the four freedoms articulated by Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt’s incorporation of these principles into the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Nature, with its interdependent relationships, adaptability, and celebration of diversity, provides valuable lessons for fostering healthy and vibrant democracies. Just as plants provide food and shelter for animals, and animals aid in plant reproduction, freedom thrives best within a social contract of mutual responsibility and communal aid. Nature reminds us that change is an ongoing continuum, not an end, and that diversity is essential for resilience and sustainability. We tend to ignore these lessons, building monocultures with only one link that fails the entire system. Embracing a broader sense of identity, such as a Middle Eastern identity alongside our Israeli or Palestinian identities, can help us transcend the barriers created by narrow perspectives and fear of change. The article concludes by calling for an expansion of our identities, embracing a broader sense of interconnectedness and transcending the barriers created by narrow perspectives and fear of change. This broader outlook, as eloquently expressed by Martin Luther King, emphasizes the interconnectedness of all humankind and the inescapable network of mutuality that binds us together.
Freedom and the Environment: Lessons from Nature for Democratic Societies
