In the world of language education, we talk endlessly about cultural competence, building bridges, and social justice. These beautiful concepts fill our mission statements and professional guidelines, yet since the events of October 7th, a deep canyon has opened between the inspiring words written by international organizations and the painful reality on the ground. We are witnessing a strange and difficult contrast where individual teachers show incredible moral courage while professional leadership remains silent or, in some cases, distorts the truth in dangerous ways.

I recently returned from a month in Thailand, and while the beaches were absolutely breathtaking, the most profound experience for me was actually understanding and immersing myself in their culture. As a language educator, I found myself captivated by the way the Thai people express respect and connection through their daily interactions. It was a powerful reminder that at its core, language is not just about words, but about seeing and honoring humanity in others. This deep appreciation for the other is exactly what we strive to teach our students, which is why the current silence from our professional community feels like such a personal betrayal.

This gap became painfully clear to me a few years ago when my daughter’s public school failed to even mention International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Despite California laws requiring Holocaust education, the curriculum often feels like a checkbox where they might focus........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)