From Cleaning Up Your Aisle to Rebuilding a Society
Even a non-soccer fan like me still remembers the excitement generated by the World Cup games. A surprise feel-good story of the spectacle was the behavior of the Japanese fans attending the games. It seems that every international media outlet carried the story and showed the video of fans cleaning up their seating area after the game. Soon other countries like Portugal and Morocco followed their lead and were seen cleaning up their section after the game. It was a small nonpolitical gesture on a large stage reminding us that positive energy can spread.
I’m afraid that maybe in the current climate if Israel followed their lead, the international press might drag its feet a little before issuing a compliment. A simple act of cleanliness is a positive act that is a feel-good story for everyone with little controversy.
Offering help to people during a crisis is also a positive story, but not necessarily a good story because of the tragedy and destruction involved. IsraAID is an Israeli NGO, nongovernmental organization that is often among the first responders to international emergencies including the recent earthquakes in Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela. They are even the first to offer help to countries despite some strained diplomatic relations like Iran and Turkey, since their citizens are humans who need help. The IsraAID story along with similar NGOs is predominantly written about in the Israeli press. Not many people sitting in a café in Ankara are reading the Jerusalem Post.
In the past IsraAID did offer help to Turkey after an earthquake. Diplomatic relations and allegiances change over time. Venezuela also received help from IsraAID after a time of sour diplomatic relations, Israeli humanitarian assistance following the recent earthquakes coincided with a warming of diplomatic contacts between the two countries. Even with changes, all people have the same basic needs. IsraAID has special expertise in water purification as well as providing psychological trauma teams which is key to the aftermath of any disaster.
Many people around the world hear of Israel in a military negative light, and possibly through technological advances developed there. The press does not focus on private citizens helping each other during these natural disasters. The goal is about saving lives on the ground. IsraAID and the like are not looking for recognition, but knowing about the process will encourage similar helping behavior like the response at a soccer game.
Cleaning up aisles in a football stadium is a much quicker story than rebuilding a society, but they both start with helping our neighbor, either an individual or a nation. Good deeds may help improve diplomatic relations and encourage countries to work together. It may be too late to change the situation on the ground in Iran through helping the population or it may be too early. It depends on your point of view. There was a time when Iranian people who left after the Islamic revolution recalled the good relationships they had with their Jewish neighbors. In either case people need to know there are others out there trying to help through small acts of kindness which may rekindle long forgotten warm relations.
