The Importance of Educating About Cultural Differences

As I begin my journey into the world of graduate studies (working toward my master’s in teaching), I reflect on the moment in time that I realized just how important teaching about cultural differences and diversity truly is.

My junior year of undergraduate schooling at UMass Amherst, I participated in a service learning program which was offered through the UMass Hillel. The program included working in an economically unstable Druze village, a minority community in Israel.  The main project given to my group was to help create a community garden in one of the local vocational high schools. 

While both my group and myself had thought we would be working by ourselves on the project, we were shocked when the local Druze youth came to the garden each day to spend their entire winter vacation working with us. Most of the locals had never met Americans before and were beyond excited to meet my group. They wanted nothing more than to be of assistance.

Looking back on my experience in Maghar, Israel, I realize how lucky I was to have been able to participate in such a cultural exchange. By being able to spend time with the Druze youth and talk with them during my group’s daily lessons on multiculturalism, I learned so much about their community and what it is like to be a minority living in a Jewish state. Being Jewish myself, I found it incredibly interesting to hear about being a minority in Israel, the one place where I, as a Jew, feel that I am finally a majority. This experience was especially eye-opening for me.

From my stay with host families to my interactions with the Druze youth, I was in awe of how quickly and easily I was able to connect and form such incredible relationships with those of a far different culture, religion, and nationality.

Being able to take part in this cultural exchange, I realized just how important it really is to discuss diversity and teach others about the many cultural differences that exist in our world. In order to understand the world we live in, we must study those of all backgrounds and walks of life. While I, myself, have traveled to Israel on four separate occasions, I had never once given thought to the other minority groups living in the land. While people have a tendency to stick to those who are similar to them (those who share similar beliefs, backgrounds, ethnicities, etc.), it is important to go beyond our comfort zone. It is important we know that there are so many different kinds of people in our world and that learning more about them and their way of life could not only help us to see a "bigger picture", but could also help us put ourselves and the world into perspective.

When I have my own classroom, I know that diversity and multiculturalism will be key topics that will be covered. Whether it is studying those of various cultures through books, writing to faraway pen pals, or even going abroad, I know that I will be able to open the eyes of my students, and I cannot wait for them to be able to see the world in a new way!