Homeschooling may seem like a new and somewhat trailblazing idea, but really, it is not. People have been teaching their children at home for millennia, but in recent history, it has become quite popular in the last 30 years or so. However, Jewish and religious homeschooling is definitely a very recent phenomenon. We are treading upon a well-worn path, but we must walk together. It is hard enough having ample time in your day to feel that you have done justice to your children's learning, but to also have to defend one's choices is plain exhausting. When we stand together in our growing numbers, eventually it will have to be noticed. Traditional society doesn't like, for the most part, anyone who is non-conformist, who disagrees and takes a different path. There truly is strength in numbers and is a wonderful lesson for us. Just as we must unite in our homeschooling experiences, we must unite as a greater people. For the same reason that "normal" society seems to feel threatened by our existence and philosophies, this is the reason that we have to all work together.
To quote Alexandre Dumas, "All for one and one for all." Or Abraham Lincoln, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." There is wisdom here from which anyone can gain. Whether we are discussing families, the homeschooling community, our greater communities in which we reside, or our people as a whole, unity is of supreme importance. For some reason, when you are in the minority, the reaction seems to be to stick together against the majority. I wonder if it is possible to build bridges between the two through mutual respect and understanding. Would this take hard work and much humility on both sides? Yes. Definitely. We must learn from history, both from our successes and our mistakes. Others have been here before us and have left a trail to help us upon our journey. We would be foolish to ignore it.
