Thoughts and advice from our youth
By Chandrea Serebro
What do you hope to see in the world in the future?
My hope for the future, specifically for our country, is to see greater safety and freedom. Open access to public transport – safe, reliable, and cost-effective. Wouldn’t a bus or train to school be nice?
Why are youth important today?
Youth are important today because, in a digital world, our youthful optimism, energy, and desire to connect to each other in a real and social way is essential for the future.
What is your advice to a baby being born in 2019?
My motto is “DREAM, BELIEVE, AND ACHIEVE”. More than ever in a challenging world, you need to dream big to get what and where you want.
Pnina Smith, Grade 8, Maharsha Girls
How do you see the world as it is today?
I see a place where not everyone is equal. A place where there is still war, racial and religious discrimination, and poverty. However, on the good side, I see a place where there is a lot of love and care and a place where many people are doing good things.
How is the world changing around you?
The world is technologically advancing which is dis-advancing humans. Our generation does not have the same skill set as past generations because we rely too much on technology.
What do you hope to see in the world in the future?
I hope to see poverty, war, and hate be reduced greatly and I also want animal poaching to be eradicated.
How can you be a part of that change?
I can volunteer for charity organisations that help the poor. I can also raise funds to help make the lives of the poor better. I can raise awareness for animal poaching. I will also only teach love for humans and animals.
What is your advice to a baby being born in 2019?
My advice is that the baby must live its life to its full potential and must only know love for everything. It must also live with no regrets and must treat everyone and everything the way it wants to be treated. Also, don’t ever forget basic courtesies. No matter how technologically advanced the world gets, simple things such as please, thank you, greeting others, and putting a smile on your face should never be forgotten.
Benjamin Shmukler, Grade 9, King David Linksfield
How do you see the world as it is today?
It’s not in wonderful shape, if I must be honest. More extremist, uncaring leaders are being voted in by the day, and more conflict generated every hour. There are some redeeming features, however. More people have access to basic services than ever before, and there are some very exciting advents in the battle to save our planet. And Arsenal is actually a decent football team again.
How is the world changing around you?
It appears to be getting more ignorant and intolerant, which is astounding given the fact that in this internet age, ignorance is now a choice.
What do you hope to see in the world in the future?
Less of all the negativity I’ve mentioned above, and more of the fantastic ideas I see and hear around me, coming from my generation. The ideals fostered in some young people are valuable, and should be given a platform.
Why are youth important today?
At the most basic level, we are important because we are the ones who ultimately will inherit the sorry state of this planet – Don Mattera puts it brilliantly in “Let the Children Decide”, saying that the youth should be the ones making the decisions, as it will be us who are affected by them for the longest time. I do support this, in a way – although I might be a little biased – because I do feel we have something very meaningful to contribute. A few countries concur and have lowered their voting ages accordingly. I feel that the youth of today are more aware, educated, and informed than the youth of a few generations ago, due to the resources available to us, and we shouldn’t be discounted in the same way that they were.
What is your advice to a baby being born in 2019?
Keep your head. It is very easy to be sucked in by furore and fervour, and common sense and rationality are more important now than ever before. Fight for the things you believe in, because no one else is going to do it for you. Care about other people, just because of the fact that they’re people. And, please treat me well when the revolution comes.
Sam Mcnally, Grade 11, Herzlia
How do you see the world as it is today?
I see a world that is incomplete. A world in which there are endless opportunities to create a better society. We all know the imperfections and the sad realities that exist all around the world. It is against our human nature to lay back and ignore the despairing cries of the impoverished people that surround us. I see a world that needs more acts of kindness, love, and compassion.
How is the world changing around you?
The world is modernising every single day. Scientific breakthroughs and unbelievable technological inventions are reforming the image of our society. Our dependence on technological devices calls for some concern. Our cell phones, laptops, computers, tablets, and other technological devices are having a somewhat negative impact on the social aspect of our society. It is seriously unhealthy for people to be stuck looking at a screen all day long. People tend to communicate via text message rather than face-to-face. There are, however, many positive aspects that technological devices have brought to the world. People are able to communicate to their friends in other parts of the world via social media. There are positive and negative changes that the world is currently undergoing.
What do you hope to see in the world in the future?
I hope to see a world where there is love and peace among all inhabitants. A world where there is justice done. I hope to see a world where poverty and hunger does not exist; a world in which all humans are helping one another. A world that is clean and free of the disgusting pollution that degrades its profound beauty.
How can you be a part of that change?
All of us can be part of that change. All we need to do is get involved. There are numerous community groups that enable the public to participate in these acts of kindness. We all have the opportunity to make a difference and create a better future in South Africa and the world.
Aidan Kavnat, Grade 10, Cape Town Torah high
How do you see the world as it is today?
I see the world as always having conflict, with no one respecting each other’s race or religion.
What do you hope to see in the world in the future?
I hope that instead of looking down at one another, we will embrace each other with open hands.
How can you be part of the change?
I would organise a big event, one evening a year, where everyone would talk and hopefully get along.
Why is the youth important today?
If a young person is trying to make peace, it is more likely for people to listen.
Esti Cobersy, Grade 8, Darchei Noam
How is the world changing around you?
The world is changing, and changing rapidly. Technology, education, health, habits, and dress – there are very few things in life that aren’t constantly changing. Some changes we like, while others create trepidation. Everywhere there is a feeling of insecurity and constant worrying. One thing, however, is clear; it is no longer possible to live in the way we had been living for so long. It seems that now the entire fabric of life will have to be refashioned. Life will have to be redesigned. The life of the individual, the social structure, and governance – all will have to be reinvented.
How do you see the world as it is today?
We live in a world where turning on the news every day means getting updated on the latest tragedy and not just finding out what the weather will be like tomorrow. We live in a world where kids learn how to play football by pressing “A” and aiming their throw with a toggle stick. We live in a world where people feel more afraid of someone with a gun than protected. We live in a world where text messages surpass face-to-face conversations. We live in a world where people pass each other on the street and can’t even smile back. We live in a world where our self-esteem is managed by the amount of likes on our selfies and statuses. What happened to the world where everyone minded their own business? What happened to the world where people socialised with their neighbours, and didn’t isolate themselves from one another? What happened to the world where people came together and lost track of time because they didn’t have the constant distraction of objects with more computing power than NASA used to send a man to the moon? What happened to the world where people could voice their opinion without getting hate mail? It is no longer. We have to readjust to this new reality.
Noam Levy, Grade 11, Torah Academy Boys High School
How do you see the world as it is today?
A beautiful painting with a black smudge smeared across it. I have the privilege to grow up in this era, we have come so far from where we have been in history, but we still have a long way to go and many things to change. We are surrounded by so much beauty, yet also so much corruption. But just like with a smudge on a painting, you can always wipe it off, or incorporate it into the art work.
What do you hope to see in the world in the future?
Less fear of the unknown and the abnormal. The world is controlled by fear and many people don’t like to think because they fear the reality of the world and when you know that something is happening you are then obligated to do something about it – which people don’t want to do. I would like to see more innovative thinkers creating something necessary – not just gadgets. We have so much technology available to us, and I think that instead of using the technology mindlessly, we should use it to improve others standard of living and enforce human rights.
Why are youth important today?
Youth have always been important. The importance of the youth in every generation has remained one thing since the beginning of civilisation: change the world for the better and fix the mistakes of our ancestors. We are the passionate ones, the alive ones, we are the future.
What is your advice to a baby being born in 2019?
Go play outside and don’t give into the pressure of what’s going on around you. Don’t act older than you are. Think more than the people of our generation do. Remain strong and passionate in your beliefs even though being passionate in the world you are about to enter is an implied crime.
Dina Kay, Grade 9, King David Victory Park
How do you see the world as it is today?
I believe that this is the age of connection, whether it is by social media or actual face-to-face conversations. People are starting to break down the barriers that were there and separated people from connecting with one another, but there is still the problem that there are people out there who abuse this opportunity to connect to hurt people instead.
How is the world changing around you?
The world is in a constant state of flux, forever changing and evolving. In just less than 40 years, the world has moved from post to telephone to email to cellular to smartphone and who knows what will develop in the next 5 years.
What do you hope to see in the world in the future?
I hope to see people have more tolerance towards one another and more advancements in modern medicine.
How can you be a part of that change?
To have an open mind towards other people’s views.
Why are youth important today?
The youth are the future, they are the ones that have “adapted’ to live in this age and ensure that we find ways to live in this new world and at the same time keep to our Torah values.
What is your advice to a baby being born in 2019?
There is a saying that is hanging over my principal’s desk and it goes like this: Dead fish swim with the current, only live fish can swim against the current. This is, in my opinion, one of the best pieces of advice, because in life we sometimes get too carried away with trying to be just like everyone else that we neglect our own ideas and creativity. Another saying a friend recently told me is: In life there are many mountains we have to climb, but, at the summit of each one, there is a beautiful view to look down at and admire. In life we all need to work hard and try our best, but we have to also stop every once in a while and look at what we have accomplished.
Netanel Simmons, Grade 10, Mesivta Shaarei Torah
How do you see the world as it is today, and how can you be part of change?
The world today is rapidly evolving. I would like to change the world by creating an opportunity for everyone to gain equal chances. I feel that many people lose out on achieving their best or changing their circumstances because of their lack of ability to get their chance. In addition, I would love to change the way others view Judaism and its people. A lot of anti-Semitism today begins from a lack of knowledge and from the way Jews are perceived. Lastly, people deserve to feel secure. Crime causes a lot of worry. I would ban violence and create smaller peace between people.
Kayla Henen – Grade 11 Yeshiva College Girls
How do you see the world as it is today?
I see the world as a place that is very dependant of technology and full of poverty.
What do you hope to see in the world in the future?
I hope to see the poverty around us and the discrimination between genders end in the future.
How can you be a part of that change?
We can be a part of that change by spreading the message of treating everyone equally all over the world.
What is your advice to a baby being born in 2019?
My advice is for that baby to be taught and raised up to realise that there are many problems in this world and we cannot fix everything, but one small act can make a big difference.
Ariel Richard, Grade 8, Yeshiva College Boys
How do you see the world as it is today?
Constantly moving forward. Medicine has advanced more in the past 40 years than ever before; technology appears to be in a state of non-stop growing prime, and our generation has the most resources in all of history.
How is the world changing around you?
I believe the world is becoming more youth based, and the youth are taking more initiative. In my city of Joburg alone, almost every synagogue has a specified teen’s minyan and children’s service, and there are multiple Torah programmes for students out of school, and the list goes on. I honestly believe the world is becoming a better place.
What do you hope to see in the world in the future?
“Achdut” is the Hebrew word for unity. I feel that, if the Jewish communities around the world were a little closer, slightly more tolerant of each other, life would be way cooler.
How can you be a part of that change?
Ghandi once said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Ghandi also brought millions of people together in a fight for freedom. It has been done before, and I hope by me being more accepting of others, we can do it again.
Why are youth important today?
I’m not gonna hide it: we’re the future! We are the next generation of hard workers, religious leaders, political powers, prodigies – and we are changing the world. Essentially, just like every generation before us, we are shaping the future.
What is your advice to a baby being born in 2019?
I guess it feels weird giving my opinion to an “almost” new-born baby, but technically I am talking to the future – my future. You’ve just started a long, awesome journey my friend, and you know where you began. Now, try and find where you’re going, and how to get there. This trip is more about the journey than the results though, so enjoy it.
Yaakov Krengel, Grade 9, Hirsch Lyons Boys
How do you see the world as it is today?
I view the world as a place where human perceptions are shifting, awareness of our common humanity is increasing, and change is being cultivated. However, various on-going issues are dismissed as being “resolved”, to avoid solving them.
How is the world changing around you?
People are actively campaigning for what’s right, resulting in action and awareness within their larger community; thus, a snowball effect occurs internationally.
What do you hope to see in the world in the future?
An inclusive, socially-aware society that has eventuated from the current advocacy for human rights.
How can you be a part of that change?
I must defend the rights of others in social instances where it’s easier to be blasé.
What is your advice to a baby being born in 2019?
“A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination” – Nelson Mandela.
Rochi Wineberg, Grade 11, Torah Academy Girls,
How do you see the world as it is today?
The world is a beautiful place filled with a lot of potential. However, I feel that us humans have not yet reached our full potential.
How is the world changing around you?
I am living in a generation where technology is slowly taking control over humanity. Therefore, the world is changing as technology becomes a regular part of our lives.
What do you hope to see in the world in the future?
As a proud Jew, I hope to see less anti-Semitism and more acceptance for differences in the world. Acceptance is vital if we want to be living in harmony; it is something that can change one person at a time and make a big impact.
How can you be a part of that change?
Change is a systematic process, which can take a while. But, if I start and accept the differences around me, we will be one small step closer to peace.
Why is the youth important today?
The youth is the world’s future. It is for that reason that it is vital for the youth to understand their responsibilities in this world and find ways to contribute to the world around us, aside from enjoying the materialism the world has to offer.
What is your advice to a baby born in 2019?
To lead your own life and not get caught up with what society claims to be important – such as school results and technology. The world has a lot to offer – do not waste your time. People’s connection to their faith and religion is unfortunately going down in today’s fast-paced world, so it is fundamental that you hold strongly to your Torah and Judaism.
Hodaya Jacobs, Grade 11, Hirsch Lyons Girls
