Film actor Kirk Douglas has said, “No rational adult would make a business decision based on what they knew when they were 14. You wouldn't decide who to marry based on what you knew about love and relationships when you were 14. But lots of us seem satisfied to dismiss religion based on what we learned at 14.”
The prophet Jonah landed in a (possibly metaphorical) big fish because he did not want to tell the people of Nineveh of their sins and need for repentance to be spared of God’s wrath. In the last verse of the Book of Jonah, God chastises the prophet for his insensitivity to a people who “do not know the difference between their right and left.” In other words, they lacked acquired education and were unable to distinguish between good and evil.
Unfortunately, education about Judaism is not a luxury enjoyed by all. With the explosion of the internet making available numerous venues to rediscover the beauty of Judaism and Torah values, we now have the power to take the driver seat to get out and explore our tradition, heritage and culture. Who knows? With a little knowledge, our lives may change forever - for the better. Kirk Douglas’s speech, in its entirety, may be found here: here.
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