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Feb. 17, 2006
Debaters aiming high
Serious content delivered with style at the JCC.
MONIKA ULLMANN
In a world where freedom of speech is suddenly a global hot button
issue, the free yet highly disciplined expression of opinion in
the context of a formal debate on political issues is very timely.
Especially if young people are doing the thinking and debating.
"I think it teaches them confidence and self esteem,"
said a relieved Michelle Jackson, after her daughter, Arielle, had
successfully competed on the winning junior team for King David
High School (KDHS). KDHS teams chalked up the most wins in the 14th
Annual Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver High School Debates,
held Feb. 7 at the Vancouver Jewish Community Centre of Greater
Vancouver (JCCGV).
But it wasn't just about winning – being there and taking part
was the thing. "We do it all for him," joked Adam Fine,
a member of Chazak, a team of public school students, of team leader
Shaun Sacks. They didn't win, but seemed to have a great time anyway.
Sixty-five students from schools including KDHS, Pacific Torah Institute,
TAG Jewish High School and Chazak, their parents, teachers, mentors
and other officials brought a more than usual sense of excitement
to the JCCGV that night. All that energy created a buzz that became
even more intense as the serious business of the debates took shape.
Each team had a moderator sitting at the front, with the debaters
and two judges and a time-keeper at the back. The debates were highly
structured, with each team reading their formal reasons for either
agreeing or disagreeing with a stated premise. Then there was a
two-minute break, during which time the teams could confer among
themselves, but not talk to anyone else, before launching into five-minute
critiques of the stated points made by the opposing team. This second
part showed off the critical thinking abilities of the contenders
and their ability to spot weak points in their opponents' arguments.
Judge Dan Wolson, a financial planner and entrepreneur, said both
content and delivery counted. "It's form and substance; it
gives students a chance to express themselves," he said. "It's
an important skill all should master – it's vital that their
voice be heard. And it teaches them research and discipline."
As to the winning teams, "It's a question of who is better
prepared – and that shows up in the debates," said Wolson.
His counterpart in the Seniors Lounge, Guido Setton, explained how
the teams were being evaluated. He was looking for voice, pace,
delivery and eye contact, among other things. "It's a good
exercise for students, and I enjoy doing this, because I used to
practise law," he said.
The resolutions were certainly demanding. For example, the topic
debated by the intermediate Grade 9/10 teams from KDHS 3 (con) and
TAG 2 (pro) was: "Be it resolved that a system of shared control
of Jerusalem is essential to any final peace agreement with the
Palestinians."
The TAG team argued that Israel does not have exclusive rights to
Jerusalem; that other faiths have equal rights there and should
be respected. The KDHS team argued that sharing the city was not
essential to peace at all and that, furthermore, there had been
a long history of fighting over Jerusalem and the negative attitudes
of Hamas precluded any peaceful co-existence. "Hamas doesn't
recognize Israel, so we can't recognize them," they argued.
During the five-minute rebuttals, the TAG team reiterated its position
that Jerusalem is a holy city not just for Jews but for all the
major faiths – Christianity, Islam and Judaism – and that
room must be made for all to worship freely. "The religions
are getting along just fine and 80 per cent of Israelis believe
that Jerusalem needs to be shared," they argued. However, the
negative side prevailed in this debate: they argued very forcefully
that sharing wasn't an option because the parts shared with other
faiths would not be properly looked after by those faiths and they
wouldn't be able to guarantee peace and freedom of access. Essentially,
they argued, the current arrangement works just fine.
The other resolutions being debated were, "Be it resolved that
any further Israel withdrawals depend on successful Palestinian
actions against terror" and "Be it resolved that all countries
that do not immediately relocate their embassies to Jerusalem be
considered as discriminating against the Jewish state."
After two hours of spirited debate, everyone returned to the Wosk
Auditorium for announcements of the winners, presentations and much-needed
refreshments. World leaders, politicians and ordinary citizens can
breathe easy: there is a new generation of involved, knowledgeable
and well-spoken citizens growing up right here in Vancouver.
Monika Ullmann is a Vancouver freelance writer and editor.
She can be reached at [email protected].
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