Unapologetically honest: faith, love, and identity

Over the past 2 weeks, I had to go everywhere with a bodyguard being with me. I know it is for my protection, as the police throughout all of Europe fails to protect Jews, but I can’t deny feeling the embarrasment by the comments of my classmates and friends. Unlike my eldest brother, who wrote about the same situation a few days ago, I can’t say it is just due to my parents.

I am young, only 13 years old, so saying that I know myself growing up shouldn’t surprise anyone. While I still lived in Belarus, I grew up with something many don’t dare to speak about, but it is a religion known for its hatred of Christianity. Anyone who is from our region should instantly know what religion I grew up with the first years of my life, as it is the Slavic Native Faith, also known as Rodnovery. It is a Pagan religion that is most common in Russia, but is also practiced in countries like Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova. In case of specifically Russia, it tends to get the most hateful, where also Jews and Muslims are among the hated people of many Rodnovers. However, these beliefs are rare in both Belarus and Ukraine. Still, in all of these countries, they’re extremely nationalistic people.

Why do I tell this? Because everyone will in their youth get in touch with hateful beliefs. But it is your choice if you accept it as part of you. I never did. I always questioned. To the point that people got annoyed by me as they couldn’t answer my questions. None of the hate could ever be explained to me.

Recently, a girl expressed her love to me. Beautiful girl, with brown hair and brown eyes, and a smile that makes me melt. Followed by another statement of just wanting to share as she could never do anything more due to her parents. The reason is that her parents are Muslims. Many Muslims believe it is unacceptable to be dating when marriage is not the goal. That being said, the Quran doesn’t factually oppose it. The Quran rather speaks about perserving chastity, something which is there in Judaism and Christianity as well, to be clear.

Why didn’t she know this? Because many religious people never studied their scriptures. They have read parts and fill in the blanks. Either that or by getting it told by some religious or spiritual leader or teacher. This is why questioning is so very important in life.

Sticking with the Islam, I can trace it back to the beginning, the death threats that my family gets. As this has to do with the ongoing war between Hamas and the State of Israel. The fact that not all Jews are Israelis, not all Jews are Zionists, not all Arabs are Palestinians, and not all Muslims being Palestinians are all commonly forgotten by people. Support should be about facts. Which is where Islam does play a major role here.

The reason for Hamas’ hatred of Israel is primarily based on the Qibli Mosque in Jerusalem, which is often incorrectly called the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Yes, incorrectly. As for anyone who doesn’t know Arabic, Al-Aqsa means “The Farthest” and is notable in the Quran due to the Night Journey of Prophet Muhammad which is said to have happened around 621. This text specifically is what people connect it to:

Glory be to the One Who took His servant Muhammad by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.

Surah al-Isra 17:1

So, let’s just look at something, which is the moment Prophet Muhammad lost his life, which was on the 8th of June 632. So, we could consider the Night Journey even up until that moment. The reason why I say this is the fact that it doesn’t change 1 very important fact about the Qibli Mosque in Jerusalem, which is that it didn’t exist at that moment in time. The start of the building of the Qibli Mosque is believed to be in 685 at the very earliest, but probably even later.

Beyond that, this can’t be explained by another religious building, like a temple. The Hagia Sophia in today’s Istanbul already existed at that moment, which was farther away from Mecca, the location of the Sacred Mosque. And there are numerous other examples as well, including in Africa, where there were already mosques before the Qibli Mosque and would once again be farther away in distance, which the term “Farthest” does refer to.

If you need more in-depth explanation of this, check out the explanation of Answering Islam (link)

This is the only text that could refer to Jerusalem in the entire Quran. I know as I took the effort to read the entire Quran. I did the same with the Christian Bible and the Hebrew Bible. Which is why I know all of these scriptures are incredibly alike, to the point that I don’t even understand the fights of these 3 groups of religious people.

As let’s take awareness of Israel now. By Jewish teachings, the acts of Israel in Palestine are wrong. There are the most obvious examples, like this one:

You shall love your neighbor as yourself

Leviticus 19:18

But there are also texts like these in the Talmud for any Rabbinic Jew:

The same gentile came before Hillel. He converted him and said to him:
That which is hateful to you do not do to another; that is the entire Torah, and the rest is its interpretation. Go study.

Talmud, Shabbat 31a

There’s nothing which justifies the settlements, the displacement of Palestinians, nor any sort of aggression. There are many texts in the Hebrew Bible, as well among the Talmud and Midrash, which oppose these acts. No matter what type of Jew you are, it’s unacceptable what happens in the Levant. Which is the reason why many Jews obviously don’t choose to live in Israel, even though there are Jews who believe this is required.

It’s notable to differentiate Jews not just for not living in Israel, but also by the fact that the Israeli state doesn’t follow the Jewish beliefs, even if it wishes to claim it is a Jewish state. Yes, many ethnically and religiously Jewish people live in the State, but it doesn’t make you necessarily a state of the people. This is very important to be aware of.

I would assume I don’t need to say more. I don’t think I would get through to many Zionists. I say this as I remember my upbringing as Rodnover. I was never able to make them aware. They accepted that what I stated was correct, but their hatred was more important.

And I might wish to state that I let my Rabbi read this before publishing it. As while I could be recognized as a Karaite through my parents’ adoption, I did went through the regular Jewish conversion process. Not Karaite, Jewish conversion. I take things seriously. That is why I question. It is why Karaism fits me, as it’s about actually studying, not assuming of others. I still remember the acceptance of the Jewish community of a certain city here in Poland when I was honest that my conversion would be followed by Karaite Jewish beliefs, not Rabbinic Jewish beliefs.

My first connection with the Jewish community was through acceptance. Something that saddens me about the whole Israel-Palestine situation. There is enough land to share, to live in peace and prosperity. From the side of Israel, all that is required would be acceptance. Follow through on the peace plans and stop finding excuses.

From the side of Palestine, accept the fact that Jerusalem is a holy city in Judaism and Christianity and you will need to share it. Any Muslim knows that the Israelites were promised the land, nothing in the Quran opposes descendants of Israelites living there now, the Quran just doesn’t accept the oppression. So if you truly stand for Palestinians, then end the violence and sign peace plans with Israel.

The requital of evil is an evil like it. So whoever excuses and conciliates, his reward lies with God. Indeed He does not like the wrongdoers

Surah Ash-Shura 42:40

And to both, stop thinking of a two-state solution, as it will never work. It will only continue the conflicts forever. It has taken too long already. Maybe with peace, move away from either the names of Israel or Palestine and think of something new. Or just combine them, the State of Israel and Palestine, or the State of Palestine and Israel. Who cares which is first, just think of something. Unite and live in peace and freedom, start actually putting facts behind your words, instead of having protests about so-called “freedom” which are rather about the oppression of the other side.

Acceptance will always be the way. That’s why I let go of Rodnovery before it could cause me to hate Christians. It is what led me to be honest about my reciprocal feelings to both the girl and her parents. It is why her parents are okay with our connection expanding beyond friendship. And it is why I am okay with people of any belief.

However, it’s also why I would be accepting of the Promised Land to be nuked into oblivion. As that is where the conflict will eventually lead to if no peace will be found. There will come a time when a country with nuclear bombs has had enough and makes an end of the situation. It’s harsh to say, but it is how Japan’s participation in the Second World War ended, so not something that is unimaginable. I rather don’t see it end like this, but it might be worthwhile for both sides to realize that the world has had enough of this conflict. It needs to be over one way or another. Maybe that is the only way…

As the young boy that I am, I know that I speak to an empty crowd. Adults will never truly care about my opinion, as I am just a child. We are just a measure for propaganda to many. But my hope is still for peace. Just because of any religion’s beliefs, it’s not worth for anyone to be hurt, let alone killed. And if someone is insane enough to push through on the death threats that my family has received, including me personally, then I wish my message to be all of this. I will never let hate into me, not even to my last breath. We have had enough generations that broke our world. I wish to be one of a generation that will mend it.

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Aleksander Dovganyuk-Krym

I came into this world in Belarus and am growing up in Poland. Dancing, football, and going to new places are some of my favorite things to do! I believe strongly in diversity, mutual respect, and greater rights for children and women. Use whatever pronouns you want to use for me, it really shouldn't matter.

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