Israel's Buddhist Community Makes Strides, One Mindful Step at a Time

By: Chad Weisman

Produced & Edited By: Andrew Davis 

         In Tzfat, the birthplace of Jewish mysticism, a Kazakhstani transplant named Shlomo Tal teaches the Judaic tradition to American students. He identifies as an observant Jew.

         “I try to follow all sides of Jewish Law,” he said. “But the way I practice it is an expression of the inner side of Torah, the Kabbalah.”

A Kabbalah bracelet. Western celebrities are often photographed
wearing them. Photo © Judicawebstore.com

         Interest in Kabbalah has grown in concert with the flow of Eastern culture into the fabric of Western life. Young Israelis, secular and observant, commonly seek spiritual experiences in Eastern lands, however the impact of this phenomenon is yet to be seen.

         Tal describes the “awakening of New Age [beliefs] in Israel,” as a fad. “It’s mostly people who don’t invest in spirituality, but treat it like a trend or cool thing. His own trip to India centered entirely on Jewish practice.

         “People that go for some type of spiritual experience are getting to know their soul and getting closer to our tradition, too.”

 Tal has not experienced any dissonance between Jewish meditation and Eastern techniques.

Jewish Buddhist

         The term ‘Jewbu’ (a portmanteau with obvious derivatives) was coined in 1994, 21 years after the death of Israel’s first prime minister. Though David Ben-Gurion never called himself a Buddhist, the self-proclaimed ‘Jewish Atheist’ was a noted student of meditation techniques.

         

A lotus, a symbol of Buddhism, peacefully sits on a pond.
Photo © National Geographic

Jews account for one-third of America’s non-Asian Buddhist population; yet Buddhists in Israel only amount to 0.1 percent of total citizenship.

         “You don’t see the real interest,” said Donna Peretz of the Community of Mindfulness in Israel (CMI). “I can’t say the Israeli mind is open to it.”

         Peretz adopted Zen in 1997 after a series of workshops conducted by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese monk. Mindfulness meditation has had a profound effect on her life. 

         “Buddhism has the solution and the way to help people see each other’s pain,” she said. “It’s a real value in Buddhism, listening and loving speech.”

         As a matter of doctrine, there is no contradiction between one’s Buddhist practice and pre-existing religious beliefs. Buddhism has power to disrupt divisions by facilitating the solidity of Being. On the battleground of “the world’s most intractable conflict,” it is easy to see how Eastern perspectives can become part of the conversation.

         “We are separated by names like Buddhists, like Jews, like Muslims,” said Thich Nhat Hanh. “We hear these words and we see a kind of image; we feel alienated; we don’t feel communication. They have set up many things for us to be separated from each other and make each other suffer.”

         As a young man, Baruch Shalev served in an elite Special Forces unit.

         “When someone comes to kill you or someone else next to you,” he said, “you cannot talk about love in that moment. You have a responsibility because life is precious, and it doesn’t matter who the other person is. All life is from God, Hashem [The Name].”

         Shalev was Ariel Sharon’s advisor on alternative energy after a long career in plastics and consulting. In retirement he is a full-time Dharma teacher.

         “If you sow incitement, you will have killing,” he said. “If you have education, coexistence and recognizing people’s well-being, then that’s what you will receive.”

         In the eyes of Ofer Cohen, a student of Daniel Waxman’s Zazen practice in Tel Aviv, “Compassion is what is common in Judaism and Buddhism. They are both real life beliefs; they present to the believer the actualization of belief in daily life.”

Spiritual Differences
  

        Buddhism and Judaism are not in perfect alignment. In 2011, Yad L’achim (an Orthodox Jewish group) declared the worldview to be in violation of the first three commandments. They decried the construction of a Tibetan Buddhist center in southern Israel.

        However such discrimination is uncommon in the State of Israel. Many, including Donna Peretz, embrace an understanding of Buddhism that helps them deal with the stress of life during wartime.

        “Every time the [attack] alarm went off I was panicking; I had anxiety. That’s when I used my mindfulness. I had a minute and a half to rush from my apartment to the shelter. During that [time] I was practicing mindfulness, breathing, and calming myself.

        “When I entered the shelter there was a young family with four children. The children didn’t know what was going on, and they were very happy to see me.”

Modern Beasts Migrating Tanzania's Serengeti

By: James Roller

Produced & Edited By: Andrew Davis 

         The Serengeti National Park is known worldwide. Yet, maintaining this environmental sanctuary is becoming an issue for those concerned. Tanzania's middle class wealth is expanding and that brings about the need for better infrastructure, as well as connecting smaller communities to the national highway network.

         One of the proposed highways would run across the northern part of the Serengeti National Park, connecting the port of Musoma to Arusha and giving proper highway access to the regional residents. The East African Court of Justice originally blocked the proposal, but that decision has been appealed by the Attorney General's office of Tanzania. This road proposal has become a highly political issue and simply whether or not it's referred to as a highway or a road is a debate among concerned parties.  

Wildebeest

         Activists argue that wildebeest migration will affected by the road and affect the tourism industry. Indeed, the highway does cut across a migratory route for the wildebeest. Nigel Hunter of the East African Wildlife Society is one of those activists.

Wildebeest in the eastern part of the park. Photo ©
Maasai Magical Safaris

         "A major highway with increased quantity and speed of traffic will have to pass through over a million animals at certain times of the year," Nigel explained. "Collisions would be unavoidable with serious impact on human and wildlife mortality."

         However, safari operator Simon King thinks this issue is being blown out of proportion.

         "There is so much misinformation regarding this so called "highway" through the Serengeti. I have heard so many arguments put forward by so called conservation groups, mainly irrational and based on incorrect information," King said. "The road through the northern Serengeti already exists. It is possible for trucks and buses to transit through the Serengeti at this point already."

         King pointed out that paved highways, like this one that cut across wildlife areas, already exist in different parts of the country, and don't significantly affect the migration patterns in those areas. He says these roads are heavily policed and large fines are handed out for collisions with wildlife. One of these roads connects Arusha to Dodoma.

         "Often seen are herds of zebras and wildebeest, in their thousands massed on one side or the other waiting to cross over this tarmac thoroughfare. The presence of the road does not stop this migration," King said. "The 40-odd kilometer stretch of road in the northern Serengeti that has caused so much ire and angst amongst conservationists, would not see even 50% of the volumes of herds that cross the road on the short grass plains."

         King even went as far as to say that the highway could help the overall well being of the park. This highway could serve as a way of easing the traffic on highways outside the park.

         "The threat is not a road. The threat is to the preservation of the lands and habitats, swamps and rivers that form part of the Serengeti ecosystem, but lies outside its borders. This is the major threat to all wildlife areas in Tanzania, unfettered and unplanned development outside the national parks," King said.            "By opening this road in the north of the park it will have the advantage of reducing traffic through the much more ecologically sensitive areas of Ngorongoro and the short grass plains."

Those like Dennis Rentsch of the Frankfurt Zoological Society disagree and feel that it's important to remember the purpose of the park, protecting a wildlife area.

         "While its likely that this would include diverting traffic which is currently using other roads in and around the park, the concern is the increase traffic more generally directly through an important route of the migration of over 1.2 million wildebeest as well as hundreds of thousands of other species." Dennis Rentsch of the Frankfurt Zoological society. "This would be potentially devastating for the future of the wildlife migration and the ecological functioning of the Serengeti ecosystem in the long run."

Invasive Plants

         The concern of invasive plant species also worries activists. In theory, the increase of traffic across the park could bring invasive species of plants, like Chromolaena Odorata, a weed found in North America and even different cactus species, that have already been discovered there. John Bukombe of the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute says that this could pose problems, but is not a national issue.

         "The concerns of invasive plant species along the northern Serengeti road are currently not a national issue." John Bukombe said. "The government awareness is based on some research works in Serengeti national Park and in villages, which reported invasion of Opuntia vulgaris and Chromolaena odorata, a notorious weed worldwide. Some of the local village governments are aware of some critical invasions in some areas/villages that are along the road."

         Bukombe feels that the issue of plant invasions in Tanzania needs to become a national issue. The Serengeti National Park conducted surveys last year. Those surveys mentioned plant invasions as a "management issue."

         "The problem of plant invasions is still in earlier stages in Tanzania and this would be the right point of early intervention," John explained. "I therefore think that it is now high time for the Tanzania government to consider the issue of plant invasion one of the national potential threats to biodiversity and economy, just as some human or animal diseases are given priority."

Politics

         There has been another proposed route for the highway that would run south of the Serengeti National Park instead of across the northern portion. Some groups like Carbon Tanzania think this is a more logical option.

         

Wildebeest crossing a dirt path. Photo © Frankfurt
Zoological Society 

"From the perspective of, 'lets build a road linking the Northeast and Northwest of Tanzania and that's the shortest bit of the Serengeti,' that makes sense", Marc Baker of Carbon Tanzania. "The real question is why have a road there. (The Southern option) makes much more sense and would supply access to markets for many more people."

         Marc's point illustrates how this is not necessarily an environmental issue but a political issue. Those spoken with agree that whatever the solution, the plan needs to be better thought out.

Ecology, Extraction and Evictions in Argentine Patagonia

By: Rachel Sayers

Produced & Edited By: Andrew Davis

Patagonia National Park. Photo © Conservacion Patagonica

         On the southern tip of South America lies a land of rugged beauty. To the west, the jagged peaks of the Andes dominate the sky, broken only by the deep fjords running through their midst. To the east rests the world’s second largest icefield, running for nearly 8,000 miles before giving way to a land of wide open plains and coastal volcanoes. 

         Vast and untamed, the Patagonia region is one of the world’s last remaining frontiers. As with all frontier lands, its wild nature has attracted the usual variable of characters—the natives, the settlers, and the rich barons, all vying for lands they believe to be theirs. On the frontier, ownership is uncertain, boundaries remain in constant flux, and the people are at the mercy of those with the power to take what they wish.

Native People
         
     At the center of this struggle for land are the Mapuche, aboriginal people whose history in the region dates back as far as 500 B.C. Their struggle for land is waged against several facets, including foreign conservationists, mining companies, and gas conglomerates funded by the very government who swore to protect them.

Portrait of a Gaucho. Photo © Alex
Proimos, Creative Commons

         Three thousand meters below a Mapuche community in the Neuquén Basin lies one of the world’s biggest reserves of shale oil. It is only one of an estimated 21.9 trillion cubic meters of untapped gas thought to reside in Argentina’s Patagonia region—nearly 60 times that of conventional gas currently available in the country.

         According to the International Labor Convention 169, indigenous peoples must be consulted before the government can authorize any sort of extraction on their land. Unfortunately, according to Alejandro Parellada from the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs, ambiguous laws and corruption in the judicial system have made land titles difficult to garner for indigenous tribes.

         “The lands we used yesterday to raise our animals or support our farms, have today been destroyed. Dozens of new tracks and paths are opened everyday, all kinds of machines circulate by the hundreds, wells drilled in record time have transformed our community landscape, spills and explosions have occurred over and over in the last few weeks, many of them concealed by YPF,” The Mapuche Confederation said in a statement.

         The lack of government regulation comes as little surprise when you consider that Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales (YPF), the largest oil and gas producer in Argentina, became renationalized in 2012.

         “There are many interests at play on the lands claimed by the country’s indigenous peoples,” Parellada said. “The significant implementation gap in legalizing indigenous land rights has been going on for 20 years and the path is a long and complicated one. We need the action of regional and international groups, people without vetted interests, to really make a difference.”

Capitalism Greed or Going Green?

         Greed, however, is not at the heart of all the wealthy barons interested in the Patagonia region. For Doug Tompkins, a U.S. billionaire famous for founding outdoor-clothier The North Face, conservation and a deep love for the natural wonders of Patagonia are the argumentations for his purchase of more than 2 million acres in the region.

         Tompkins founded the Conservation Land Trust in 1992 as a non-profit with a focus on protecting and restoring the wilderness lands in Argentina and Chile, expanding it to include two other NGOs in the following years. According to its mission statement, Tompkins believes in the philosophy known as deep ecology, whose main platform runs on the belief that human beings have no right to reduce this richness and diversity of nature except to satisfy vital needs.

Tompkins, and others like him, are currently buying up vast tracts of land in the          Patagonia region and transforming them into environmentally pristine land to be given back to the government as national parks. Thus far the billionaire has donated more than 880,000 acres back to the government, opening two national parks and expanding the boundaries of five others.

         Opponents of Tompkins state he is doing little except robbing the indigenous and local people of these natural wonders and stifling the development of natural resources in areas where people have depended on them, economically, for generations. Alison Kelman, who works for Tompkins Conservation, disagrees.

         “You come in and turn a culture and its current economy on its head, there’s bound to be initial opposition,” Kelman says. “It’s different, but [the locals] are beginning to fundamentally understand the purpose of a national park and the economic potential it has. It's slowly integrating itself into the surrounding towns and we’re receiving lots of support.”

         Kelman also stresses that Tompkins Conservation works diligently with the local landowners and indigenous people to be sure that they are willing to sell, even offering ‘land swaps’ to give them access to land elsewhere. For those who wish to stay, local classes and certification programs are given to find jobs within the park and to integrate ecotourism into their economy.

Patagonia National Park. Photo ©
Conservacion Patagonica

Legal Action

         Other foreign landowners have not been so accommodating. The Benneton Group, an Italian clothing manufacturer who currently owns more than 2.5 million acres in the region, is infamous for evicting entire communities of Mapuche people from their land.
         According to the Parellada, the problem once again lies in the state making indigenous people’s access to legal land ownership complicated and unnecessarily difficult.

Patagonia National Park. Photo ©
Conservacion Patagonica

         This may be starting to change. A court ruling in 2014 formally recognizing the Mapuche’s ownership of 1,300 acres of land that was formerly bought by the Benneton Group, a landmark victory against Argentina’s largest landowner. It is the latest in a string of rulings in favor of the Mapuche people.

         “Important progress is being made in the indigenous organizational process, with coordination between different local organizations, and they can put pressure on the provincial and national governments to meet their legitimate demands,” Parellada said.

         As more indigenous communities continue to fight for their constitutional right to land ownership, the landscape of the Patagonia frontier will continue to change.

Working For Women In Ghana

By: Megan Laird

Produced & Edited By: Andrew Davis

Photo © A Ban Against Neglect

         A Ban Against Neglect, commonly known as ABAN, is an organization in Ghana that works to empower women in a most unique way.The founders of ABAN, Callie Brauel, Emmanuel Tetteh Quarmyne and Rebecca Brandt saw a unique opportunity in the form of litter on the streets of Accra, Ghana. What was at one point a mock Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in an NGO Management Class at the University of Ghana turned into an actual business, in which the three founders worked to sell up-cycled products in order to help the women of Ghana. According to Brauel,

         “We went from a class project trying to help fund two other nonprofits on the ground in Ghana to starting our own nonprofit that was focused on the economic empowerment of young homeless women through giving them a job, a safe place to sleep, and way to save.”

A Growing Organization

         ABAN was started in 2008 and now has 19 employees and three interns on two different continents. The former college students that started it were able to turn a dream into a reality, and have seen success in Ghana. According to Brauel, “We have gotten support from several large companies in Ghana, created a Ghana Advisory Board, and have partnered with numerous schools to initiate recycling programs.”

         From fall of 2008 to the summer of 2010, ABAN sold their products to support Accra’s youth. The founders of ABAN then won the Carolina Challenge, a prestigious business competition at Universityof North Carolina-Chapel Hill (Callie’s original university before studying abroad), the funding from which allowed ABAN to become a registered non-profit.

         The actual process of creating the beautiful handbags, jewelry and other products from ABAN involves up-cycling water sachets (the main source of litter in Accra) and combining them with recycled glass and traditional Ghanaian batik fabrics. The proceeds from the goods directly benefit the young mothers who are enrolled in ABAN’s school. The ABAN school is an entrepreneurial school that seeks to empower and transform the beneficiaries to develop themselves and their community. According to Brauel, the women selected are those,

         “…Willing to commit two years to breaking the cycle of poverty, changing their lives and preparing for a more participative role in their communities and society. Because the women are in a resident environment, ABAN is able to focus on developing a sense of self-confidence by teaching a basic educational curriculum, developing vocational and social skills, money management, and counseling in nutrition, and physical and mental health.”

         Doris Darkwah, the Programs Coordinator in Ghana, discussed some big moments in her time with ABAN, “When they show up for training day in, day out, that tells me they are willing to make a change in their lives and that makes me proud. A peculiar big day for me is usually their graduation day.”

         Darkwah also noted her main fear for the women of Ghana, “My fear is that most of them will not reach the peak of their potential because of cultural restrictions placed on them.”

Photo © A Ban Against Neglect

Helping Others

         ABAN fights to break down these restrictions, and educate the women and young mothers about gaining their independence, often from men.

The organization has a staff in both Ghana and the United States, working to spread ABAN’s message and help the girls of Ghana. According to Operations Manager, Mary Kathryne Hutton,

         “While our Ghana operations focus primarily on program planning and implementation, as well as production of our products, ABAN’s US office focuses primarily on sales and fundraising to sustain our programs.” 

         New programs are constantly being initiated, all working towards the bigger cause. One such program being ABAN Women’s Empowerment, or AWE, which consists of many stages and different accomplishments ABAN hopes to reach. According to Executive Director Janine de Nysschen, ABAN is currently experiencing one of it’s biggest leaps in terms of growth, “almost quadrupling intake numbers” and “expanding it’s overall community impact.”

         She also spoke of what ABAN has planned for its program future.

“Program-wise, ABAN will expand into the area of social entrepreneurship so that we can take our self-funding, which currently is around 35% to 40% of what we do, and raise that to being able to fund 60% of everything we do.”

Other Goals

Photo © A Ban Against Neglect

         ABAN fights to not only help women, but also to help the environment, making them multi-dimensional in their efforts.           
         Furthermore, they execute their cause in such a manner that is unique and beautiful; and they are creating products that are in demand and well liked. Among the staff’s favorite items that ABAN produces were the tote bags, computer and iPad cases, cosmetic bags and wine bags. Nysschen spoke of what she feels is ABAN’s strength as an organization.

         “ABAN has a strong sense of purpose; our core reason for doing what we do is to help people and things achieve a renewed sense of worth. That's why we can work with young women from very disadvantaged backgrounds, and yet we see in them their potential, their true value. It's also why we have a heart for recycling and nurturing our environment.”

         Co-founder Emmanuel Tetteh Quarmyne spoke of the impact he sees of ABAN on the women of Ghana. “I see it in their everyday lives. For most of the girls who I saw and recruited on the street it is fulfilling for me to see them gain employment and a monthly income that enables them to take care of themselves, their children, their dependent family and the community.”

         Emmanuel’s hope for the future of ABAN is to see it not only grow bigger but to empower up to 100 girls in every session. This goal, while ambitious, is not unrealistic for this unique non-profit.

         ABAN defies the norms of a business, having been started by three college students, and having grown to the magnitude to which it is today. The impact of ABAN is seen through the women in the programs and their success stories, the beauty of the products, the impact on the surrounding society and the satisfaction of the staff involved.

Next Stop, Germany: An Account of Immigrating to Germany

By: Andrew Davis

Produced & Edited By: Megan Laird          

          
         As a western European country, Germany has seen a rise in immigrants over the past few decades.  But this has not always been the case, even for the location that was recently named the "world’s favorite country." Germany has struggled with its xenophobia, but lately it has become easier to become a German citizen. 

Troubled Past

         Following the atrocities of World War II, Germany was left with a decimated work force. To increase the size of available workers, the German government offered incentives for foreigners, mainly Turkish workers, to come and live in Germany.

         While this was supposed to be a temporary program, many Turks and other immigrants had already built up a life in Germany, and made permanent residence in the newly reformed country.

Baumholder, Germany
© Courtesy of: Military.com

         Today, 20 percent of Germany’s citizens have a heritage that is not strictly German. Immigration plays an important role for Germany’s economy, mostly due to the declining birth rate slowing population growth.   

         And while the German government is now promoting a “pro-immigration” platform, becoming a full German citizen still has its hurdles. 

Becoming German

         Heidi Seebohm was born and raised in America. Moving to Germany did not even cross her mind until after she got married. She and her new husband traveled across Europe for their honeymoon, with Germany being one of the stops.

         It was not until a couple months later that Seebohm found out she and her husband would be moving to Germany for his job. A transition she was nervous about.

“I was a little afraid I wouldn't make any good friends since I live off post and I thought it would be hard to get to know people speaking broken Germenglish back and forth. It's proving kind of true, but at the same time not so much because other wives and girlfriends of players on my husband's fußball team in the next town over are really cool and it's working out well enough.”

        

View from Seebohm's Residence
© Courtesy of: Heidi Seebohm

The couple ended up in Baumholder, Germany. It is a small town in western Germany that boasts a population of just over four thousand.

“The people in Germany walk on any road they please at any time of day or night, usually in dark clothing. I'm talking elderly men toting oxygen tanks on windy, hilly roads in dense fog. They are a bunch of honey badgers. They have an incredible sense of humor and they're mostly outgoing. I feel like in the states we have a "mind your own business" attitude that just doesn't exist here.”

         
         Seebohm quickly got a job working at a local bar, the “Tavern on the Rock,” a quaint tapas bar located in the small town. Seebohm said that getting a job was not the tricky part, it was getting used to the language barrier.

“We use a lot of hand gestures and it typically goes smoothly enough. The Germans are so easygoing and we would only have a problem if we didn't know how to laugh at ourselves.”

National Pride

         Seebohm is the perfect example of how Germany is trying to leave its historically xenophobic past. In 2000, the German government passed new immigration laws that made it easier for foreigners to gain full citizenship.

         However, for a country that has always struggled with showing its national pride, getting used to non-western European or American immigrants has actually been a fairly easy adjustment. A regular to Seebohm’s bar, a young man from Somoa named Salima said that he has not experienced any negative reactions from native Germans despite being from the Pacific Islands.

         “Most people don’t even realize I’m not full German until I speak. My accent gives it away.”

         Germans are quickly becoming known as open and are excited to share their culture with new citizens.

“Every single one has been friendly....some are guarded at first but when I try my German speaking they usually smile and we fake it till we make it (example: ordering food in a town where there are hardly ever soldiers passing through and no one speaks any English. Hilarious for all parties),” said Seebohm. 

Obtaining Citizenship

        

Scenic Trails Near Seebohm's Home
© Courtesy of: Heidi Seebohm

Even though Germans are open with the idea with immigration, actually becoming a German citizen still requires a bit of work.  In order to become a naturalized citizen, they have to live in Germany for at least 8 years. And just like in America, there is a written test that needs to be passed.

         However, unlike in America, German citizens cannot hold dual citizenships unless it is with another European Union country or Switzerland. This means that becoming a full German citizen takes a long-term commitment.

         Germany is one of the more progressive European countries when it comes to opinions on immigrants, but they still have their share of anti-foreigner thinking, especially in the eastern part of the country where unemployment is still high. 

Brighter Future

         Seebohm is excited to start the next phase of her life in Germany with her new husband. As of right now she does not have any plans on returning to the United States, but she said that nothing should be ruled out.

“We are planning on staying in Europe but all my family is still in the US. If anything I’ll plan to visit as often as I can.”

         Many Eastern Europeans are flocking to Western European countries, like Germany, for the better opportunities they offer. And while Germany may not have the most accepting past, the new Germany is an exciting place to start a new life.

“We have a small community with a ton of neighbors who know us and we can walk everywhere,” said Seebohm, “I love it, I’m so happy where we ended up.”

Education, Fertility, and Citizenship: Italy’s Strange Bedfellows

By: Alex Rhue

Produced & Edited By: Megan Laird

© Courtesy of: Shutterstock

         Faced with a dwindling number of citizens and a future of economic instability, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has proposed some bold legislative initiatives. 

         They come at a time when Italy needs more residents to maintain its economic viability. The changes unite the seemingly unrelated issues of the Italian birth rate, immigration, and education in a mix of solutions that may prove strangely workable. Topping this list of changes is a faster track to citizenship for the children of immigrants. For children born in Italy to foreign parents, attending primary or secondary Italian schools and learning Italian would allow them to acquire citizenship as children.

Proponents of the initiative say that teaching Italian to immigrant children would help them stay in school and succeed. 

         Dr. Flavia Bruno, a psychoanalyst living in Milan and the mother of a 15-year-old daughter agrees with the initiative. She says, 

         “Immigrants speaking Italian are able to become integrated citizen(s). Kids deprived of the opportunity to learn the language of the hosting country will probably become adults ‘forced’ into a marginalized life.” 

         This represents a significant change from the current cumbersome application process, which cannot begin until they are 18. Dr. Emanuela Di Re, a gynecologist from Milan concurs with Bruno. Discussing the idea of teaching Italian to immigrant school children, she says, “It is a good idea.”

Immigrant children make up almost twelve percent of Italian students overall, and some regions report educating as many as 30% foreign students. 

         “Children, contrary to adults who require much longer, can absorb the culture of the host country…in a very short period of time,” says Matilde Bagnoli, the CEO of a small company that manages a tourist resort in Italy. Not only does it pave the way to citizenship, speaking Italian is seen as a way to foster a sense of belonging and create greater integration into Italian society. Bagnoli believes in this philosophy. 

         "If made citizens, they will integrate and feel respected and less inclined to feel marginalized and behave as such.”

© Courtesy of: Shutterstock

         
         Another change involves the issue of boosting the Italian birth rate.  At a time when Italy is experiencing one of the lowest birth rates among the European nations, Renzi is looking at ways to increase it. Although southern Italy fares far worse in comparison to birth rates in central and northern regions of the country where the economy is better, the entire country is facing a bleak population future. 

         With more than one-fifth of its population over 65, Italy currently has the highest percentage of people living on pensions of any European country. The aging population combined with the declining birth rate could spell economic disaster if nothing is done to increase the birth rate.

This is where Renzi’s plan comes in. With the current Italian birth rate at a low 1.6 births per family and a rate of 2.1 necessary for population stability, enticements to have babies seem to be the answer. Renzi is offering a payment of an extra 80 Euros per month for three years to families making less than 90,000 Euros per year if they have a new baby. With immigrant populations already having higher birth rates and lower incomes than many Italian citizens, they are likely to experience the greatest benefit from the “baby bonus.”

In responding to the issue of offering extra money to parents of newborns for three years, Bruno does not feel that it is a good idea. She says, “Its just a marketing operation. It would be more useful to invest money in kindergartens, schools, after-school activities, etc.” 
         Di Re says, “No, I don’t think so,” in responding to whether offering extra money to parents of newborns is a good idea. Taking a different position, Barbara Zucchi Frua suggests that offering extra money may help somewhat, but says, “I don’t think it is enough.”

The marriage of the population issues and the solutions offered by Renzi are not without controversy and dissension. The wave of immigration that Italy has experienced in recent years has produced resistance among some Italian citizens to the large number of immigrant students. 
         
         Last year, two Italian schools received media coverage when the parents of Italian students removed them from the schools because of the high number of foreign students in classrooms. Increasing the teaching of Italian in schools would cost money. It would mean hiring additional teachers and increasing educational costs for taxpayers.  Earlier this year, Italy’s cabinet agreed to reduce taxes for 2015 by increasing the country’s borrowing from other nations.

© Courtesy of: Flicker:Angelo Amboldi

         
         Nor is the idea of a “baby bonus” embraced by many in the Italian population. Davide Baroni from Tortoreto Lido in central Italy feels “it is not clear how this aid will work. Right now, (it) sounds like a political slogan.” The cost of sending monthly allowances for three years to new parents with lower incomes becomes an additional short-term economic burden. Di Re, in discussing Italy’s problems says, “…we are suffering a world-wide ‘failure’ situation at its highest levels, very high tax-pressure…”

It is clear that Italy needs to increase its number of citizens, particularly younger ones with the potential to work, pay taxes, and purchase good if it is to maintain economic stability. While helping immigrant children learn Italian to assimilate into society and more easily become citizens, this intervention alone is not adequate to solve Italy’s population concerns. The “baby bonus” may well increase birth rates, but this is likely be skewed by increasing births in immigrant families where fertility seems higher and more families meet the income criteria.