Leon Rosenberg was a guest on the panel of Ofira and Barko and was presented as a weak and submissive man • Following the exposure that he was going to the "Men's Circle" group, we decided to find out what it was about.
Leon and Paula Rosenberg
Photography:
Yanai Yechiel
It seems that the storm surrounding the hosting of Leon Rosenberg on Ofira and Berkowitz's show last Friday refuses to be forgotten.
In response to Rosenberg's portrayal on the show as a weak and submissive man, he posted after the show, removed it and even added a support post from Paula, his wife.
In the post, Rosenberg wrote: "I came out innocent again. I was invited to Ofira and Barko to participate in a panel on men in 2020. I intended to talk about the challenges an average Israeli man experienced in the Corona crisis, the great uncertainty, the fears following the economic crisis, and the difficulty of working from home." Told.
"I wanted to tell how a circle of men (like the one I lead with Ohad Levy and like the one I attend from time to time), can be a great place for any man to come and face the challenges, find out he's not alone, and return home strengthened to family. That's what I wanted to say. .
"We are taught not to cry"
Following the storm, many inquired about the interest in "men's circles" groups in Israel, and we were no less intrigued than you.
Moshe Ushpiz, one of the members of the "Men Meet for Change" project, notes: "I saw the show, I cringed in the armchair and I was also very angry. Leon was in a complex position and he is a familiar figure, so he can not answer and react too much. "Being on the show and seeing how embarrassing a man expresses his opinion was outrageous. It gives a message that in 2020 there is room only for a man who is macho. Writing his post and removing it was a bad sign, and in my eyes also a miss."
According to Ushpiz, a man in Israeli society is still perceived as having to make a living, be a hero, defend the country, and be restrained without expressing emotion.
"From a young age we are raised to be a man and not to cry and if it hurts you they say 'get up, nothing happened, you are a hero, do not cry'. The purpose of men's circles is to change the discourse on masculinity."
Ushpiz says that a circle of men is in fact an evening where only men gather for conversation and listening under the guidance of a professional facilitator, and what comes up in the circle remains in the circle.
The meetings are once a week at a cost of about NIS 50 per meeting.
"In meetings men feel liberated because there is no one to impress and nothing to prove. This is an evening without ego, cynicism, stigmas. There is a sense of belonging, there is listening and learning from others."
According to him, the act of giving verbal expression to deep and hidden emotions, telling your truth without fears and masks is already a great and significant relief.
"In a circle, you choose the degree of exposure that suits you, you specify for yourself what responses are right for you to receive and how. This insight about yourself helps you to understand and see in a new light those around you, your wife, children, employees, employers, etc. "You've your life and that of those around you. You discover your essence and come back to take control of your life. The most important insight for those who come out of a circle of men is that they are not alone. There are cases where this is a truly life-saving insight," says Ushpiz.
Men's circles in the field
Tzachi Harari leads men's circles and organizes the men's group "Field Circles", which include men's meetings in nature around a campfire or field trips, notes that, "These are unique meetings. We meet on Fridays or Saturdays, prepare a meal together, talk around a campfire, travel and get quite a bit. Reinforcements. Men in the group tell the things they did not dare to tell anyone. They tell about relationships, parenting, the stress at work and the difficulties they face, release the pressure that stops inside. We miss, the men, the tribal culture, the brotherhood of men. Being in a space where only men are Allows for an open and honest dialogue, identification without being labeled. "
On the post that Rosenberg wrote and deleted, he says that, "I managed to read the things, and it's a shame he deleted them. He expressed true and honest real sentences. It's sad that he was in the punching bag program. If Berkowitz and Itzik Zohar had come to one of the circle meetings A picture that is rosy for them. "
Harari notes that he hopes today's youth will grow up to be other men.
"I do workshops for teenagers and they already think differently. I hope the army does not change them. I am Golani at heart and I have been in wars and I really appreciate the army, but I also know that there are influences to the military framework. We are educated to be strong and overcome any obstacle and fight. A brave and strong warrior and yet also to show emotion, and if you have to cry then take out the emotion and cry, ask for help, support and a hug.In the last year we see it in men's requests to be in men's circles.I see many men who feel lonely even if they are surrounded by many people in their lives. "After the meeting, they return to the same woman, the job, the corona and the tasks of life, but in a different perspective. With insights and tools for better coping with life."