Would There Be War If We Listened to Wise Elders?

Wouldn’t the world be better—kinder, more just—if we listened to our elders and honored their hard-won wisdom?

Greetings from New Mexico, where I’ve just wrapped up a week at the Modern Elder Academy —the world’s first “midlife wisdom school.” I was honored to take part in this inspiring program, designed to help people navigate and thrive in the second half of life. I may not officially qualify as an elder—age wise or otherwise yet—this felt like boot camp for getting there, with gratitude.

What does all this have to do with Below the Bible Belt and the chapters from Chronicles we’ve just read? And what might it teach us about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the seemingly endless cycle of violence and suffering between Israelis and Palestinians, and so many us impacted by this conflict worldwide?

Imagine if we prioritized elder wisdom over the reckless choices of power-driven politicians. We might see decisions grounded more in patience than pride, in compassion over passion—more peace, less war.

To be an elder isn't just about age. It's about perspective. About choosing long-term, collective well-being over ego, ambition, or short-sighted gain. There are plenty of old leaders with no true wisdom, and younger ones who embody it. But the elders we need are the ones who know when to lead and when to let go—those who embody empathy, humility, and vision.

This week’s biblical reading of our chapters in Chronicles gives us a painful example of what happens when we ignore that kind of wisdom. Rehoboam, Solomon’s son and heir to David’s throne, ascends to power just as tensions simmer between the northern and southern tribes. When he rides to Shechem (today’s Nablus) to address the northern leaders, the elders advise him: lighten their burden. Show mercy. Win them back through kindness.

But Rehoboam listens instead to his young court advisors, his palace pals who egg him on to be cruel and domineering. He boasts, “My little finger is thicker than my father’s thigh… He whipped you with whips; I’ll whip you with scorpions.” It’s as brutal—and as below the belt—as it sounds.

The response is immediate: ten tribes break off to form the Northern Kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam. What was once a united kingdom collapses into civil war and generations of bitter conflict. In many ways, the rupture continues to this day—a clash between universal and tribal values, fear and love, domination and compassion.

Rehoboam should have listened to the elders. We must listen now—not only to our elders, but to the voices of reason, of conscience, of legacy. To the grandparents praying for peace and to the children who deserve a future.

We’ve just entered the new moon of Av, and with it, the Nine Days leading to Tisha B’Av—the fast that mourns the fall of temples and the devastation wrought by inner strife. How many of our losses, ancient and current, could have been prevented if we had paused—really paused—to hear the wisdom of those who came before us, and of the children who will come after?

Here in these sacred New Mexico lands, shaped by the wisdom of First Nations and wounded by the arrogance of conquest, I offer blessings from the hills and the patient skies. May we pass the peace pipe, heed the ancient teachings, and work for a world where justice, dignity, and unity prevail—for all people, all ages, all colors and creeds. One human tribe.

Thank you for joining me Below the Bible Belt. One month left in this incredible biblical journey.

Shabbat Shalom. Chodesh Tov. Blessed Sabbath and New Month.
May peace prevail. May age-old wisdom help us heal—and hope.

PS. Check out Modern Elder Academy - there are public programs for wise aging - all year long!