Used to try and instruct my high school students on the importance of learning some basics before moving into adulthood:

One was the ability to both give and receive an apology.

Quite often, the more words used, the less contrite the apology.

Don't make excuses.

Therefore, it is very easy to conclude that Selina Robinson's, and especially the RAV's responses were pre-adolescent.

All she really had to say was that Palestine was not some 'crappy piece of land' but rather a vibrant land of 'milk and honey', with good people living on that land.

Similarly, the RAV could have concisely expressed the same but instead stated that any criticism of a galling historical inaccuracy must of course be anti-semitic.

The RAV made excuses and played their version of a very tired and tattered R card.

Both could be of course forgiven if the ignorance was not so appalling, the excuses so sophomoric and the consequences so deadly...for all.