Religious Zionism
I have been trying for a long time to synthesize my dream of yishuv ha'aretz with the way I see the world- pragmatically speaking, how can we (read: Israel) make it possible and successful yet keep to our humanity and the call of being a light unto the nations? I don't buy into the argument that we have sincerely done so and tried our best but the world still hates us regardless. It's more complicated than that. I'm not naive, though, and I recognize that anti-Semitism exists and that in some parts of the world, regardless of what we do, we will be vilified and hated.
But in the deepest parts of my heart and soul, I just can't imagine this is the vision God had for us. Which is why this has been so hard for me. Across the board, religious Zionists are so blinded by their love for Israel that I believe they have lost their moral compass. Israel is perfect, she can do no wrong, they say. Israel abides 100% by agreements made, it's the other side who doesn't. Everything Israel does is for security purposes and therefore her actions against other human beings are justifiable.
You would be surprised at how many Palestinians who have been interviewed this week said that they actually empathized with the settlers who are being evicted from their homes. Why? Because many of them have gone thru the same thing. But no one in Israel cried for them, wore orange ribbons for them, or protested for them. I think the majority of Israelis, and Jews around the world, probably went about their daily business, not even knowing that anything was going on.
This conflict has desensitized us from the real tragedy here. It has dehumanized the other and made us see the other side fully as animals and not real people. And that's just our relationship with the Palestinians. What about the rest of Israeli society?
Someone I know in Israel asked me yesterday why there isn't an outpouring of support for the settlers who now have to somehow rebuild their lives somewhere else. He asked, why are only other settlers, West Bank settlers, gathering in groups to support those who will be living in hotels and hostels for the time being? Why doesn't the rest of the country see this tragedy for what it is and help resettle their brothers and sisters?
My answer is simple. Yet again, the debate has turned into one of religious vs. secular. The majority of orange-wearing anti-disengagement protestors are dati (religious). In fact, those are the only ones who were left by the time the deadline to leave past. The non-dati packed and are gone. Unfortunately, when the debate turns to religious-v-secular, things get ugly, and these are the ramifications.
And I can understand (not read as: justify) why this is. When the debate turns to halacha and Torah (ie, God said this and we must do that), it turns the majority of people off. It's a seeming holier than thou attitude that rubs the wrong way. ANd when that is combined with civil (and not-so-civil) disobedience; with what many see as a smack in the face of the democratic process; when the loud rabbinic voices aren't talking about achdut (unity) dafka in terrible times like these but of disobeying military orders and others talk of threats to the life of the prime minister, etc., then that is what unfortunately becomes the face of the dati community, across the board.
How many times has it been said that what's really going to kill us is the war between ourselves and not our external enemies? And it has all come to a head here. Our rabbis, and Religious Zionism, has failed us. And that is the greatest tragedy.
Bambi Sheleg composed a beautiful and sad piece in today's Jerusalem Post which does more justice to these thoughts than I could ever do. It's a must read.
But in the deepest parts of my heart and soul, I just can't imagine this is the vision God had for us. Which is why this has been so hard for me. Across the board, religious Zionists are so blinded by their love for Israel that I believe they have lost their moral compass. Israel is perfect, she can do no wrong, they say. Israel abides 100% by agreements made, it's the other side who doesn't. Everything Israel does is for security purposes and therefore her actions against other human beings are justifiable.
You would be surprised at how many Palestinians who have been interviewed this week said that they actually empathized with the settlers who are being evicted from their homes. Why? Because many of them have gone thru the same thing. But no one in Israel cried for them, wore orange ribbons for them, or protested for them. I think the majority of Israelis, and Jews around the world, probably went about their daily business, not even knowing that anything was going on.
This conflict has desensitized us from the real tragedy here. It has dehumanized the other and made us see the other side fully as animals and not real people. And that's just our relationship with the Palestinians. What about the rest of Israeli society?
Someone I know in Israel asked me yesterday why there isn't an outpouring of support for the settlers who now have to somehow rebuild their lives somewhere else. He asked, why are only other settlers, West Bank settlers, gathering in groups to support those who will be living in hotels and hostels for the time being? Why doesn't the rest of the country see this tragedy for what it is and help resettle their brothers and sisters?
My answer is simple. Yet again, the debate has turned into one of religious vs. secular. The majority of orange-wearing anti-disengagement protestors are dati (religious). In fact, those are the only ones who were left by the time the deadline to leave past. The non-dati packed and are gone. Unfortunately, when the debate turns to religious-v-secular, things get ugly, and these are the ramifications.
And I can understand (not read as: justify) why this is. When the debate turns to halacha and Torah (ie, God said this and we must do that), it turns the majority of people off. It's a seeming holier than thou attitude that rubs the wrong way. ANd when that is combined with civil (and not-so-civil) disobedience; with what many see as a smack in the face of the democratic process; when the loud rabbinic voices aren't talking about achdut (unity) dafka in terrible times like these but of disobeying military orders and others talk of threats to the life of the prime minister, etc., then that is what unfortunately becomes the face of the dati community, across the board.
How many times has it been said that what's really going to kill us is the war between ourselves and not our external enemies? And it has all come to a head here. Our rabbis, and Religious Zionism, has failed us. And that is the greatest tragedy.
Bambi Sheleg composed a beautiful and sad piece in today's Jerusalem Post which does more justice to these thoughts than I could ever do. It's a must read.
posted by elanit | 3:40 PM
2 Comments:
I don’t think religious Zionism has failed. Most of the people in Gush Katif left peacefully. It was only a handful of mainly non-resident protesters, who caused trouble during the eviction. I remember meeting Zevulon Hammer, former NRP head, a number of years ago. He said he was looking forward to the conflict with the Palestinians ending, so that Religious Zionism could focus back on its original task. Ensuring the Jewish character of Israel remains present. Hopefully the disengagement will end the obsession of religious Zionism to the land, and renew its interest in the Jewish people, social justice, and Tikkun Olam.
Furthermore, “More Jewish, Less Israeli” echoes my point. Read it at
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/615342.html
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