Haredim: Strangers in a Strange Land

Haredim, extremists, radicalism; these have become the predominant issues and mainstay of conversation throughout Israel and the Jewish world over the past few weeks. There comes a point when one begins to question the point and its purpose in search for some answers; so here it is.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has consistently made it clear (until only a few days ago) that he will not sit down to negotiate with the Palestinian authority on the grounds that they do not recognize Israel’s right to exist. How can one justifiably discuss critical issues of significant ramifications with an authority that does not acknowledge you in the first place; and so Prime Minister Netanyahu has set a platform stating that prior to any discussion there must be a unilateral declaration that Israel and the Israeli government is a legitimate entity with the democratic right to exist. It is time we recognized that this same platform must be adopted with regards to the Haredi community at large.

The main problem with the Haredi community, representative of 8% of the Jewish population in Israel, is the fact that for the most part it does not recognize the Israeli government; in fact significant segments of its population would actually prefer that it did not exist at all and some members of its population actively campaign for its demise. Therefore it is vital that the non Haredi segment of the Jewish population in Israel realize that demonstrations, social responsiveness, media coverage and even the implementation of the Judiciary system, are insignificant to the Haredi world not only because these methods and institutions are detestable to them, but mainly because from their perspective, fundamentally they simply do not exist. This exhibits itself within the current unfortunate dispute between the Haredi and non Haredi population in Bet Shemesh (representative of Israel at large). There are numbers of Haredim who claim that on the basis of their rabbinic leadership, they do not agree with the “extreme Haredim” who have resorted to such vile tactics (the latest one, repulsively dressing their children in Holocaust prisoner garb), and they disapprove of both the beliefs and actions of their “extreme” populace. Yet, one of the tiffs that the non-haredi population has with this attempted sympathetic voice is that their silence seems to demonstrate that this is simply not true. After all, if you disapprove of an action or find it detestable then one is obligated to say so publicly! Certainly the Haredi Rabbinic leadership’s disapproval of the extremist’s actions would warrant a reaction, preferably a public proclamation against indecency, harm and disrespect towards fellow Jews, let alone human beings. This unfortunately has not been the case and it is reminiscent of the concept in Halachic literature which states, “shtika kehodaya dami – silence is the same as acknowledgment”. Yet, this lack of reaction or silent approval should not surprise us considering what was iterated above. The haredim and their leadership have remained silent simply because their denial of the Israeli government’s existence exceeds their disapproval of segments of the Haredi community.

In the United States of America, there are also Haredim extremists who attempt to forcefully dictate and infringe their religious policies on those around them; however they and their influence on surrounding communities are kept at bay simply because they must abide by American law to remain lawful citizens. These Haredim most certainly do not agree with many policies of the American government however, as “strangers in a strange land”, at the very least they must follow American law within reason; failure to do so results in prosecution. The Haredi community in Israel has chosen to estrange itself from the Israeli government, many of its members (not all, some haredim do serve in the army and some do identify with the Israeli government and its infrastructure) have confirmed that here too, they are “strangers in a strange land”, however they must understand that they are subject to the laws and stipulations of a legitimate government, granted one which they may disagree with, but one which has the right to enforce the law and prosecute those would be citizens who breach it. There are certain implementations which can help facilitate this understanding, such as enforcing (mind you, not legislating, as some of these laws are in place but unfortunately not imposed) standards of education such that all schools, regardless of their religious affiliation, are required to teach the basics of a secular education, as is applied to schools in the USA, and that as citizens of this country all schools and offices are closed on Yom Haatzmaut; not because everyone has to be a Zionist, but because everyone has to follow the judicial regulations of living in a country called Israel, which happens to be Jewish.

So long as a majority of the Haredi world does not recognize the right of our government and judiciary system to exist, they will continue to breach what are considered the rudiments of citizenship; what they consider a non-existent entity.

Religious Zionism or Radical Extremism

In one of the lectures I offer regarding Radical Islam and its pervasive influence on the world around us, I demonstrate the differences between it and Judaism. Radical Islamic faith believes that it is necessary for all to adopt the Shari’ah (Islamic law) and it implements extreme and often dangerous measures to enforce Shari’ah upon its societies and the world at large, which is ultimately its intended target; all notions which a short while ago I would have said contrast irrefutably with Judaism, yet based on the many events which have been unfolding over the past few weeks I am no longer sure this is the case.

As a Religious Zionist, I have been taught and I have always believed that the Religious Zionist platform is one which purports embracing the halacha (Jewish law) not only for the sake of observance but to facilitate one’s ability to venture into the society around him, sensitize oneself, and enhance all facets of society through tolerance and understanding, particularly those within the Jewish community and certainly including those which do not identify with my religious beliefs. One of the main venues which provide Religious Zionism with the opportunity to demonstrate constructive adaptability and unobtrusive influence is the army; yet it is precisely within this platform that the latest forms of extremism and intolerance have exhibited themselves. Over the past few weeks much has been made about the obligation for observant soldiers to leave IDF ceremonies when its agenda includes women singing as halacha dictates that it is a problem for a man to hear a woman singing live. Unfortunately the Rabbis in charge of the Yeshivot Hesder who account for the majority of halachic authority within the Religious Zionist world and who represent these young religious soldiers have not expressed their opinion regarding this matter. This has been the case in other halachic issues as well, such as when soldiers are unsure whether they should refuse orders given them by the army regarding evacuation of certain settlements. Unfortunately this lack of response can be interpreted as weakness both in terms of taking a stand to offer direction, and an inability to rally around one voice. The same is true with regards to the Rabbinate of the IDF; although official policy is that soldiers should not leave official ceremonies even if women are singing, no diktat has been expressed which would allow religious soldiers to follow clear and decisive orders; this too is troubling. However what I have found most disturbing is that this entire episode reflects poorly on Religious Zionism and its leadership as it reveals that it is incapable to meet one of its essential requirements; to deal with a secular society at large in both a pragmatic and responsive fashion. Once the Religious Zionist leadership saw that this was becoming an issue (perhaps a mountain made out of a molehill), they should have seized this opportunity to demonstrate that it is crucial to incorporate sensitivity towards the feelings of those around us who, as members of a secular society may not understand or may not choose to understand what they would see as the nuances of our religious conscription; the inability to do so could result in the disastrous effects of a hilul Hashem – desecration of Gods name. It follows that when unavoidably confronted with such circumstances (it would be best if a soldier knew of the planned ceremony beforehand allotting him time to arrange for an excusal if possible as has been the case in the past) observant soldiers should be instructed not to walk out and leave but rather to cover their ears discreetly while sitting in their seats and/or look the other way; surely less noticeable then getting up in the middle of a ceremony and leaving. Had this explanation been made public particularly regarding the importance of respecting our peers and the emphasis that the Torah places on avoiding insulting one’s feelings, I am quite confident that all of the brouhaha which has ensued could have been avoided. Instead a slew of reactions have emerged both from non observant Jews, including the Chief of Staff Benny Gantz and the Minister of Culture Limor Livnat, heck even Hillary Clinton has gotten involved, expressing discontent over what appears to them as sexual discrimination, and from religious Zionist rabbis eager to disprove these accusations but who, through their reactions, continue to demonstrate that they have missed the point as they defend the written word of the halacha without acknowledging the spirit of halacha which says,

“gadol kavod habriyot – showing respect to God’s creations is the greatest priority”.

If this was not enough, about two weeks ago parents of soldiers who recently completed an IDF medic’s course were shocked to discover that in the invitation to the graduation ceremony they were instructed to arrive “dressed modestly”. The issue is not whether or not the army or the unit can get away with such a request; the issue is the negative effects these requests have on the people receiving them and what we stand to lose by making them. A graduation of army medics should naturally promote unity and celebrate togetherness by way of serving one’s country and learning to save people’s lives; yet again these fundamentals were ambushed by a divisiveness, a “holier then though” message including an infringement on one’s democratic right to dress as one chooses. Once again self righteousness prevailed over conscientious and constructive inspiration.

When I travel to the Diaspora I meet many Israelis who explain to me that when they lived in Israel they were unaffiliated with the religious community, but now, in the Diaspora they are affiliated and actively involved in their local synagogue. I have heard many explanations regarding this phenomenon but the explanation is relatively simple. In the Diaspora, every number counts and every Jew is appreciated, therefore the approach to gaining a Jew’s interest is handled with care, it is nurtured with patience and it is doctored to exhibit the joy and benefits of belonging. We stand to gain by cultivating an unthreatening environment. An observant Jew must follow the written word of halacha but he should also adopt the social sensitivities and nuances behind the written word in order to avoid seeming intrusive or intolerant to people who do not subscribe in the same fashion, something which unfortunately is forgotten by the religious world all to often and a platform which the Religious Zionist world should pride itself in.

As a religious Zionist I not only anticipate but I attempt to facilitate bringing our great nation closer to its redemption. I sincerely hope and pray that the ingredients which activate what we anticipate should not be conveniently forgotten or mistakenly ignored.

Integration and Preservation: never apologize for being a Jew

Last week much ado was made justifiably regarding the comments which Presidents Sarkozy and Obama made respectfully about Prime Minister Netanyahu (Sarkozy referring to Netanyahu as a liar and Obama’s commenting about how fed up he was having to deal with him every day). The fact that the comments were made did not surprise me (I think we all know of the tenuous relationship that exists between Netanyahu and Obama, same with regards to the at best cordial relationship between Israel and France) but I was terribly offended by Labor MK Daniel Ben-Simon’s reaction who said,

“I was embarrassed to read what Sarkozy thinks about our prime minister, and I was even more embarrassed to hear that the US President agrees with him…If [Netanyahu] lies so easily to important officials just imagine how much he lies to us”.

Ben-Simon’s comments confirmed what we all suspect with regards to power mongering politicians; that his own political considerations take precedence over his supporting our Prime Minister at a time when he was personally insulted by a spate which could certainly be described as anti-Semitic. Upon reflection it becomes obvious that Ben-Simon as well as other MK’s who expressed similar sentiment may not have been “embarrassed” by the anti Netanyahu comments; they may be embarrassed of something far greater, which is the truth that Jews are different from the rest of the world; we always have been and we always will be. No matter how hard we try (and historically we have) we never fully integrate into any foreign society or community because we represent a people who weigh heavily upon the world’s moral conscience; one which is defined by distinguished standards of ethics and integrity; one which the world would rather ignore some of the time and condemn most of the time. Jews like Ben-Simon choose to ignore this premise which can prove to be detrimental. Avraham Avinu sought to protect us from this potentially significant mistake.

In the “Chamesh Drashot – Five discourses” of Rav Soloveitchik, the Rav explains why he chose to discontinue his tenure as head of the Agudat Yisrael in America (an organization representing the Haredi or black hat Jews) and to become the figurehead of the Mizrachi movement (which represents the Dati Leumi or Religious Zionist Jews). He explained that one of the premises of the Mizrachi movement is the fact that a Jew can engage in the world around him and actively contribute to the society he lives in; while at the same time distinguish himself by subscribing to his beliefs and adhering to his religious practice. This approach was championed originally by Avraham the moment he approached Efron to purchase the Maarat Hamachpela and he described himself as a “Ger VeToshav – a stranger and a resident”, which appears to be a dichotomous description.

The Rav explains that Avraham was accurately describing not only himself but the position of all Jews for generations to come. On the one hand a Jew is expected to immerse himself in his surroundings and the society in which he finds himself. He can attend universities, be a driving contributor to the work force, enhance his secular education and even mingle amongst secular people for the sake of progression. The Jew is not required to live a ghettoized existence trapped in the four ells of a sheltered lifestyle. In this sense, the Jew is very much a “Toshav”, a consistent presence who resides in this world. Nonetheless, a Jew must always remember that he is and will always will be a “Ger” – stranger; for no matter how much he circulates in the society around him he must remember that the gentile will inevitably perceive him to be a foreigner. Ultimately the Jew must be prepared to accept the destiny of a “Ger”, which is not a weakness rather his source of strength. A Jew must declare with confidence to his secular neighbors that there is a stark difference between him and them; he is Shomer Shabbat and they are not, he is Shomer Kashrut and they are not, he adheres to the laws of Taharat Hamishpacha – family purity, and they do not. A Jew must actively sustain his self by embracing religiosity. While Avraham told Efron and the Bnei Chet that he can conduct business with them he reminded them that he is different from them, not only in the way that he lives but even in the way that he approaches death and burial; this explains Avraham’s incessant desire to purchase the Maarat Hamachpela.

Mr Ben-Simon and his friends should stop shunning their Jewish shadow. It is time for them to realize that no matter how hard they try to integrate and imitate, they will always remain different. We must follow the example of our forefather Avraham and while we reap the advantages of venturing into the world around us we must never lose sight of whom we are and what we exemplify. The only place where we can comfortably retain the status of a “toshav” is amongst our own.

Gilad Schalit and the Haredim of Bet Shemesh

Over the last few months when I mention to someone that I am from Bet Shemesh, I have consistently received the same reaction,

“Isn’t that the city where a group of extremist Haredim are aggressively disturbing the peace and causing problems?”.
Now a trademark of Bet Shemesh is the fact that it is a place where a significant group of extreme right wing Haredi hooligans aggressively protest the opening of a new girl’s religious elementary school (first through sixth grades) in a neighborhood in which many of them reside but which by no means belongs to them or to any one group for that matter, on the outlandish grounds that it is immodest and suggestively promiscuous to house a girls school within the immediate proximity of their homes. Some of the tactics that these extremists have resorted to include, spitting on and physically assaulting both the girls and their parents, acts of vandalism which includes destroying property of the new building as well as dumping excrement upon the children and the school campus. I have witnessed some of this first hand as my daughter attends fifth grade in the school. This past Sunday as she returned to school after the holidays I was surprised as were many parents, to find that once again this contorted bunch assaulted the girls and vandalized the building once again (a brick was hurled through one of the windows and a stink bomb smelling of human excrement was set off consequently rendering their new classroom unusable). I was not surprised by the appalling tactics which this motley crew resorted to (unfortunately many in Bet Shemesh are beginning to grow accustomed to, although not complacent with, these demented and abusive strategies over time) but rather many thought that their efforts subsided considering that between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur there were no incidents and it appeared that through the efforts of the police the girls would be left alone; however upon reflection I have come to understand why this was not the case.

The days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are entitled the Ten Days of Repentance and are considered to be the holiest days of the year to the Jewish people. It is a time to reflect upon one’s relationship with God and reassess one’s rapport with his Creator and it is precisely for this reason that these people, convinced that they are indeed God fearing, were not prepared to deface and desecrate through the course of this holy period. Unfortunately what these hoodlums do not understand is that religious Judaism preaches two inextricably bound components which are the key to wholesome religious practice. Those are, the servitude of God and compassion to your fellow man, in fact the latter precedes the former. While it is clear to me that these groups of extremists (which in no way are representative of the majority of the Haredi world and should not be taken that way) do not understand what God really expects of them, it is even more evident that they do not accept the religious premise of consideration towards their fellow man which is precisely why they have comfortably returned to their shenanigans immediately following the High Holidays. It is also no coincidence (religious Judaism believes that nothing is coincidental) that their distorted actions coincide with the Torah portion this week of Noah, a story which we are all familiar with.

Noah was the first God fearing person recorded in the Torah; in fact Noah is dubbed righteous as the Torah attests that, “the Lord walked with him”, and yet, Noah was not given the title of first Jew, nor was he credited the merit of being the first to spread the doctrine of monotheism in the world; these titles were ascribed to Abraham for good reason. While Noah was truly God fearing as is demonstrated by his commitment to carrying out God’s mission, which included cleaning the animal’s waste from the floor of the Ark (apparently he understood that even animals deserve to have their excrement discarded and washed away), he made no efforts during the years of his constructing the Ark to warn his fellow man of the impending danger they were about to face. While he did not protest to God, the fact that Noah was silent and that he did not reprimand his fellow man, meant that he accepted man’s promiscuous behavior around him and that he was prepared to witness the annihilation of an entire world. This too relates to the Bet Shemesh saga as it brings to mind the fact that the mayor of Bet Shemesh Moshe Abutbul, as well as the Chief Rabbi of Bet Shemesh Rabbi Shimon Biton and other Haredi rabbinic authorities in Bet Shemesh have remained silent and have not even mentioned their disapproval of the extremist group’s behavior. In fairness there are a number of rabbis and groups of Haredim in Bet Shemesh who have actively joined in protesting against the extremist’s behavior, yet the rabbis teach us that “silence is an act of admission”. Noah demonstrated an inability to relate to the society and the people around him. In fact it is precisely when Noach disembarked from the Ark and came in contact with civilization again, that he found himself in trouble; engaged in promiscuous relations with one of his sons, imbibing in alcohol, and disclaiming any sense of responsibility towards establishing the moral premise of a future civilization.
God chose Abraham to be the first Jew and the founder of monotheism, not merely because he believed in one God but largely because he was kind to his fellow man, the majority of whom at the time fervently disagreed with his way of life. In fact the Torah does not reveal to us the methodologies Abraham used to find and believe in God, but it does reveal to us explicitly the fact that he did not want to quarrel with Lot his nephew, that he consistently hosted people in his home and that he was compassionate towards human life as he aggressively protested, not Jewish girl’s schools, but God’s plan to destroy Sodom and Amora even when he knew that they were very wicked and promiscuous people. Judaism begins with man’s sensitivity to his fellow and anyone who does not understand that (or is not prepared to get up and declare it) is not living their lives according to the doctrine of the Torah.

The other event which coincided with my daughter’s returning to school, indeed not by circumstance, was Gilad Schalit’s return home. The debate surrounding Gilad’s release continues to resonate throughout the Jewish world and I have always and continue to consciously refrain from engaging in this dialogue, however, now that the deed is done I will say this; I believe that Gilad’s liberation should serve as a reminder to the Jewish people of who we are. How can one understand the polls in Israel which showed that 75.7 percent of the public supported the deal and only 15.5 percent opposed it, while the same poll showed that the vast majority of Israelis believe that the deal harms Israel’s national security? The answer is because the majority of Israel’s population understands something which this minority group of extreme Haredim does not. We are a people who value our fellow man and human life more then anything else and more then any other nation on the face of the planet. We are a people who have and consistently continue to view one individual as an entire world; this is what sets us apart from everyone else and it is the motto which facilitates our reference as the Chosen Nation.
We are not the people of Noah; we are the people of Abraham who believe in one God as much as we believe in the dignity of one man.

The High Holidays: Unity is Purity

The Gemara Yevamot records an argument which took place in the Beit Midrash between Rabbi Eliezar and Rabbi Yosie; so fierce was this Halachic disputation that the two Rabbis tore a Sefer Torah, “in their state of anger”.

The Gemara explains that while the Rabbis did not intentionally tear at the Sefer Torah, in the heat of debate each Rabbi “pulled at the Torah” from his own perspective which resulted in a catastrophic consequence. Hence Rabbi Yossie Ben Kisma declared “I foresee that this same Beit Midrash will become a house of idol worship”; and so it did.

While the illustrative details of this story in the Gemara may not warrant literal translation, clearly Hazal want us to understand that anger is not befitting Am Yisrael and it is downright detestable within Jewish leadership; as confirmed when Moshe was punished for striking the boulder as opposed to talking to it. Moshe was sincerely concerned for the Jewish people yet his concern revealed itself through what may have been interpreted as anger and frustration, and so his actions were inexcusable. There is however, another perhaps even more significant message to be learned from this Gemara.

Unfortunately many times throughout Jewish history people have “pulled at the Torah” in fierce debate and even tore the Torah in a state of frenzy, while claiming that it is permissible and even commendable for them to do so because they have the noblest and sincerest of intentions; otherwise termed as “leshem shamayim – for Gods sake in the heavens”. This is a very dangerous term when it is misunderstood and touted for the wrong purpose by the wrong people. When this term is misrepresented it can result in anything but “leshem shamayim”; in fact it can inadvertently cause the establishment of a “house of idol worship”. This same term was used by Shaul Hamelech as an excuse for not fulfilling God’s directive to wipe out the entire nation of Amalek. This same term was used to ban the Rambam’s writings in the thirteenth century. This same term was used by the self righteous who burned the Ramchal’s seforim in the eighteenth century; and this same term is still (mis)used today and exhibited within many facets of the Jewish community. It was recently used by Haredi extremist groups in Bet Shemesh who protested a girls elementary school (first through sixth grades) in a neighborhood in which many of them live but which does not belong to them exclusively, by spitting on the girls and physically assaulting them and their parents by throwing human excrement upon them; all these aggressive actions are “leshem shamayim” in order to preserve the institution of “tzniut – modesty” within the Jewish community. This same term was used by Israeli border patrol soldiers only two weeks ago, when they forcibly expelled families in Migran from their homes in the middle of the night without warning, including new born babies; as they razed these peoples homes to the ground while their children watched in despair and wondered where they would seek refuge and shelter.

Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is a time when we must remind ourselves both as individuals and even more importantly as a nation, of what “leshem shamayim” means and the significance of its ramifications. The sound of the Shofar allots us an opportunity to express ourselves and perhaps even our differences of opinion, but ultimately the Shofar was used to unite the Jewish people and its forces, towards meaning and commitment. Yom Hakipurim is a day when all of Am Yisrael strives to purge itself of sin and attain a pure spirit. We articulate our desires and longings through prayer to the same God, and using the same prayer book. It is unfortunate that even within our religious community so much of our own insecurities are expressed through anger, protest and sometimes even violence.

It would do all of us well to remember that the Torah is described as, “Deracheha Darchei Noam – Her ways are peaceful and soothing”. As we engross ourselves in the spirit of Rosh Hashana and engage in the challenges of teshuva approaching Yom Hakipurim, I believe this is the message we should embrace for the sake of our own prosperity and imminent redemption.

Shana Tova Lekol Yisrael
Take a moment to listen to this important message/shiur regarding the Yomim Noraim High Holidays

http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/764338/Rabbi_Shalom_Hammer/Teshuva:_Human_Achievement_

Back to School Part Two

Two years ago I wrote an article for this paper entitled “Back to School: Back to Basics”. The article addressed the fact that Israeli schools and Israeli education across the board emphasize the accumulation of data and information as opposed to teaching and developing the procedure of how to dissect and discern text in order to extrapolate information. I pointed out how Schools in Israel do not promote exploration nor do they teach creative expression within a disciplined environment largely because the Israeli educational system is predicated upon quantitative education as opposed to qualitative education, and how this system (or lack of it thereof) does not propagate sensitivity to intellectual or behavioral patterns and therefore by default it desensitizes a person to his surroundings. Hence, our schools are engrossed with the importance of capacity as opposed to compassion; they program our children to amass volume as opposed to embracing values and this breeds a society of egocentricity. Now, two years later as both an educator and guidance counselor within the school network (perhaps even more as a concerned parent), I continue to assess education and while my analysis leaves me far from satisfied, I do see an improvement largely because I have come to terms with the fact that fixing problems begins with acknowledging their existence.

We live in Israel now almost 22 years and I have frequented many museums and popular “sites” certainly around Jerusalem and its surrounding area, yet this summer we took our children (impressionable ages of 8, 10, 13 and 16) on a number of tiyulim to places we had been to before and I was both inspired by and often pleasantly surprised with what I found. At the Davidson center by the Southern wall excavations near the Temple mount there was a wide array of exhibits adjoined with films which intentionally made the period of the Temple in Jerusalem lifelike through 3-D images as they demonstrated a reenactment of what it was like for someone offering a sacrifice in the Holy Temple for the first time. I watched as my children gazed in awe as they listened attentively and focused on the images. A young man offered a guided tour of the Temple Mount and its various approaches on a large screen and I was comforted by my children’s earnestness to both answer and ask questions relating to the material they were “experiencing”. Visiting “The Burnt House” in the Jewish Quarter of the Old city, I noticed that they incorporated a new film which was shown within the ruins as actors told the story of the Priestly family who apparently lived in this house prior to and leading up to the destruction of the second Temple in Jerusalem. Through lifelike images and the interaction of the audience, the film effectively transmitted a lesson of the importance of tolerance and unity amongst the Jewish people. Having frequented these places before, it was clear to me that efforts were made to keep history current and to package it in a more palpable fashion particularly for younger children. This attempt was evident not only with regards to places and events of long ago but it applied as well to museums which were charged with unfolding the events leading up to the establishment of the modern State of Israel (contemporary yet a history which is also threatened with being forgotten).

While visiting Atlit, a detainee camp which was established by the British at the end of the 1930s to prevent Jewish refugees, mainly Holocaust survivors, from entering then-Palestine, I was hoping that my children would get a sense of the yearning and desire these people had dreamed about for years under the torment and persecution of the Nazis; to live as free Jews in their Biblical homeland the land of Israel. I had been to Atlit twice before but this time I noticed something different. The guide to the museum was a teen age girl who was excited to relate the courageous story of the “maapilim” (immigrants who, in spite of Britain’s strict limitations on Jewish immigration from 1934 until 1948, came to Israel, often in old, damaged boats). Her enthusiasm was contagious particularly to the kids among the crowd. I was most impressed, not only from the clear efforts which were made to engage the children but also by the fact that the Ministry of Tourism hired a teen ager to lead the exhibition, which demonstrated a vested interest in not only disseminating historical information to our youth but to involve them actively and encourage their contribution as preservers of history and mentors who would help perpetuate a future. The Atlit museum added a new tour inside one of the boats which had been taken by the British on the shores of the Mediterranean as they approached the shores of Palestine.

As one moves throughout the boat there are clips of documented film of the “maapilim” and children can appreciate the experiences they underwent and conditions they endured during their journey to Israel and in their longing for a new beginning. So taken was I by this experience that I commented to our young guide,

“I sincerely hope that many schools come here”, to which she responded by informing me that the Ministry of Education now requires all students from the fifth grade and up to visit Atlit at least once during the course of their primary school years.

I was reminded that only two years ago in April of 2009 as he assumed his position as Minister of Education, Mr Gidon Sa’ar made a bold move. Based on data which showed that up to 50 percent of the country’s pupils do not visit Jerusalem during the course of their studies, he begun an initiative which required that all elementary and high school pupils visit the nation’s capital at least once. The visit would include frequenting historical sites such as the Kotel, Ammunition Hill and the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum as well as national institutions such as the Knesset and the Supreme Court. The initiative proposed that pupils would visit Jerusalemonce while in elementary school, and then again at some point during high school. When asked why he promoted this project with such urgency Minister Sa’ar explained,

“Within the education system, values are of the utmost importance, and with that, come the need to strengthen the bond students have with the capital and their country.”

Following my summer excursions with my children I was reassured that not only were these initiatives sensible but that they could be implemented in a thoughtful and productive manner. They could represent a child friendly learning experience which would facilitate the pervasiveness of a history in a day and age of technology and innovation.

As we begin the new school year it is crucial to determine that in order to nurture future generations of pioneering leaders and visionaries, we must galvanize a loyal passion within our young ones towards their country, their people and the Zionistic ideals which both represent. We must further implement programs and initiate curricula which address these issues and challenge our students to appreciate what it means to be a Jew who merits living in Israel. Lets go “back to school” by implementing innovative programs and new ideas, incorporating graphics and experiences into the classroom, and concentrating on creative ways to arouse the interest of our children and help them realize that they are a most significant piece of a complex and resilient puzzle.

American social writer and philosopher Eric Hoffer said, “The central task of education is to implant a will and facility for learning; it should produce not learned but learning people”. Back to school, should mean back to basics; basics that implant a desire in our students to explore and experience. Once this desire is rooted, our children will value a society of patience, tolerance and human decency.

Training Major General Avi Zamir

Recently a report was circulated by the outgoing head of the personnel directorate in the IDF, Major General Avi Zamir, who stepped down a few short weeks ago. In the report Zamir criticized the current division of authority between the Military Rabbinate and the Education Corps with respect to strengthening soldiers’ Jewish identity and he spoke out against what he called religious extremism, which he claimed was preventing the integration of female soldiers into various IDF units. Zamir called to curtail what he termed the growing religiosity of the IDF as he recommended transferring Jewish education matters from the Rabbinate to the Education Corps. Statements and suggestions of these kind unfortunately reveal that even someone like Mr Zamir who was entrusted with such an important position fails to recognize the formula for the success of not only the IDF but of this country; a formula which the educational branch of the Military Rabbinate as well as the Hesder soldiers (representing a large portion of the so called “extreme religious presence” in the Israeli army) earnestly embrace and proudly endorse.

I am a member of the Harel branch of the Rabbinate of the IDF which offers lectures and presentations on Jewish history and Jewish tradition to all divisions within the Israeli army. We are expected to imbue a sense of pride and devotion to our land and people and infuse a passion for ideology while carefully avoiding even the slightest hint of religious coercion or political commentary. In fact, we are surveyed by mentors and critics who ensure that our words and thoughts are comprehensive and insightful without sounding religiously or politically biased; we are particularly careful never to threaten or patronize as expected in an army which represents a pluralistic society. Why is this division necessary within the ranks of the IDF; an army which should concern itself exclusively with protecting its borders and citizens; because this division preserves Jewish (not religious) identity, an essential component which can ensure the Jewish country’s survival.

The IDF is a Jewish army and there are many soldiers who do not know the three forefathers of the Jewish people or who cannot identify the five books of Moses. One might insist that these concerns are religious by nature and as there is no religious coercion in the Israeli army they are trivial in comparison to the greater task at hand, but the problem is that these same soldiers have no clue who Zev Jabotinsky is either. When Jewish soldiers are unaware who their founding fathers of the past and the present were, then it is indeed difficult to protect Israel’s borders and citizens; for the knowledge of our past advances the resilience of our future.

During one of our lecture campaigns I was asked to speak to combat divisions on the theme of, “gevura – heroism”. I approached the subject by first demonstrating to the soldiers that there is a definitive difference between heroism and “koach – strength”. Strength is identified by physical proportions as it is revealed through brute force and visceral prowess. Heroism however, is not restricted by nor exhibited through physical dimensions; it is attained through the calculations of the heart and mind as well as the determination of spirit. Heroism reveals itself through profound ideology and eternal belief which is why it can overcome strength even when numbers would logically dictate otherwise. I explained to our soldiers that unfortunately it is relatively simple for us to identify the many countries and terrorist forces who threaten our very existence; in fact there are many strategies and tactics which the IDF utilizes and plans in preparation for dealing with these surrounding enemies. Yet there are variables within our own society which tear at the very fabric of our own public. Statements such as those made by Mr Zamir, demonstrate that he is either unaware of them or even worse that he has chosen to ignore them. Consider the amount of Israelis, young and old, who have never been to Jerusalem (I meet them frequently) or rarely take the time to visit our capital city which has always permeated not only with spiritual significance but has always represented our affiliation to a rich culture and unique heritage. Consider the amount of Israelis who no longer recognize the value of incorporating the study of our Bible as part of the core curriculum in schools today; failing to comprehend at the very least the source of our historical connection to our land and people. If this sounds like religious coercion, then please consider the following. Upon visiting Ben Gurion’s home in Sde Boker you can not help but notice the Tanach/Bible on his bedside table with its tattered and worn pages, demonstrative of the fact that Ben Gurion, hardly sympathetic to religion, read and used the book. Ben Gurion did not do so out of religious conscription, but he read and studied the Bible because he appreciated the significance of knowing who we were in order to identify what we could become. When Menachem Begin served as Prime Minister he required his cabinet ministers to attend a weekly class on the Torah portion because he wanted his ministers to understand the story of the Jewish people’s past and to appreciate the foundations of the Jewish people’s future. This was hardly religious coercion; rather a call for ideological conscription. Unfortunately today, people like Ben Gurion and Begin are few and far between and the fundamentals of the dogmatic hero are slowly dissipating from our midst. This is the main war in which we are engaged and the significant battles which we must equip ourselves with which to fight. Mr Zamir is unwise to criticize and castigate a large segment of the Israeli army who, perhaps assisted by the fact that they are religious, can identify their forefather’s passions and facilitate their ancestor’s dreams. He should listen to the former chief rabbi of the IDF, Rabbi Ronsky, who, after hearing his suggestion to transfer Jewish education matters from the Rabbinate to the Education Corps, responded saying,

“This is a battle over the image of Israeli society – no less, the question is whether it will have the image of a Jewish national army – and I’m not referring to religion – which stresses Jewish history, the Bible, and other connections with religion, or whether it will be an army of a ‘people’s state’.”

The more we enrich our children and soldiers with Jewish heritage the more they will comprehend what they are fighting for; such ideals should be welcome in the IDF regardless if they are espoused by a religious soldier, rabbi or a non observant Jew.