Something made me very angry today.
The kind of anger that burns white in my veins and turns my eyeballs a bright red.
No, it wasn’t the silly European governments who continually condemn Israel while excusing palestinian islamic terrorism. No, it wasn’t the fascist arab governments who speak of Israel being the obstacle of peace while launching chemical war on their own people. No, it wasn’t the outgoing EU ambassador to Israel who thinks Israel can learn from Europe in fighting terrorism and by making such a statement became the first human being to simultaneously exist in a different universe.
From those people I expect nothing, and they deliver each time.
Nope, what made me angry today was my own people. Because today I read how 597 so-called ‘rabbis’ or ‘religious authorities’ from 417 Conservative, mainly American, Jewish institutions threatened Israel that unless the Israeli government caves into their demands for an additional area at the kotel, they will trash-talk Israel.
Now I believe that every genuine Jew has an obligation to support Israel unconditionally. That doesn’t mean you have to agree with everything the government does or agree with all the laws or their approach towards things, or even like the Prime Minister! You can criticize the government any way you like, but the kind of support I speak about goes way beyond the narrow prism of whoever is in power.
And I say that every Jew has an obligation to do that, because Israel remains the rock of the Jewish people. It remains our source code, where our Holy Books were kept in our Holy Temple. It has always been the place where we developed into a people and a nation. It has always been the place to turn to through the years of exile, through persecution and genocide. It has always been the source of our strength when we had none. It has been the source of our dreams when our lives were filled only with nightmares. It has been the source of our hope, when only despair existed. It has been our light on the hill to which we look up to, when only darkness filled the void around us. It has and always be the future of the Jewish people.
However, the line is crossed when these so-called Jewish leaders try to blackmail Israel and threaten to pull their support from Israel unless their demands are met. If they are so unhappy with the Israeli government, they can change it by making Aliyah and voting in Israel’s democratic elections, rather than bleat from afar at how ‘unfair’ things are and pass judgement on things that don’t affect them directly.
So for them I can only think of one response. Do it!
Because Israel does not need conditional support from people who can so easily switch sides or loyalties, depending on their mood at the time. It does not need support from people who say, we’ll love you unless…
As a people, we are facing levels of hatred and anti-semitism towards us, not seen since the dark days of the 1930s. We are confronted with it on all sides in all countries by fascist groups of nazis, neo-nazis and fascist liberals from all sides of the political spectrum.
Now, more than ever, we need unity in the face of these challenges and Jews have always been stronger together.
Israel needs our support based on the simple fact that we love this country with all our hearts and with all our souls and with all our spirit.
No one is refusing you entry to the Kottel. Respect the local minhag and move on. When you are invited to someones house you respect their rules and traditions . What is different with a house of prayer?
These leaders have been betrayed as have a couple million more of us who were given not mere promises but Supreme Court assurances for a more egalitarian use/sharing of the Kotel (the Western Wall) as well as in conversion only to have them overturned by the PM’s frantic need to remain in power. Just as he came into that power (instead of Tzipi Livni who actually won the election but refused to sell her soul) through his kowtowing to the ultra-orthodox in order to form a government, he has again given in to their unjust and unreasonable demands over the Kotel and conversion! I live here, am a very active member of beautiful Progressive Judaism congregation and am angry as well that this could happen. Bibi’s promises are worth nothing and that is not only wrong but dangerous!
Sharon- you seem ill-informed as to why Livni was NOT elected PM.-she simply couldn’t form a coalition. Netanyahu is Israel’s PM ,and we really do not need the approval of American Jews who may,or may not make an occasional visit to the country.