My Dear Friends
Today is the 10th day of the Hebrew
month of Av. Yesterday was Tish’ah B’av – the 9th of Av – the
saddest day in the Jewish Calendar. For many
Jews, Tisha B’av is a day of fasting and mourning. It is the day upon which both the first and
second Temples in Jerusalem were destroyed.
Historically, many other tragic events took
place on or around this date:
- The First Crusade officially commenced on 15 August 1096 (Av 24, AM
4856), killing
10,000 Jews in its first month and
destroying Jewish communities in France and
the Rhineland.
- The
Jews were expelled from England on
18 July 1290 (Av 9, AM 5050).
- The
Jews were expelled
from France on 22 July 1306 (Av 10, AM
5066).
- The
Jews were expelled from Spain on
31 July 1492 (Av 7, AM 5252).
- Germany
entered World
War I on 1–2 August 1914 (Av
9–10, AM 5674),
- On
2 August 1941 (Av 9, AM 5701), SS commander Heinrich Himmler formally
received approval from the Nazi Party for "The Final Solution."
- On
23 July 1942 (Av 9, AM 5702), began the mass deportation of Jews from
the Warsaw
Ghetto, en route to Treblinka.
- The AMIA bombing, of the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, killed 85 and
injured 300 on 18 July 1994 (10 Av, AM 5754).
And there are many today who fear that yet another
calamity is taking place in front of our eyes: The threat of the dissolution
of Democracy due to the recent vote by the Netanyahu Government to take away
the ability of the Israeli Supreme Court to serve as a check and balance
against autocratic rule.
Some of you may hear these words and think
that I am being overly dramatic. After all, wasn’t the current Government
elected in a free and fair election?
Didn’t the Right Wing in Israel receive a mandate for change?
The answer is not so simple. While Benyamin Netanyahu and the Likud party
did receive the slimmest majority of votes in the last election (after four
failed elections in as many years), the realities of a parliamentary system of
Governance meant that Netanyahu, in order
to gain a ruling coalition, had to join forces with far-right and fundamentalist
firebrands like Itamar Ben G’vir, and Betzalel Smotrich – both of whom have
well documented histories of racist, Kahanist, misogynistic anti-LGBTQ+ and
anti-Reform Jewish statements and actions. Many of those who voted for
Netanyahu did not count on his inclusion of overt racists in his cabinet.
Unlike America’s democracy, Israel does not have a formal constitution. Until recently, the only governing body that served as a
check and balance to curb abuses of power has been the Israeli
Supreme Court. This new law effectively
gives the ruling coalition a veto over the Judicial process – creating a
de-facto dictatorship. Never in the history of the State of Israel has there
been such an extremist government bent on reshaping the very fabric and
character of the Jewish State. While there is no doubt that some Israeli
citizens support this government’s radical agenda, many others who may have
voted for Likud did so out of a sense of weariness and a desire for stability
after so many unsuccessful attempts at forming a ruling coalition. In addition,
a recent poll shows that only 38% of Israelis support the current government’s
plan to neuter the Supreme Court[i].
This latest action has also
paved the way for Netanyahu to pay a debt to some of his supporters by re-appointing
Aryeh Deri – Chair of the Ultra-Orthodox Shas Party - who was removed
from consideration as Deputy Prime minister seven months ago by the Israeli Supreme
Court because of his past criminal convictions.
Netanyahu himself is also under criminal investigation for
bribery, breach of trust and fraud – adding to fears that he will use his newly
increased power to manipulate the judiciary, solidify his base, disrupt his own
trial, and remove other democratic safeguards in the Jewish State.
This vote is only the first
step towards what many Israelis feel is a march towards an authoritarian state reminiscent
of Turkey, Hungary, or Venezuela. There are very real concerns that the next steps will be an increase in funding for ultra-orthodox institutions, a cutting of funding
to liberal religious institutions and organizations in Israel, removal of the
rights of the LGBT population, further limitations to the rights of Palestinians,
and an end for any hopes for a two-State resolution of the conflict – as the
government has also pledged to expand settlements in the West Bank – indeed,
many pundits and analysts feel that the coalition now plans to begin a complete
annexation of the West Bank. [cf: https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-far-right-ally-said-to-agree-government-will-advance-w-bank-annexation/, and https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2022-12-28/ty-article/.premium/natural-right-to-the-land-of-israel-netanyahu-lays-out-west-bank-annexation-plans/00000185-5955-dbd5-abe7-59f5c5d60000]
I have spoken several times
over the past few months about the protests that have been taking place on Saturday nights in almost every city in Israel for the past 30 weeks. Sue and I joined the
protests in both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv during our congregational trip last
month, and I also attended the Tel Aviv protest when I was there for the World
Zionist Congress this past April. It was truly a life-changing experience. Hundreds
of thousands of Israelis – Jews and Arabs alike – have been demonstrating and demanding
that the principles of Democracy and human rights be strengthened in the face
of increasing authoritarianism and division within the
body politic. As the inevitability of
the Supreme Court vote approached, the intensity and fervor of the weekly protests
increased. There were marches from Tel
Aviv to Jerusalem that shut down major highways. Leaders of Israeli
industry and high tech publicly decried the policies of the government -
threatening to leave Israel altogether. Some members of the Israeli Defense Force Reserves have pledged not to serve
under an authoritarian regime. On Tuesday, the front pages of multiple Israeli
newspapers were covered in black ink – a sign of mourning and protest. The Histadrut
– Israel’s largest labor Union, as well as Doctors and Lawyers have threatened
massive strikes that would effectively shut down Israeli society. And perhaps
more frightening, there has been a small, but significant increase in violent
responses to the demonstrators – from police and counter demonstrators from the
Right. Unfortunately, it appears that the Netanyahu government is determined to
exercise its power and ignore the massive voices of protests throughout the
country.
Israel is in crisis. The country is divided along political, religious,
and ethnic lines. And we - who have an historic, spiritual, and emotional
connection to the Jewish State - feel a multitude of emotions as we stand and
watch our beloved homeland weathering one of the most serious crises it has
faced in its 75 years of existence.
I am a Zionist. I have always been a Zionist and I
will continue to champion Israel, it’s right to exist, it’s right to
defend itself and forge its own path. I
am not an Israeli citizen and, as such I cannot vote in elections, serve in the
IDF or claim any allegiance other than my love for and connection with the
Zionist ideals upon which it was founded. And yet, I cannot remain silent
either.
In thinking about what to
say tonight, I, and many other American Rabbis reached out to our Israeli
colleagues to ask them what they need from us -as American Jews and supporters
of Israel. Here are a few of many
responses we received on a private Facebook page (all responses are given with
the permission of the authors…)[ii]
Rabbi Haim Shalom –writes:
I want you to talk about
hope.
I want you to talk about
love.
I want you to talk about how
hard it is to see a country one loves choose a dangerous path of self-harm.
I want you to make clear
that democracy is not just the tiny thin majority enforcing its will on the
minority and that is true wherever we are. There are universal moral truths
which we cannot turn our backs on. This is the message of this week's parasha [Va’etchanan,
which contains both the Ten Commandments and the Sh’ma]. The coming
together of Aseret HaDibrot [The Ten Commandments] as a symbol of the most
fundamental moral truths, and our credo of Shma Yisrael - a statement
spoken to the particular (ישראל) but focused ON the universal (אחד). We turn to each other as
fellow members of the people of Israel to remind each other of the oneness of
creation - we are all in this together. Whenever one part of the human family
falls, it affects us all.
Rabbi Rinat Safania
writes:
As you know our country is
burning ... It is a sad and difficult afternoon here…. Yet - the protest
brought many indifferent people out of the house to show how important this
country is to them, and how unwilling they are to give up democracy, civil
rights and matters of religion and state. We really hope that this protest will
also lead people to choose by their feet and join the liberal movements like
the Reform movement. We have a lot of work to do in all fields, and the road is
long – (Quoting from Hatikvah – Israel’s national anthem) Hatikvah bat shnot
alpayim "the hope is two thousand years old" - and it does not
end with one decision or another. There is a large movement of protest here,
and alongside it a large movement of people who want to continue holding hands
despite all the differences. We as the Reform movement and communities are here
to hold on to hope even when darkness seems to be falling.
Rabbi Leora Ezrachi-Vered
writes:
As hard as this is to see
and watch from afar, and the reality is certainly very, very, concerning, there
are also huge waves of people working for a better Israel. And that this is not
the end, but a pit that we can climb out of, like Joseph. Like all those who
are struggling, we need friendship and solidarity more than ever. The rabbis
and members of the Reform movement in Israel are front line activists.
---------------------
The rabbis of the old
ascribed the destruction of the second Temple on Tisha B’Av to Sinat
Chinam – baseless hatred. Rav Abraham Isaac Kook – the first Chief Rabbi of the
State of Israel taught that we need to replace Sinat Chinam
with Ahavat Chinam- boundless love. As we confront
the very real crisis that is affecting the State of Israel – as we watch with
concern as the divisions within Israeli society are growing in both intensity
and consequence - our task is to support those elements within Israeli society
that are working to bridge gaps, bolster Democracy, and provide an alternative
to fundamentalist, racist, misogynist and oppressive policies and attitudes.
I want to encourage everyone
who makes donations to Israel to support the organizations that are on the
front lines of combatting the encroaching anti-Democratic initiatives. In particular,
I would ask that you donate directly to the Israel Movement For Progressive Judaism. (Click on the underlined link.) I also plan to join with other colleagues to request that Jewish
Colorado designate the contributions of our community to institutions and
organizations in Israel that promote Ahavat Chinam and Democratic and
pluralistic values -while avoiding those that do not.
My friends, despite the very
real and significant concern that I - and many others – share about the current
Israeli Government, it is vitally important to remember that now is not
the time to abandon Israel. We have both the ability and the responsibility to
raise our voices when we see our beloved homeland in crisis. Just as we should
not remain silent when a member of our family is endangering themselves, so to
with the State of Israel.
May the voices of protest
and the hope for peace prevail in Israel and throughout the world and may we
see renewed hope for growth and healing.
Shabbat Shalom
[ii]
Thank you to Rabbi Joseph Metzler for asking the question of our Israeli
colleagues and compiling their responses in a document that he shared with us.
