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A Message from The Rabbi … On The Road —
February, 2005 Near Term Prospects The changes since my last trip to Israel in July of 2004, though subtle, were real. One way to describe it is to talk about Emek Refaim Street, which is a smart, trendy avenue in Jerusalem filled with shops and cafes on the edge of the German Colony (where the Hartman Institute is located, and where I was studying most of the time). It is generally bustling with people during all hours of the day. Last summer, there had been greater tension there. The reason is obvious. One day last July, for example, someone had seen a suspicious person approach one of the cafes and then, just before entering, turn around and run away. The police were called, and it quickly became apparent that the man who’d run away was a would-be suicide bomber. That evening at the Institute, without being given any details, we were told, in no uncertain terms, to stay away from Emek Refaim Street until further notice. By the next day, the police had identified and located the man at his home in the West Bank. They surrounded the house and ordered him to come out with his hands up. He refused. A gunfight ensued and the man was killed. Later that day, Israelis were once again cautiously strolling down Emek Refaim. I experienced none of that tension this time. Instead, there was a mood, not of hope (there has been too much pain and suffering, and there is too little trust in the Palestinian leadership’s good intentions or ability to restrain terrorism to use that term), but of quiet, restrained, and wary optimism. There was a sense that, with the death of Yasir Arafat, the election of Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), and the unilateral decision by Prime Minister Sharon to vacate Gaza (which, if implemented, would require the transfer and resettlement of thousands of settlers), the conflict with the Palestinians would become somewhat more bearable. During the ten days I was in Israel, though there was no official cease fire, there was a sense that, given the evolving political situation in the territories, it was unlikely that suicide bombers would be attacking within Israel. Israelis felt safe eating in cafes, and there was more than the usual amount of foot traffic in town. Studying Pluralism in a Not Very Pluralistic Country I went to Israel to attend the Winter 2005 Rabbinic Seminar at the Hartman Institute. As a rabbinic fellow at the Institute, I am one of a group of twenty five or so rabbis who have been invited to study together twice a year for a three year period. Our program was wonderfully rich. The overall theme for this seminar was pluralism, one of the Institute’s major areas of focus, as evidenced by the fact that the Institute is the only Israeli institution committed to bringing together Reconstructionist, Reform, Conservative and Orthodox rabbis for study, reflection and fellowship. Our group studied, as usual, with a wonderful array of scholars: Rabbi David Hartman, the founder of the Institute and a man of great moral concern and passionate love for the Jewish People; Rabbi Donniel Hartman, co-director with his father of the Institute, a bright and inspiring thinker and an creative institution builder; Professor Israel Knohl, the brilliant head of the Bible Department at the Hebrew University; Professor Yoni Garb, a young, energetic scholar of Jewish mysticism; and Professor Moshe Halbertal, with whom we studied various perspectives on the remarkable prevalence of—and respect for—controversy in Jewish sources. Conflicts Within Israeli Society In addition to our formal study, the Hartman Institute arranged for us to hear from several people who gave us much insight concerning everyday life in Israel today. For example, we attended a screening of a ground-breaking film, Ushpizin—the first sympathetic Israeli film about ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel. (I am hoping to schedule a screening of this film at Aliyah in the fall.) Following the film, we had the good fortune to hear an analysis by Stuart Schoffman, a former screenwriter and film instructor who currently writes for the Jerusalem Report. We also heard from David Landau, editor in chief of Haaretz, one of the leading newspapers in Israel today. He spoke of how extraordinary—if not miraculous—are the events we are witnessing. If anyone had told him, he said, that he would one day be praying for the life and health of Ariel Sharon, he would have thought him mad. And yet now he is convinced that Sharon’s goal of evacuating Gaza and a few isolated settlements in the West Bank is vital to Israel’s future and that Sharon is the only person in all of Israel who could possibly achieve it. Landau is convinced that none of Sharon’s advisors, allies, or colleagues—much less his not-so-loyal opposition—could ever accomplish it. In the face of truculent rhetoric from the settler community—even death threats—Landau hopes that Sharon survives. Speaking of the settler community, the evacuation plan has highlighted and widened a deep divide in Israeli society. I attended a huge rally at the Knesset attended (according to the newspapers) by well over 150,000 opponents of the disengagement plan. To be frank, it was worrisome to see so many young, enthusiastic participants. Not because I am optimistic about the chances for peace and not because I am opposed to controversy but because, judging from the slogans and the signs displayed at the rally, the country is headed toward a clash that is threatening to erupt into violence. One of the booklets I picked up at the rally was entitled, “The Ethics of Refusing to Obey Orders” (referring to ongoing efforts to get soldiers to agree not to participate in evacuating settlers). The opponents of the evacuation plan feel a profound sense of betrayal and they are working very hard to defeat the plan. Time will tell whether they will succeed—and at what cost to Israeli unity. Disunity and misunderstanding within Israeli society was the theme of another evening lecture, this one by Bambi Sheleg, the quietly inspiring and prophetic founding editor of “Eretz Aheret”—“Another Land,” a new and important journal in Israel today. Ms. Sheleg came to the realization several years ago that Israel has become divided into sectors that don’t know, understand or care about one another, and that if this does not change, the country will be headed toward a catastrophe. And so this remarkable woman (who happens to be religious) gathered together a group of like-minded visionaries (of a variety of religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds), and they created a wonderful journal that seeks to bring Israel together. No one thought that the journal would have much of an impact; five years later, it is still going strong. Women and Others on the Margin Our group also studied with Professor Renee Levine, a scholar at the Schechter Institute, the Conservative movement’s rabbinical seminary in Israel. She shared with us two teshuvot (response) of Maimonides concerning the rights and privileges of women in the Middle Ages. One thing is clear: in some ways, the status of women has changed dramatically since then; and in other ways, it hasn’t changed at all. We heard from a graduate of the Schechter Institute, Rabbi Tamar Kohlberg, who serves an Israeli Reform synagogue, of her struggles to promote liberal Judaism in Israeli society. We also met Dr. Benny Ish Shalom, a gifted and caring individual who chairs the Israeli Joint Conversion Institute, which brings together Orthodox, Conservative and Reform rabbis to instruct prospective converts in Israel. It was amazing to learn how successful it has been: a glimmer of hope and light in a country where pluralism is still, for many, a word that evokes anxiety. Israel and America: Similarities and Differences I must confess: I don’t watch “The Apprentice.” But during my recent trip, I came to wish that I was more familiar with the show, because I had the opportunity to see an Israeli version of it. The Israeli show is called “The Ambassador,” and each week contestants vie for the opportunity to represent Israel abroad. The judges include a former director of the Israeli secret service and a former IDF (Israeli army) spokesperson—as they say, “only in Israel”. During the episode that aired when I was in Israel, four youthful, attractive and energetic contestants spoke to a group of European Jews. Their mission was to convince them to come to Israel for a short visit. One of the contestants was an articulate, strikingly beautiful immigrant from Ethiopia named Mehereta Baruch. Mehereta told the story of her family’s journey to Israel. You can imagine the pathos: the endless walk, the hunger, the misery, and the miraculous, happy ending. Needless to say, she held the group spellbound. Afterwards, as each contestant was asked to criticize the others (apparently, a universal activity on reality shows), one of Mehereta’s fellow contestants suggested that, although her story was compelling, it was too emotional, and too self-centered. This comment almost, but didn’t quite, move Mehereta to tears—clearly its goal—but it certainly heightened audience interest in the show. And not just for voyeuristic reasons. Who, after all, should represent Israel during this particular stage in her history? An immigrant? A sabra? A Zionist? A technocrat? Does any of that matter? Those are the serious questions lurking behind the melodrama of this reality show. Mehereta didn’t win the prize that week (the opportunity to go to New York and meet with Paula Zahn of CNN), but, as of this date, she is still in the running to be chosen on a future occasion. Stay tuned! I was gratified that, as similar as “The Ambassador” is to “The Apprentice,” there was one very significant difference: the opportunity to serve one’s country and to represent it to the world remain important and inspiring goals for young people in Israel. There is nothing embarrassing—as there might be in this country—to admit to loving one’s country and wanting to serve it. There remains a sense that Israel is “a people that dwells apart” that needs effective representation and articulate spokespeople to defend her. And there is, apparently, no shortage of young people willing to try their hand. As you can see, my trip was certainly hectic, but nonetheless, within a few days I will be back for more! As the days continue (thankfully!) to get longer and warmer, I want to wish everyone a sweet springtime. May your Purim and Pesach be cheerful and festive! Shalom u’vrachah, Rabbi Carl M. Perkins |