A Call for Civility for ALL Israeli Citizens
Where have all the great rabbis — in the mold of Ponovitch Rav — gone? It seems to me that decency and respect have gone out the window and fanatiscism and ignorance now reign. To paraphrase Goldie Hawn in Private Benjamin: This is not the Israel I signed up for! The only solution is to allow for a civil track for personal status issues and take the enormous power away from the rabbis who now sit in the Knesset as politicians instead of sitting in the yeshiva and teaching true Jewish law.
I prefer to continue to believe that Judaism and democracy can reign as king and queen in the State of Israel. Many of my progressive colleagues here in Israel do not believe this could happen in our lifetime. I prefer to believe that it could. After all, that is why I moved to Israel.
Shari Eshet is the Director of the Israel Office for the National Council of Jewish Women
3 comments on “A Call for Civility for ALL Israeli Citizens”
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Great article Shari….I am very proud of you…….guess you do remember the “OLD” days. love, your mother
Wonderfully written article Shari. Too bad the subject needs to be addressed in our day. I know you’ll speak about this on your visit to Sacramento. Lydia
The personal story about Ponivitch Rav is poignant in its simple and profound humanity. Is it not in relationship with one another, no matter what our physical form, that we may find God, and understand the world and ourselves in a way that encourages tikkun olam and opens our eyes to the Divine Sparks we all emit?