Who Wants To Speak Like Ben-Gvir?

Most will react, "not me", but why? Consider this:

The term "Big Bang" is insensitive to unimaginable quantum states that turned on spacetime, particles, elements, stars and galaxies, but mostly, because the universe has no center the term is also grossly inaccurate.

3 billion acids, attached to sugars, make up DNA of the human genome. A change to any can lead to the birth of a super talented individual, a genius, a leader who stands out from the crowd, or it may cause excessive anxiety, depression, suffering, disease and even death. Technologies manipulate DNA, test results and compute vast cellular networks that inform us about previously unknown sensitive, but transformative events. 

The Bible recalls that one frog emerged from the Nile and resulted in a plague of frogs that engulfed Ancient Egypt. We can only imagine this super-species was initiated through a small DNA alteration, in a progenitor, that rapidly accumulated and was programmed to annihilate shortly after its ascent onto land. 

Some plagues in Egypt were easily replicated by the necromancer opponents of Moses. Others distracted them, caused their concentration lapse and suddenly they were defeated. We disconnect from the sensitivities behind these events because our noisy world distracts us. 

Simchat Torah 5784 (7 October 2023) marked a distraction with disastrous affect for Israel. The Jewish people have always experienced periods of unification followed by utter distraction that plunged them into the abyss of suffering. On each occasion Israel has valiantly returned from its exiled state to a heightened awareness where people speak more kindly of each other. 

Indeed the Hebrew word for speak is also the plague of pestilence or דבר (DeVeR) the preceded hail or ברד (BaRaD) through a one letter switch that changed the outcome for millions. 

We hate our present state of exile, our suffering, but it reminds us to be aware, to speak more kindly of each other and to anticipate the delicate possibility of redemption. In suffering we suppress our base, emotional instincts to amplify our personal voices and attack others. In good times the status-quo is nice, life is generally good, that's when we can sink to defend our comfort.

We may not like what Ben-Gvir has to say, or how his offensive confronts us and our preference to deny uncomfortable, inconvenient truths about frenemies. Apparently, for some, he promotes suffering and how do we respond? We attack the disrupter of our comfortable beliefs, our status-quo! We protest, amplify our voices, disrupt others and become polarized. Then, redemption dissipates and distraction passes the baton to enemies who are patient, dedicated and poised to dispel their disaster upon us.

A laissez faire approach to Palestinian frenemies, by Israel's elected governments of the past 30 years, resulted in Hamas rising, arming, training and unfortunately exploiting the inconvenient truth. We must wise up, respect each other, focus on security and let Israel's politicians do our tough talking, but we must not let this moment pass, we must demand they do more.

For the honor of those who have fallen and those, 100 days later, who continue suffering the most, we should all endeavor to make Simchat Torah 5784 the beginning of our full and final redemption.

A Judicial Reform Rethink.

Jerusalem

Tel Aviv

75 years is but a fleeting moment for indigenous Israel. The complex nation was formally established more than 3300 years ago and its rituals emanate from ancestors a thousand years before that. Following the Holocaust, over the past 75 years, the instinct for survival inspired some communities to adopt extreme practices like religious isolation or secular assimilation. These emotive responses will dissipate to shape a future that is more true to its origin. Trust between those living at the extremes must be restored in order that the democratically elected representatives obtain the confidence of their electorates to govern authoritatively.

Israel is being besieged by an impassioned people intent on determining their destiny. The political crisis of 2018-2022 felled 5 successive coalition governments each time their ill-fated legislative bills exposed a lack of confidence. Finally the 2022/23 Netanyahu government obtained a sufficient majority to confidently pass legislation. The crisis marked a demographic tipping point, a shift to a more religious, conservative constituency that finally produced the robust majority. It also reflects on Israel's more liberal, less religious constituents who face very uncertain futures.

Hopeless liberals must reconsider their approach and support political personalities that adopt new strategies to win their favor, including from religious liberals. Many liberal bastions in foreign countries have been forced to make similar transitions to the center. However, in Israel the new strength of religious constituents is a dimension that has caused liberal leaders, who are less religious, to panic. How will they win votes from the liberal leaning, less religious constituents to marginalize conservative thinking, orthodox traditionalists? 

Israel is wonderful and miraculous, even the less religious would admit to it. Transforming the nation into a cohesive peace-time unit where people can retain strong, independent views and efficiently function side-by-side is the goal of any democratic society. How Israel will make this transformation could be its' biggest miracle of all!

Israel inherited the abandoned British government framework, it was flawed and immature compared to major democracies. Indigenous to Israel is a long forgotten framework that, more than ever, its' liberal constituents will be inspired to acknowledge and adopt to restore hope and resolve their present political impasse. The State comprises a majority traditional and religious people, but separation of 'Church' and State conflicts with its legislated, religious, orthodox implementation of Biblical-Rabbinic law that exposes societal division. American Reform and Liberal (or US Conservative) Jewish communities have also joined the political struggle for a less-religious Israeli state. 

Presently the Electoral College for Rabbinical representations of each Israeli city is an indigenously inspired institution that was bolted on after the formation of the State of Israel. Inherent in its mix of liberal (minded) and conservative Rabbis, of communities, is their potential and desire to earn more authority, from both political sides of the Jewish constituency. Such a representative achievement, through a single religious institution, would enable these representative Rabbis to gain community-wide authority such that adoption or modification of ancient Talmudic interpretations in Jewish and national law may better unite Jewish society in Israel. 

A modern, national extra-judicial body may be favored to represent societal views, establish customs and interpret or approve new laws that bring its indigenous nation up to date and keep it there. Liberal minded politicians and communities will be inspired and find it necessary to embrace indigenous Israel to advance this authority into the political realm. Through liberal leaning religious leadership they would reach new constituents and obtain political clarity that aligns with Israel's ancient system for a common identity. 

With support of liberal and conservative constituents, Mayors of Israel's cities, the Electoral College for City Rabbis and Religious Minster will become motivated and directed to advance these new representatives into the framework for government, perhaps the equivalent of a senate or upper house. 

Historically a similar authority was vested in a Sanhedrin, but for a political body to achieve the extra-judicial authority of Sanhedrin it would require respect and regard of Jews worldwide. The most religious, Hareidim prefer the status quo, rarely do Hareidi Rabbis compete for electoral representation to Israel’s city’s. However, they do participate in general elections and hold numerous powerful seats in the government. Once the institution of City Rabbis progresses from its present benign character to a more substantive arm of government, no doubt the Hareidim will compete for proportional representation. 

If I leaned left and less religious I would embrace the struggle to liberalize orthodoxy, if I leaned right and more religious I would struggle for religious authority. The Electoral College for City Rabbis is the best venue to politically define a modern, balanced religious authority that would be acceptable to world Jewry, through which religious and secular laws of Israel can ultimately converge so that the Sovereignty of Jewish Israel can be guaranteed and all people represented and governed under one body of law for all.

Can Liberal Rabbi's Return Israel's Left?

American Rabbi's that have impacted Israel

Israel is being besieged by an impassioned people intent on determining their destiny. The political crisis of 2018-2022 felled 5 successive coalition governments each time their ill-fated legislative bills exposed a lack of confidence. Finally the 2022/23 Netanyahu government obtained a sufficient majority to confidently pass legislation. From the void, their latest slew of politically and legislatively inspired judicial reforms have triggered a massive uproar from the opposition. 

The 2018-2022 crisis was the demographic tipping point of Israel's shift to a more religious, conservative constituency that finally produced a robust majority. On the other hand it reflects a dire future for Israel's less religious, liberal constituents, particularly the powerful, more radical, liberal political opponents who face very uncertain futures.

Hopeless liberals, including those from the center must reconsider their approach and support political personalities that adopt new strategies to win their favor, including from religious liberals. Many liberal bastions in foreign countries have been forced to make similar transitions to the center. However, in Israel the new rise of religious constituents is a dimension that has caused liberal leaders, who are generally less religious, to panic. How will they win votes from the liberal leaning, less religious constituents to marginalize conservatives, orthodox traditionalists? 

Israel is wonderful and miraculous place, even the less religious would admit to it. Transforming the nation into a single unit where people can retain strong, independent views and efficiently function side-by-side is the goal of any democratic society. How Israel will make this transformation could be its' biggest miracle of all!

Israel is a State comprising a majority traditional and religious people. It inherited an abandoned, British designed, government framework that is flawed and relatively immature compared to major democracies. Indigenous to Israel is a long forgotten framework that, more than ever, its' liberal constituents will adopt to resolve their present political impasse and restore hope. Separation of Church and State conflicts with Israel’s legislated, orthodox implementation of Biblical-Rabbinic laws and exposes societal division. American Reform and Liberal (or US Conservative) Jewish communities have also joined the struggle for a less-religious Israeli state. 

The Electoral College for Rabbinical representations of each Israeli city is an indigenously inspired institution that was bolted on after the formation of the State of Israel. Inherent in its mix of liberal (minded) and conservative Rabbis, of state-wide communities, is their potential and desire to earn and obtain more authority, from both political sides of Jewish constituencies. Such a representative achievement, through a single body, will enable these Rabbis to gain sufficient authority to modify ancient Talmudic interpretations of Biblical laws that many blame for dividing rather than uniting Jewish society in Israel. 

Judaism's ancient path points to a judicial body that represents societal views, establishes customs and interprets or passes new laws that bring its indigenous nation up to date and keep it there. Politicians and communities will find it necessary to embrace indigenous Israel from within and to modernize and advance this legal authority. Liberal leaning religious leaders will reach new constituents and obtain political clarity that aligns Israel's ancient system for a common identity. 

With support of liberal and conservative constituents, the Electoral College for City Rabbis will be motivated and directed to advance their representatives into the framework for government, perhaps as the equivalent of a senate or upper house. Historically a similar authority was vested in a Sanhedrin, but for a political body to achieve the judicial authority of Sanhedrin it would require respect and regard of Jews worldwide. The most religious, Hareidim prefer the status quo, rarely do Hareidi Rabbis compete for electoral representation to Israel’s city’s. However, they do participate in general elections and hold numerous powerful seats in the government. Once the institution of City Rabbis progresses from its present benign character to a more substantive arm of government, no doubt the Hareidim will compete for proportional representation. 

If I leaned left and less religious I would embrace the struggle to liberalize orthodoxy, if I leaned right and more religious I would struggle for religious authority. The Electoral College for City Rabbis, as modified to include women Rabbis is the best venue to politically define a balanced religious authority. World Jewry would embrace the concept, through which religious and secular laws of Israel will ultimately converge so that the Sovereign Jewish Israel can be governed under one body of law for all.

Government Reform Must Break the Status Quo!

In memory of Asher and Yaakov

Conversing with Israeli's about a one or two state solution can be a minefield. Those who want democracy-for-all are conflicted by the nature of Israel's neighbors, autocrats leading parliaments committed to religious ideologies just like the Palestinian Authority. For the past 16 years the major democracies have granted this Authority a no-election free-pass because its leader, Mahmoud Abbas, risks losing power to even more radical ideologists. 

Israel's' democracy-idealists are further conflicted by the fear they may be uprooted from their beloved homeland by a non-Jewish majority in a hypothetical single democratic state. Their concern is presently reflected in the behavior of the Palestinian Authority who will not tolerate Jewish representation in its government.

With no sign of peace the 40 year status quo is untenable and people on both sides continue to loose life in the tit-for-tat war against terror. Israel's romance with a democratic ideal may become intolerable and increasingly to blame for the ongoing loss of life. One must ask whether Israel's democratic idealists have come to accept loss of Jewish life as collateral in much the same way Muslim terrorists embrace their martyrs? 

The modern view of Israel's Jewish historical democracy is nearly always flawed, ignorant of the facts. Its ancient Jewish democracy was always governed by religious elders that comprised the main body of its legal and enforcement authority. Transfer of authority was autocratic through Semicha, or 'Standing' granted by incumbents to new authoritarians. One of today's arguments for judicial reform, by Israel's present government, is that its Justices have embraced authoritarianism, under a democracy that no longer resembles the indigenous framework that once tolerated it. 

Crosslinking risk to homeland, ongoing terror and the democratic ideal uphold the status quo. Like the well known business triangle, you can get something 'cheap' and 'good', but not 'quick', any two, but three cannot be logically connected. As a result Israeli's are begin to conclude that no-risk to homeland and peace is preferable to the foreign democratic ideal. Social and political change is resulting from Israel's seismic demographic shift. Innovative forms of government will ultimately enable Jewish sovereignty over its homeland and security for people in a government framework that moves the status quo toward a better outcome for all.

Israel's Electoral College presently oversees the periodic election of senior Rabbinical leaders from its hundreds of liberal and conservative communities in cities nationwide. With constituent support it can demand and deliver an elected upper house to Israel's Knesset that will yield two important requirements: 1. Ensure Jewish sovereignty in its system of government and 2. Permit the modernization of some of the nations ancient religious laws. In such a case representatives from any ethnic background may be elected to the lower Knesset, but only Rabbinical leaders may be elected to the upper Knesset where they would authorize bills exclusively introduced and drafted by the lower Knesset. 

The novel combination of this hybrid-authoritarian democracy would enable Israel to offer its aliens permanent residency and after qualifying, ultimately citizenship. This would embrace the majority of people trapped by the corrupted autocrats occupying Israel's land from the Shomron to Gaza under the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. Israel would finally be freed from its two-state quagmire and from the double standards of foreign governments and idealists that hold it to account.