Enough with the Irrigation System
Enough With Cherry Tomatoes and Drip Irrigation: Let’s Take a new stance on Israel – post election 2022
By Shimon Smith
Good morning Israel – you have a new government!
When Israel’s President Isaac Herzog recently acknowledged concerns over far-right parties rising to power, but said that Israel-Diaspora ties can weather it, I say no.
We cannot weather it and should not weather it – we should face it head on with everything on the table.
This morning is scary, and quite nerve-wracking. In a few days, Benjamin Netanyahu will begin negotiations to establish the most right-wing-halachically observant government Israel has ever had. This is a fact we cannot dispute – this is the government and the Knesset that Israel democratically elected and we of course have to accept it. But we do not have to be happy about it. We don’t have to brush over it and say let’s weather this and this will pass. Extremism will not pass unless people take a stand.
It’s OK to disagree with someone you love. It’s ok to disagree with Israel’s government and still love Israel. But simply disagreeing is not enough. We can and should take a stand and make our voices heard. How can we do that from abroad? Yelling on social media, while may be comforting, is definitely not the way.
As an Israeli-American, who’s talked and taught about Israel all of his life, I’d like to point out that the way we talked about Israel up until only a few years ago – needed and still needs a serious revamp. The “Let’s focus on the good” approach, while well intentioned, inadvertently hides what is really going on, and severely lacks nuance.
For the pluralistic Jew, they are less and less welcome in the Jewish landscape, the Israeli ultra-orthodox don’t recognize their Jewishness, the Egalitarian section of the Kotel is not being built, and the “contemporary” secular Israelis often consider themselves more Israeli then Jewish.
Which brings me to the common Israeli, who is moving further and further away from Judaism – I’m not talking about prayer and ritual, but Jewish values. The values of Tikkun Olam and ואהבת לרעך כמוך – (Ve’Ahavta LeReAcha Kamocha) “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). We have reached a point that sometimes just by mentioning these quotes from the Torah in a Hebrew speaking public school in Israel, will cause a parent to complain that teachers are trying to turn their kids to being more religious. Why is this you might ask? Quite simply, the common secular Israeli is not aware that there exists another way to be Jewish. But there are now many places in Israel where this is different, in Modi’in for example – Rabbi Nir Barkin and the Yozma Reform congregation have been making a real difference for years, with their kindergartens and after school programs kids and families know that one can live as an active and religious Jew without necessarily being Orthodox. The same goes for Rabbi Galit Cohen-Kedem in Holon, does wonders for the community and now has an elementary school dedicated to Progressive Jewish programing. Rabbis Meir Azari and Galia Sadan in Tel Aviv – who have a wonderful outreach program to all of the second graders in town who come to Beit Daniel to have a Torah consecration ceremony each year. Rabbi Or Zohar who created a Reform community in the Galilee. I could go on and about the many wonderful projects – that more and more are seeking out in Israel. The struggles are real for them as well. Like Rabbi Rinat Zefania’s congregation in Shoham, who after years, finally collected enough money to build their own congregation, or Rabbi Ayala Ronen Samuels in Caesaria who also struggled for the right to build a building.
To me, these stories are essential to Israel’s future, and the more successes we have as a Movement, Israel becomes a better place. That is the Israel I know and love, but sadly many in Israel don’t. In the Israel I know, love, and envision, a child is born to love their neighbor and to wish for their success. They learn that people are different, and that Jewish values can be a source of inspiration. It reminds me of what we teach our students here at Temple Emanuel of Westfield, NJ – where I am currently serving – to embrace their Jewish identity, that there is such a thing as Israeli-Jewish, not just Israeli.
Let me be frank with you my fellow Progressive and Reform Jews – Bibi does not like you. Smotrich and Ben Gvir not only do not like you, they are afraid of you. When Smotrich says as part of his victory speech that he wants to make Israel more Jewish – he is not talking about the Arabs, he doesn’t much care about them – but talking directly to Reform and Progressive Jews. He’s hoping that the 14% of Israelis who now consider themselves affiliated with the Liberal Jewish movements to lose interest and realize there is only one way to be Jewish. He’s hoping that the 70% of us who are religiously progressive, listen to Israel’s President and not overreact, not be hysterical, and act like everything is ok.
So, how can I disagree with Israeli policy, yet keep the conversation going? How can I show my support while not approving of what is happening? The answer is simple in my mind. It time to yell and scream, and ask reaching out to us saying where are you? I hope we will finally listen. Israel needs our help, but the struggle is no longer just about security. The struggle is within. There are people trying to make Israel a better place and they are the ones who need and deserve our support. How can Israel make a peaceful solution with its neighbors when there is so much hate within? What more needs to happen for all Progressive Jews to join with our Israeli partners to create a home for ALL Jews? In order to have strong, progressive, and pluralistic communities in Israel we have to keep building, to keep supporting. The support from here (North America) is everything. That’s where every dollar should go, that’s where we should visit when we go there, and those are the success stories we should amplify. Enough about Israel’s cherry tomatoes, drip-irrigation system, and the Start-Up nation. Start amplifying common values. We can and need to be proud of the progress being made. But so much more needs to be done.
We need to take a new stance on Israel in 5783/2023 and beyond – start supporting our values – start seeking out those who hold them dear.
These elections were hard for me, in fact they were the first ones in 20 years I couldn’t vote because I’m abroad. We moved here after our daughter was born to be closer to my wife’s family, but the Israel I love is on my mind every day.
Shimon Smith moved to Israel from New Jersey when he was 5 years-old. He served as an officer in the IDF, served as a shaliach in the USA for two years – and became very active in the Israeli Reform Movement – working for Pluralistic change within Israel. Shimon recently moved to Cranford, NJ with his wife Rebecca and daughter, and serves as cantorial soloist for Temple Emanuel in Westfield, NJ.