Unity - Is it Real or Fleeting?

World Zionist Congress meeting, L-Rabbi Pesach Lerner (Arutz Sheva)

What unites us is greater than what divides us. This is not the first time I have said this. But I cannot emphasize it enough. When it comes to matters of faith and basic religious practice, observant Jews are pretty much on the same page. We all observe Shabbos and Kashrus - the 2 Mitzvos that  most distinguish us from the rest of society. Observance of those 2 Mitzvos is usually indicative of  being fully observant.

Yes there are significant differences between various groups of observant Jews . Some are merely cosmetic – like the type of clothing we wear. Some differences are in areas of focus. Like Torah study or support of Israel. Some differences  are in how we approach the secular world  in terms of both education and culture. There are some more differences. But in my view all them pale in comparison to the two basic components of faith and observance.

I mention this in light of an op-ed written in Arutz Sheva by Rabbi Avrohom Mostofsky. He is the Eretz HaKodesh (Charedi) delegate to the World Zionist Congress – which recently concluded a meeting in Jerusalem. What stood out for me about his article was the following: 

My father wrote articles years ago, explaining why as a Young Israelite he was vehemently against the term "Modern Orthodox." His entire life he was simply "frum", there was never a need to label it. (The label "Modern Orthodox" has been hijacked by the Open Orthodox anyway, so that it is probably more accurate today to use the term Religious Zionists to describe Mizrachi as well as those frum Diaspora Jews who once called themselves Modern Orthodox - a term Rabbi Soloveitchik also did not use either, ed.) That said, there has always been a difference between the "Yeshiva" community and the more "modern", but not in commitment to Torah. 

That last line is precisely what I meant by ‘What unites us is greater than what divides us.’  Unfortunately you would never know that based on the history of animosity between the Charedi world and Modern Orthodoxy. An animosity that lies in how each side see the modern state of Israel. As noted by Rabbi Mostofsky:

The writer of (an) Arutz 7 Op-ed stated "Up until only a few years ago, the Haredi parties rejected the Zionist Movement and refused to participate in the Congress." That is true, but things have changed. I personally never rejected Zionism, I simply define my Zionism based on haredi Torah views, (while Religious Zionists define their Zionism according to rabbis such as Rabbi Avraham HaCohen Kook, ed.) 

Our members are all unabashedly Zionistic, but we have a different understanding of what that means. We all Love Eretz Yisrael, we pray for her daily, asking for G-d to return us to Zion. We invest in Israel, we visit, our children study there. The biggest Yeshivas are filled with students from our communities. 

Its nice to know that the 2 faction now seem united in precisely the way they should be. As observant Jews they want to honor the very identify of a country that both the Jewish and Christian world knows as the holy land - or as observant Jewry often refers to it, Artzenu HaKedosha - our holy land. 

And I give credit to both sides for (finally) uniting in that common cause. That being said - and as much as I think Israel should in theory be a Halachic state - I do not agree with the idea forcing the issue for reasons that I have stated many times. You don't win adherents to Halacha by force. Force drives them away. But I do appreciate the unity on this issue. And I hope that there can be some progress toward that end that will be acceptable to the secular public.

Unfortunately this unity comes at a price. One that is way too high to pay. No matter how we feel about moving the country in the direction of more holiness. It cannot come at he cost of pursuing the suicidal policies of the extremists that have taken over Religious Zionism. 

Charedim should not be partnering with a faction that sees the late Rabbi Meir Kahane as their spiritual mentor. A party whose leaders have expressed admiration for mass murderers like Baruch Goldstein and assassins like Yigal Amir. A party whose political policies - if ever implemented - would increase the danger to Israel's Jewish populace; create more hardship on Palestinians living on the West Bank; increase world criticism; increase world support for BDS; and endanger the support of the US; Especially members of the Democratic party whose support has already been diluted by the power these extremists have been given by virtue of the last election.

What about the unity that the current political circumstances has provided? I wish I could say it would last beyond the next election. But I fear that it will return to business as usual with each side seeing the other as inauthentic. 

Oh well. It’s nice to see that unity it is at least possible. On the other hand the current unity is probably just an illusion based on expediency.