D’var Torah – Times I am proud of Israel

Written by Writings & Sermons by others — 16 August 2018

There are times that I am very proud of Israel.   A couple of months ago, whilst in Israel meeting Reform communities with whom Alyth aim to build links, I was jogging along the beach promenade from Jaffa to the Port.   Half way through my run I passed three special areas of beach.

What was very special to me is that they were side by side – there was a beach where you could bring your dog – the inspiration for Sunday’s Alyth Dog Walk.  The next was a “modest” beach where Charedi folk who want men and women to bathe separately and keep most of their clothes on can relax in discreet seclusion.  The last beach before I rounded the headland to the Tel Aviv port was the Rainbow beach – especially welcoming to Lesbian Gay and transgender folk, at the time full of mostly male couples.

This was the mutual respect and diversity and live and let live attitude that I love in our Jewish state – and there are so many places where you can find it.   It makes me proud.

Then again I was very proud of Israel last Saturday night.   Rabin Square in Tel Aviv was full of 100,000 Israelis, Jews, Arabs, Druze and others for a rally protesting against the ideology of the Nation State Law, recently passed by the Knesset.   Among those who addressed the rally was a great friend of Alyth synagogue and a Rabbi who represents our values in Israel – Rabbi Ofek Meir, Head of the Leo Baeck Education Center in Haifa.   Next week we will hear from Sara and Omer, final year students there, who are here to be Madrichot at SWAY Days our day camp for young people.

Think for a moment what 100,000 people protesting in Israel means – scale it up to Britain and it is as if 750,000 Britons gathered in Trafalgar Square to protest against the ideology behind a piece of legislation.    Britons have never gathered in such numbers to protest against anything!

What did Rabbi Ofek say?   “We have gathered this evening shoulder to shoulder, loyal citizens and residents from all walks of life at a rally that is entirely out of love for the State of Israel.

The Israeli flags that are carried here in every corner represent to all of us the Jewish-democratic State of Israel, which since its inception has espoused with the flag and the Declaration of Independence the values of Judaism, equality and democracy – the vision of the prophets of Israel.

In Israel, Jews, Arabs, Druze, Circassians, Bedouins and other national minorities live together. This is a constant challenge, both delicate and complex. Emotional and not straightforward. This is our reality. Our fate has bound us together.”

He spoke about how Reform Judaism’s Leo Beack Center in Haifa has ensured that all can be educated together in mutual respect.

“We educate our students that the most important [Jewish] test in Judaism is how the non-Jew feels amongst us, and in the language of the Bible is he really “one of our citizens”!

Hard work and great efforts must be made so that non-Jewish citizens feel at home in Israel.

I believe this is possible! I know it’s possible! This is first and foremost the duty of the Jewish public.

It is our duty to create a society in which the value of equality is our guiding principle. It is one of the most difficult challenges a person can face.

It is not a coincidence that our holy Torah commanded us to love the stranger and treat him with respect -36 times –  more often than any other mitzvah! The reason for this commandment: “for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” is a sensitive issue deeply rooted in the Jewish consciousness.

We are all privy to an important lesson in citizenship, Zionism and Judaism. A lesson in the power of unity, equality and mutual responsibility. A lesson in baseless love, love without any conditions. All these serve as the guiding light for the existence of the State of Israel and an inspiration for all its fundamental laws.”

The Nation State Law they were protesting against lowers the status of Arabic from being one of the official languages of Israel, allows communities to be set up which exclude people of another religion, and challenges the balance of Israel as democratic home of all its citizens and its Jewish character to make a particular right wing vision of its Jewish character predominant.

It does not meet the values of this Synagogue’s Judaism where all are free to define and live their Judaism in a way as meaningful to them as they can, and where we see protection of  the rights of all as being central to the protection of our own rights – whether they be a Niqab wearing Muslim woman or an Israel activist member of the Labour Party.

Israel’s existence is a struggle for a Jewish and democratic state that we can all be proud of.   Reform Judaism’s place in it is more and more to keep it so.  We can be proud of Israel that so many of its citizens will not let her slide away from the principles of her Declaration of Independence and proud that our Judaism is at the centre of protesting against pushing her off that track.