Israeli Politics

As we leave the month of Av, there is one thing I need to get off my chest. During the Nine Days, Tish’ah B’Av, and even afterwards, I watched many videos that focused on the challenges we are currently facing. These were all amazing productions, and I thank each and every one who was involved in bringing these projects to life.

I have spoken in over 500 Jewish communities in the United States and Canada and love the Q&A session that follows my presentation. This is where people get to ask what is truly bothering and/or confusing them. Once – at a hotel in the Catskills – a young woman gave an introduction to her question by asking a pre-question: “Is it okay if I ask something that might offend you?” My answer was simple and to the point; “Of course you can. Ask whatever you want. But is it okay if my answer offends you?” She decided not to ask her question. Oh, man! I was actually looking forward to that one.

A friend of mine, visiting from New York, came to my shul on Shabbos and asked where our rabbi was. Innocently, and without giving it any thought, I answered that he is in “miluim” (IDF reserves). Like tens of thousands of Israeli men, he is part of the war being fought against evil. What blew my mind was my friend’s comment – which I was not expecting. “He is in the army now? That’s funny… My rabbi from New York is in a bungalow colony in the Catskills with his family. Pretty big difference!”

I live in Herzliya, and every time I enter the city, I feel ashamed by the gigantic sign that has been posted at the entrance. It’s a quote from Golda Meir from the 1970s, when she said, “Israel has a secret weapon – We have nowhere else to go!” Why do I cringe every time I see that sign? I’ll answer that in a minute, but first let me tell you that I have the same feelings when I hear the famous song, “Ein lanu eretz acheret” (We have no other land). Here’s why:

Everybody knows that arguments within families are the hardest ones to resolve. More often than not, disputes regarding inheritance cause irreparable damage. How sad that brothers stop talking, cousins never get to know each other, and families are literally broken apart.

The news has been devastating. Each morning, as we open our computers or turn on the radio, we hear five names, eight names, 11 names…from Jerusalem, Pardes Chana, Karnei Shomron, Ra’anana, Beit El – all young men whose lives ended before they even began.