ISRAEL RAMBLES
HAREDIM: TIME FOR A DIVORCE
It is time for Israel
and the Haredim to part ways and for the Haredim to become a part of the future
Palestinian state. The divorce is due to irreconcilable differences but it
could become a win, win, win situation.
The word Haredim is used to describe all the
ultra/fundamentalist/extreme religious Jewish groups whose origins can be
traced back to some form of isolation from mainstream society. The term 'Haredim' is almost exclusively
used to describe 'The Religious' of Israel as it is only in Israel where there
is non-cooperation with the government.
BACKGROUND AND BELIEFS
The Haredim formed in
response to Jewish emancipation and enlightenment in Europe in the late 18th
and 19th centuries. It is therefore a modern invention with many recently
adopted traditions and customs. It is successful because all its forms are
based on excluding the 'outsiders' who live in the modern sinful world. In all
its manifestations, it forms a single fundamentalist cult as it turns myths and
stories into reality.
Haredi rabbis
(leaders) know what they teach is fiction, but justify the use of stories
(mixed in with some history) as it is used to explain inexplicable events or
illustrate a greater truth. This is done to remove the random nature of reality
and infuse it with the guiding hand of God and to present Jews (the 'chosen
people') in a positive light.
As there is little
possibility of meaningful religious discussions with Haredi, there is no need
to know anything more about their history and beliefs. Even though the right of
their beliefs do not have to be defended, the right to their religious beliefs
has to be absolute even if it means they have to get a self governing 'state'.
BEARDS
A noticeable feature
of Haredi men are their beards and Haredim pay a lot of attention to their
beards, which are regarded symbols of virile manliness, wisdom and freedom from
leprosy.
The beards of the
Haredim are no different to the tattoos of Tel Aviv - it is all about
self-image and this is important for both groups. But they offend each other to
a violent degree and should not be forced to travel on the same bus, work
together or interact in any way. (In any case, breakfast-beard is disgusting
and Israeli tattoos pathetic.)
Separation is the only
way to ensure basic human rights for both groups without constant legal
interference.
SPIRITUAL NEEDS
Haredim are a
spiritually needy people. One of the groups which make up the Haredim is the
Hasidim. In 1735 a Polish faith healer, miracle worker, exorcist and amulet
salesman called Israel ben-Eliezer announced it had been revealed to him he is
a baal shem tov - a 'master magician'
and he brought together the various hasidim
('pious ones') and catered to their spiritual needs. There seems to have been a
need for this kind of service and the 'need' spread at an astonishing rate. By the
end his life the Baal Shem Tov had 40 000 needy followers.
This incredible
spiritual need, which can never be satisfied, remain a dominating force among
Haredi. A modern rabbi with 150 followers can get 30 requests for spiritual
comfort a day. It is a psychological illness stemming from a lack of sincere
un-prescribed individual attention starting with parents and then in later
life, spouses.
The Haredim can offer
the world nothing but this need, a thirst that can never be quenched, so it is
best for the entire world if they live in isolation.
RETURN TO THE GHETTO
Moses Mendelssohn
(1729 - 1786) found a way for the Jews to leave the ghetto. He believed they
first had to be ready and willing to leave religiously before they took the
first steps. This necessitated a change of attitude towards Judaism. What he
propagated was a God who left the minds of Jews free as the 'Law' only
concerned itself with morality as it pertains to behavior. This allowed Jews to
leave the ghetto but what they found was a culture where their religious
practices were unacceptable - so those who refused to accept the modern Germany
moved to America and Palestine.
Goebbels tried to make
a propaganda film to show the Jews as primitive and disgusting - adherents of a
religion filled with the superstitious pagan practices of Eastern European peasants
from the Middle Ages. No such Jews were to be found in Germany or Austria -
even poor Jews were highly sophisticated and cultured. In the Prague ghetto, he
found exactly what he was looking for and Jud
Suss became the world's most successful propaganda film.
It cannot be denied, the
Haredim cling to unpalatable practices and customs. They are not acceptable to
Mendelssohn's Jews or the wider world and as there is no chance of them
changing it is best if they go back to the ghetto, where they can protect their
way of living without causing offence.
The Haredim are happy
to do this as they see the separation in religious terms - the same as
separating milk and meat.
'SCHOOLS'
The first new yeshiva (from the Hebrew 'to sit') was
started in Lithuania at the start of the 19th century. It was 'schools' where
ultra-Orthodox students studied in an organized fashion on a large scale. Their
studies were limited to religious subjects as determined by the rabbis who ran
the schools. The spread and success of subsequent 'schools' were based on the
original model which saw students to a large degree separated from their
families and isolated from society. In the 'schools', a nurturing extended
family life, so important to develop self-worth, is replaced by an
authoritarian rabbi who literally has power of life and death. Parental love
and discipline, essential for proper development of responsible freedom, is
replaced by an institution which demands complete subservience and obedience.
Interaction with society, essential for the development of critical thinking,
is replaced by peer pressure.
Today the 'schools'
form the foundation of the entire Haredic culture. To put this in perspective;
it is like having hundreds of Wacos, geared to create thousands of brainwashed
abuse victims in one small country. And it is a country where the majority of
people are completely and very strongly opposed to this form of education.
The situation does not
have a good prognosis. The 'yeshiva boys' walk around with pent up frustration
and massive aggression looking for fights. They push non-Haredi women out of
the way to get on the trains, behave rudely to female tourists and make nasty
comments about women in the IDF. This annoys everyone who has different
customs. Unfortunately, the police protect them and take their side but sooner
or later some female soldier is going to lose it. And if she has a Mini Tavor, there
is going to be a disaster.
It is best to avoid this
scenario.
PUSHING HISTORY
The Haredim believe
they are pushing history forward and they are right. The Haredim are quite
happy to create animosity between them and other Jews and Gentiles. They refuse
to accept Jews as 'Jews' because they are not 'Jewish' enough. The history of
animosity they see as inevitable but it is not acrimonious enough to enable the
split.
The animosity and
separation between Haredim and Reform, between ultra-Orthodox and secular,
should be encouraged to create a new Israeli Judaism.
The majority of
Israelis has their rights as well - it is time they are freed from the
black-boot of Haredic oppression.
LOYALTY TO THE STATE
OF ISRAEL
From the time of the
first Haredim in Palestine in the 1920's, the loyalty of the Haredim has been
suspect. They had all along made their own deals with the Arabs and claim they
can live in peace with the Palestinians if it wasn't for the constant Zionist
provocation. Most likely, they are right.
Without loyalty, they
cannot serve in the military. This is especially true of Haredim attitudes and
expressions after wars when they make themselves guilty of faultfinding to a
treasonous degree. They do this because they need to blame somebody for the
failure of their prayers. A terrible example was the 1973, Yom Kippur War.
Because their prayers failed to keep individuals safe, the Haredim were unable
to see the saving miracle of the war and described it as a calamity brought
about by God as punishment for the sin of the secular Israelis.
It is best Haredim and
other strongly religious people do not serve in the military at all.
IT IS DONE
It is impossible for
the state of Israel to continue to exist with the Haredim as an integral part. As
government after government try to accommodate them, it has become clear
politicians are chasing a unity dream, which no longer has any credibility. The
Haredim never wanted to be part of Israel and they do not want to be a part
now.
A clean divorce
between Israel and the Haredim offers the brightest future for both groups. It
is also one of the few ways to bring about a peace with the Palestinians.
Israel needs to dissociate from the Haredim and allow them to make their own
deal with the Palestinians about the West Bank, Old City and East Jerusalem
settlements. This is something they claim they can do and they should be given
the opportunity - they might even be able to negotiate a return to Gaza. To
deny them the chance, is to infringe on their human rights and treat them as
children.
In such an agreement,
the Haredim can get control over their own affairs in their own 'cantons'. The
Palestinians will be rid of the Zionists. And Israel will be able to lighten
its economical and military load.
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