Friday, February 06, 2009

The Jewish Home Party: A Lesson In Hypocrisy

Erev Shabbath Qodesh Parshath Beshalah 5769

Unity and education appear to be at the top of the Jewish Home Party's list of priorities. This party's ideas regarding unity and education are exactly why you should not vote for them. In actuality, it is not unifying nor educating anyone.

Unity

MK Zevulun Orlev
has accused the National Union of causing disunity and breaking apart the Religious Zionist camp. This claim was based on the resignations of factions from the nacent Jewish Home Party. MK Aryeh Eldad had already left to join HaTikvah. Later, Moledet and finally Tequmah left the party. (And, of course, no mention was ever made regarding Effie Eitom's Ach"i Party breaking away and joining up with the Likud.)

When the Jewish Home Party announced its list of candidates for Kenesseth, it was obvious that something was not kosher. Granted, the number 3 position was given to Tequmah's Uri Ariel, yet the next spot reserved for a Tequmah member was number 12. Worse yet, Moledet Party head Rabbi MK Benny Elon was "granted" spot number 17!

Which party in history has ever had such disparity amongst its equal faction partners? None.

Now you know why the Tequmah and Moledet factions took their leave.

Remember it was the National Religious Party [NRP] which was absorbed into the National Union, not vice-versa. NRP head Orlev was given a top level spot. MK's Smolienski and Yahalom were treated to spots higher than number 12. They had no complaints. Yet, how is it that the NRP gets away with shoving "equal" partners Tequmah and Moledet down to numbers 12 and 17?

Tequmah, Moledet (which includes some religious and traditional members), the Land Of Israel Is Ours, and HaTikvah factions are the unifying forces, bringing together religious, traditional, secular, and some Haredi Jews. The National Religious Party attempted the same thing (having the audacity to continue calling itself the National "Religious" Party), but failed miserably. The only Jews the National Union left out were the wishy-washy ones who refuse to address the increasing number of conflicts between Torah and Israeli law. Even so, they might have stuck with the Jewish Home Party, if their unfair treatment by the NRP chronies had not been so blatant. Look at the National Union list. It is relatively diverse. Now, look at the Jewish Home Party list. They are all clones. (Even four of the top ten on the list have mustaches!)

Now you tell me, which of these two parties is more reflective of the diverse population which is the nationalist camp, and the supporters of unity?

Here's the cover of this week's edition of the Religious Zionist [Hebrew] newspaper b'Sheva.

HershkovitzYou know the old adage "A picture is worth a thousand words," right? Unfortunately, this reduced image of Rabbi Daniel Hershkovitz (Jewish Home) and Ya'akov Ka"tz (National Union) does not do justice to the sour face on Hershkovitz, easily apparent to all on the actual cover. How he allowed them to use this photo, in the age of digital "easy redo" cameras, I'll never know, unless he wants us to know that he doesn't really want to be there.

So much for "unity."


Education
Education At The Top

"Education is at the top of the list, as it is the most agreed-upon uniting common denominator of the multi-faceted religious-Zionist public and the broad traditionalist public.”
Translation: pluralism. Where is pluralism to be found in the Torah? Nowhere. For that matter, neither is undying loyalty to the "almighty" State found in the Torah, especially when the State passes laws contradictory to Torah Law.

That doesn't seem to matter to the so-called Jewish Home Party. How can it be Jewish without a clear allegiance to Torah over apikoursuth (gross distortions in Jewish belief) and kefirah (denial of various aspects of Jewish belief)? How can it be a home without Torah?

There is a mahloqeth (disagreement) in the Torah Zionist community. Is such undying State-loyalism amongst so-called Torah-observant Jews avodah zarah (foreign/inappropriate worship), like that of the Golden Calf, or just plain ol' fascism?

Take your pick. Either way, it's what the recycled National Religious Party (Jewish Home) supports in the so-called state religious schools. (Sounds like a contradiction to me....)

It's no wonder why members of the Torah Zionist community are sending more and more of their children to state religiou "Torani" schools, semi-private schools, and Haredi schools, such as Zilberman's, Sha"s, the Bostoner Talmud Torah, and others.

So much for "education."

Conclusion

More and more, religious Jews just aren't buying the State's agenda for them.

Years ago, Arutz 7 (Israel National Radio) was founded, as it was clear that Israeli State operated radio stations were insufficient for religious communities.

More and more, religious Jews have been waking up to the fact that what the State has in mind for us in other areas of life, such as diplomatic policy, "Israeli" Arab policy, army service, and public education are not sufficient for us either.

We are no longer willing to remain "numbed-out" and accept the status quo, which no matter how you slice it or call it, is exactly what the Jewish Home Party wants to maintain.

MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union) is right. The Jewish Home Party is just the Kadima Party with a kippah.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here's the cover of this week's edition of the Religious Zionist [Hebrew] newspaper b'Sheva.

You know the old adage "A picture is worth a thousand words," right?

---------------------------------

Intentionally cropped out of the right side of the picture by A7 is Moshe Feiglin.

Esser Agaroth said...

Interesting....

Hadassa DeYoung said...

Shalom!
Feiglin's picture was cropped out because the point of the article is that our choice is between the National Union and the Jewish Home. The Likud isn't an option for anyone who cares about Israel. I don't remember exactly what B'Sheva's opinion of Manhigut Yehudit is, but they've never been wishy-washy about it, and they've never avoided discussion/debate about it.
We should remember Rabbi Benny Elon won the top slot in the online elections, that were totally disregarded. In light of that, placing R. Elon as number 17 is especially insulting.
Does anyone remember the saying "There are people who would vote for the Mafdal if they ran a cat in the first spot"? I think that they're voting Jewish Home this year.
Ben-Yehudah, I compliment your choice of title. I'm very happy that we're not going to see a repeat of the NU bailing out the NRP like they did in the last election. What were they thinking?
Hadassa DeYoung, K'far Darom/Elon Moreh

Anonymous said...

Uri DeYoung said...

The Likud isn't an option for anyone who cares about Israel.
-----------------------------------

It is precisely the opposite, as you will realize - if you haven't yet - that NU and all of its predecessors have passed away on the heap of political impotence, sitting uselessly in opposition.

But let's keep on banging our collective heads against the wall. Perhaps it deadens the pain or makes the blurring of our peception of reality more palitable.

Hadassa DeYoung said...

Shy Guy,
What is better: to be not very powerful, but to do a bit of good or to be very powerful and do a lot of evil?
The Likud is NOT good for Jews and NOT good for Israel. What point is there in voting for a party that will be in the coalition only to do harm?
Hadassa

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