Once again I am indebted to Menachem Lipkin for pointing me in the direction of part two in a series of articles by Dr. Nathan Lopes Cardozo. I’m not sure I agree with every jot and tittle in this article but it does ‘speak to me’. I think he has a pretty clear vision of the realities of life in the Jewish State. If things continue as they are it can result in a future that is less than ideal, to put it mildly. Here is an excerpt:
Part of the problem of the secular community is that university studies, especially in the humanity departments, (perhaps unknowingly?), add to this problem and in fact encourage it. Many, although definitely not all, of the studies offered create a weltanschaaung which encourages young students to abandon the notion of self sacrifice, love for the country and, even more so, of Jewish values.
This is, to a great extent, due to “Postmodernism” theories in which we find notions that argue that everybody should do what they like and that love for one’s fellow man, sacrificing oneself for one’s country or personal beliefs are problematic and to be questioned. Like with many studies in modern philosophies, young students are not yet able to differentiate between theoretical discussion and practical application and actually believe that society can continue to prosper without sacrifice and unselfishness.
Still, history proves that it cannot but, before the young generation and some of their teachers will realize this, much irreparable damage will already have been done. As such we must realize that “draft dodging” is directly related to what happens in the halls of some of the Israeli Universities and High Schools. (Even the argument of refusing to serve in the so called “territories” is linked to this.)
Strangely enough, the consequences of all this will find unusual bedfellows within the chareidi Community. While not exactly interested in postmodernism as a justification for draft dodging, a chareidi led government would prefer to cancel such secular studies for its own reasons: Heresy. After all, a chareidi led government will object to all attempts to undermine Jewish religious beliefs. It may even try and succeed in outlawing most studies in the humanity departments of the universities.
However this would correctly be seen as a kind of Israeli dictatorship and consequently many bright young people will leave the country, together with some of Israel’s most intellectual teachers, to study and teach elsewhere. No doubt this will create unprecedented animosity towards Judaism and drive many more out of the Israeli State.
As a result, the chareidi government will become continually stronger but, at the same time, will destroy the image of Judaism. As such, it will advance a situation in complete contradiction to its intent i.e. more respect for Judaism and Jewish values. Judaism will be seen as a backward religion, scared to its bones of any intellectual challenge and becoming more or less irrelevant to most Jews in the world. Judaism will join the ranks of other fundamentalist religions and, as we will argue later, lose its very spirit for open debate and great intellectual and spiritual depth.
The full article is here.
