Fully 22 percent of all first graders now in the state of Israel are Charedim.
Can the present demographic growth and future demographic victory by Charedim be attributed in any way to the State of Israel? Or is it in spite of the state and only by force of their sheer will and determination that they have succeeded in building their numbers to such unprecedented levels?
In my view no Charedi victory of the current magnitude could have ever taken place without the help of the very state they so strongly condemn.
This seems obvious to me from several perspectives. Not the least of which is the fact that the modern state of Israel has provided the necessary infrastructure to allow modern man to live a civilized way. Whether it is the roads or modern era plumbing, or a viable economic structure that provides goods and services to this community, there is no doubt in my mind that the demographic would be entirely different if these very basic human needs weren’t taken care of by the state. The secular state of Israel has built a country that is user friendly to western civilized man. We should all recognize that simple fact no matter what position one takes with respect to the Medina. But as this article in Ha’aretz points out, it is more than that.
It is through the full participation in its democratic institutions that it has achieved what it has today. By voting in elections, creating a politial party, and putting up candidates they not only recognized the state they are integral part of it. And they have become experts in the abilty to fund their institutions and achieve a great many other of their goals through the politocal process. And as I said in an earlier post it is only a matter of time before they completely control the reins of power. What ever criticisms one has of the Charedi world they deserve credit for knowing the system and participating in it.
This brings me to Satmar. They refuse to participate in any way. Satmar, as is well known, does not take any funding from the government. And they don’t participate in elections in any way.
Refusing government funds may be a laudable position for those who so strongly condemn it. In fact I have heard it argued many times by those who are critical of Charedim for taking government funds with one hand and condemning it with the other, that at least Satmar stands by its principles. They condemn the state and do not take any financial benefits from it.
But is that really so? By living in a state that provides the infrastructure they use on a daily basis, are they not benefiting? Does the clean running tap water not quench their thirst? Does not the government subsidized mass transit system get them to where they want to go? Are they not protected by the Israeli defense forces?
It isn’t only about taking cash. It is about the obvious benefits of living in a modern civilization that the state of Israel provides to them. And they owe Hakoras Hatov for that. I think it is fairly safe to say that it will be a cold day in August if that ever happens.
What is so frustrating about that is the huge successes and growth this community has had. They act like they live on a different planet... as though there were no Israel at all… yet they continue to grow and benefit.
No where is that better demonstrated than in the recent ‘victory’ tour by Rabbi Aaron Teitlebaum, the self proclaimed Satmar Rebbe. He has taken the initiative to go to Israel and present himself as the Satmar Rebbe. And he apparently was seen that way by the crowds. Perhaps that was his real goal I don’t know. But his stated goal was to proclaim victory over the secularists by the symbolic purchase of the Edison Theater and turning it into new Chassidic housing project and educational center.
If they were really true to their ideals of not benefiting from the government, they should create their own roads, their own sewer system, their own mass transit, their own sources of water, and their own army… as well as the many other benefits they get. By tapping into the government provided resources it gives lie to their claims that they do not benefit from the Medina. They most certainly do. And this new complex will surely be taping into the government infrastructure. I’m pretty sure that it will contain many of the finest available Israeli made products.
Wouldn’t it be nice to just once hear an acknowledgement of that from them?
I have made this criticism about Charedim in the past too. They certainly do not express anywhere near the Hakoras HaTov that they should. But at least they do participate in the system and what they have achieved, they have achieved through a democratic process in which they fully participate.
