Two Issues: The Kotel and Israel's Security Needs

Image taken from the JC

I have had my differences with Orthodox Jewish feminist, Shoshanna Keats Jaskoll. Some of them pretty strong. But I am very pleased to report that on the issue of pluralism at the Kotel and understanding the issues underlying Israel’s security needs, we are in complete agreement.

Those who read this blog regularly know that I am opposed (for reasons beyond the scope of this post) to current efforts by heterodox rabbis to gain official recognition by the State of Israel. 

And yet despite my beliefs about their lack of legitimacy - for purposes of avoiding conflict I was in favor of a compromise giving them a separate portion of the Kotel for their own purposes. A bill in a Kenesset about that was voted upon and approved by the Kenesset - unopposed by the Charedi parties. That would have left the current Kotel Plaza alone allowing it to remain with its current traditional practices.

However, when it was revealed that this compromise included at least tacit Orthodox recognition of Heterodoxy by default, it became vigorously fought by the Charedi factions who felt they were misled. The bill was then tabled for further review before implementation. That is how things stand now, if I understand correctly. Heterodox rabbis are now crying ‘fowl’ with a not so subtle threat of retaliation in the form of Israel losing their support.

This is where Shoshanna comes in. She makes the case that there is a fundamental misunderstanding between the 2 communities of Israeli Jews and Diaspora Jews  - 90% of whom are not Orthodox. From the JC - here is what she says: 

There is an unprecedented crisis between Israel and the Jewish diaspora. The reason is ... assimilation and more and more Jews...don’t care about their Judaism and don’t care about Israel.”

(There) is a simple yet tragic lack of recognition that we come from very different perspectives and an inability to see the issues from the other’s point of view.

Israeli Jews and diaspora Jews lead intensely different lives, with intensely different influences and priorities. The major chasms come from these unique points of view and the environments in which they take shape.

For most (Israelis) what matters is that it is in our hands and Jews can go there whenever they choose. Most don’t go, but when they do, they aren’t bothered by the gender-segregated prayer, the traditional way Jews have prayed since Temple times…

For most Israelis, prayer at the Kotel should be done according to tradition and those who use it most — the Orthodox.  

Mrs. Keats Jaskoll practically took the words right out of my mouth. It’s a pleasure to agree with someone whose views on many Jewish topics are to the left of my own.

The issue of peace and security too is an issue where our perspectives coincide. We are in total agreement about Israel’s security needs and the lack of understanding most Diaspora Jews have about it. Here again is how Shoshanna puts it: 

(D)iaspora Jews get their news from mainstream media, which often does not cover the complete story, or worse, from social media or college campuses where the apartheid narrative thrives. Without easy access to accurate news, and lacking historical knowledge of the conflict, many US Jews fall prey to the intense lobbying of anti-Israel groups...

(T)he black and white language of intersectionality and social justice which link everyone with less power as good and those with more power as bad. This measuring stick necessarily puts Palestinians as the oppressed and Israel as the oppressor. Thus, for many in the diaspora, their Jewish values of morality put them in direct conflict with Israel, the “oppressor”.  

Once again, Mrs. Keats Jaskoll practically takes the words right out of my mouth.

My only quibble is that by referring to us as Diaspora Jews - she did not distinguish between Orthodox Jews and non Orthodox Jews. Most of the 10% of Diaspora Jews that are Orthodox  would agree with her on both scores. Even though we don’t live there. Most of us understand the issues exactly the way she does. It is the 90% who are not Orthodox and generally do not consider their Judaism the primary focus of their lives that are ignorant of the realities she describes. But she is right about that 90%.

They do not have the understanding of Orthodox Jews here -  nor do they live in Israel. Which would make them more acutely aware of the real issues. And since their focus on the ethics and morality is  governed more by the general culture than it is by Judaism  their views about what is right and wrong in Israel are grossly misinformed.

I believe that Mrs. Jaskoll got this exactly right. And I’m happy to agree with her about it.