Giving Credit When it is Due

Israeli Health Minister, Rabbi Ya'akov Litzman (far right - Mishpacha)

I had no idea that Israel’s Minister of Health was an American. Rabbi Ya’akov Litzman is a controversial individual and has had his share of criticism. Much of it well deserved. He is a Gerrer Chasid and member of the Agudat Yisroel Party, the Chasidic faction of UTJ which represents Charedi community. The one feature that unites (as well as divides) the Charedi factions is their subservience to their religious leaders.

What makes this Keneset member different from any of his Charedi Keneset colleagues is that - to the best of my knowledge - he is the only one raised in America. According to a Mishpacha Magazine article - he was educated in Beis HaTalmud, a Yeshiva in Brooklyn.  

It is true that Beis HaTalmud is about as Charedi as a Yeshiva can get in the US. But it is not Chasidic. At 71 years of age, he is a contemporary of mine and he surely had the relatively decent secular education common those days even in the most right wing Yeshivos.

I have no idea how he ended up in Israel - eventually making Aliyah. But once there he somehow gravitated to the Gerrer Rebbe of that day  (the Beis Yisroel) and became a companion of sorts to him.

Fast forward to today. He is now the Health Minister and it is under his watch that Israel is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Litzman has been in constant contact with epidemiologists  and the World Health Organization (WHO). And practically from the very beginning - has been following their guidance to the letter. Which is why, it seems, that Israel is currently ahead of the curve (for now). The country is under mandatory self isolation by order of the Health Ministry. Litzman has apparently been working 24/7  - including on Shabbos - doing whatever he can to keep this virus at bay.

When he was asked about the comments one rabbinic leader made about not closing down the Yeshivos during this crisis, he repeated that he is following the guidelines of the medical establishment and WHO. Yeshivos were ordered closed. I have heard that some smaller renegade Yeshivos have remained open. But if I understand correctly all the big mainstream Yeshivos are closed.

I have to believe that his American education has influenced his decision to treat this pandemic with the seriousness it deserves. That may be one reason he was tapped to be the Health Minster despite the fact that he is part of a political party that is seen by many as serving only their own constituency’s interests. I recall not that long ago reading that he was widely praised for his leadership in the Health Ministry - having responded to the health needs of all Israelis well before anyone ever heard of COVID-19.

I realize he has been in the media a lot recently in negative ways. But I don’t think now is the time to bring this up. I believe in giving credit where it is due. And in the case, it seems that 71 year old Rabbi Ya’akov Litzman has more than risen to the occasion. And I believe the nation should be grateful.