Last week, scenes of anarchy broke out at two Israeli military facilities. Activists, along with members of the government, broke into and mobbed these bases to protest the army’s investigation of nine soldiers who stand accused of abusing Palestinian detainees (albeit terrorists, and my concern for their well-being is non-existent) in Gaza amid the war there.
Many, including myself, were horrified by these scenes. But then, a day later, public and media attention shifted, understandably, to other dramatic matters: Following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, everyone in Israel began to prepare for (and fear) major retaliation from Iran and its proxies. That is where we remain today, asking ourselves when the attack will come and how bad it will be. Will we all really need to rely on the flashlights and emergency stashes of food and water we have accumulated? Will we suffer more unspeakable loss and lasting trauma?
Adding to the feeling of doom is that we are in the midst of the Nine Days, an auspicious time leading up to the fast day of 9 Av, when we mark the destruction of both Jerusalem temples, which ultimately sent our people into more than 2,000 years of exile, and numerous other times of persecution and crisis.
And yet, I can’t stop thinking about the scenes from the prison riots and the growing trend of extremism among fellow religious Zionist Jews. After all, many in the mob looked like me and my students – guys who wear kippot and tzitzit. Like those in the mob, we, too, are in a state of mourning and anger post-October 7, having lost over 40 alumni and members of the Ohr Torah Stone family over the past 10 months. Furthermore, several MKs who called on their supporters to attend these mob events, with at least three lawmakers themselves showing up, have been among those who would have drawn votes from communities like ours due to their commitment to defend the country and ensure a strong Jewish identity.
Smotrich's brand of extremism
In another shocking instance of such extremism this week, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza may be justified even if it causes the deaths of the two million civilians. Such comments must draw swift condemnation for they are against the mandate of halacha (Jewish law). Sources in Jewish law, including Talmud Gittin 61a, the Rambam (Maimonides) in Mishneh Torah, and Rabbi Yosef Karo in the Shulhan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) are crystal clear that we have a responsibility to help civilians who are hungry, Jews or otherwise. So, how can Smotrich make such a statement? Similar actions and extremist hateful rhetoric have been brewing for months or years, and too many of us religious leaders and educators have failed to condemn them.
For months, there has been an increase in Jewish Israeli residents of Judea and Samaria acting violently against local Palestinians – ransacking villages, damaging property, and beating up residents, often with the support of right-wing politicians. At this year’s annual Jerusalem Day celebrations, marking Israel’s victory in the 1967 Six Day War, some Jewish extremists marched through the Muslim quarter in the Old City, chanting “Death to Arabs.”
All of these incidents and behavior patterns, which reflect disrespect for the rule of law and an inability to acknowledge the diversity of people and viewpoints in our country, are threatening Israel’s future. It tarnishes the soul of our people. I am saddened to see us act in this fashion against others and, especially, Jews vs. Jews, at a time when external enemies are massing at the border.
Especially now, while the threat of our enemies today feels so palpable, we must not lose sight of ourselves and of who we are as Am Yisrael. We hear about it every year, but this year especially, we must remember that one of the main reasons the Temples were destroyed was due to internal hate and strife among ourselves.
Have we not learned anything over the past 2,000 years? Have we not learned anything from the Tisha B’Av experience?
Fasting and following other religious traditions are meaningful only if they propel us to engage in actions that are consistent with our core principles and beliefs. National leaders, as well as community and educational leaders, especially in the Jewish religious school system, need to condemn behavior that is counter to our values.
BEYOND THAT, we also need to encourage the development of the tools and mindset needed to live with the differences and challenges in Israeli society. We need to balance respect for others, including haredim, as well as Muslim and Arab citizens, strengthening each person’s or community’s individual identity.
This includes practices like Jews attending the funerals of Druze, Muslim, and Christian fallen IDF soldiers and terror victims and making room for those communities to pursue their religions and cultures peacefully. We need to figure out a way, based on respect and tolerance, to work with the haredi community to ensure they are mainstreamed into aspects of Israeli society that they are comfortable with.
This is not an easy task. It also needs to be done while acknowledging the deep pain and fear throughout our society. But we must take this on; it is the only way to thrive as a Jewish and democratic country, especially as we face serious external threats. The scenes at the military prisons, the hateful words of politicians, and the violence among Jews should not define us; rather, they should be a wake-up call. Israel has faced many obstacles in its history, and its survival and advancement have always hinged on unity and respect for the law.
The writer, a rabbi, is president and rosh yeshiva of Ohr Torah Stone.