Prof. Ruth Gavison: A legal giant and a born mensch
Prof. Gavison, or “Rutie” as she insisted, was a brilliant legal scholar whose reach and dimension I could only sense, since her incisive scholarship was well beyond the scope of my comprehension.
By JOEL H. GOLOVENSKYRUTH GAVISON attends a discussion on the ‘Jewish state’ bill, in the Knesset. (photo credit: MIRIAM ALSTER/FLASH90)
I had the privilege over the past 15 years of working intermittently with Ruth Gavison, a professor of law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.Prof. Gavison, or “Rutie” as she insisted, was a brilliant legal scholar whose reach and dimension I could only sense, since her incisive scholarship was well beyond the scope of my comprehension.Rutie was an eminent civil libertarian who had the unique ability to understand the perception and weltanschauung of others. As president of the Institute for Zionist Strategies, I had the privilege and pleasure of working with her on different projects, including on our draft of the Constitution for the State of Israel and on our draft Basic Law-Israel: The Nation-State of the Jewish People.Rutie had differences with both. But this did not stop or even impede her in improving the text, pointing to problems from our point of view, and sharpening the focus of our efforts. She eschewed all public recognition, not because of her personal views on the subjects but because of her innate and pervasive modesty.Of course, Rutie's work with the Institute for Zionist Strategies was only a faint shadow of her efforts with the great Torah leader and scholar, Harav Yaakov Meidan, which resulted in their monumental work on religion and state. This crucial instrument, which I believe will yet form the basis for a new and healthier refinement of the Jewish state, is remarkable in itself and remarkable also because it demonstrated how unmatched and strongly principled giants can reach an understanding when each interlocutor has the greatness to understand the essence of the views and approach of the other.Rutie was a central authority and advocate for the Zionist mission and purpose of Israel and of its legitimacy from every perspective, including and especially from her liberal orientation.Rutie would not feel comfortable with an extensive discussion of her virtues and so I will end here.But Israel as a state, nation and people will severely miss this unparalleled neches – national asset.Those who knew her will miss her energy, verve, originality, charm, empathy and optimistic approach to all challenges.The writer practices law in Israel and the US, and is the founding president of the Institute for Zionist Strategies, which originated and helped draft the new Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People.
