Jewish Agency Special Update (February 29, 2012)

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Jewish Agency Update on Global Jewish Forum in the Wake of Beit Shemesh: Co-Existence
Yesterday we had the honor of joining more than 100 members of our Board of Governors and our professional staff, as well as many activists from various strata of Israeli society, to discuss issues of relationship between Israel’s Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) and mainstream populations, in light of tensions that recently boiled over in the town of Beit Shemesh and due to other recent incidents. The Jewish Agency is committed to confronting the greatest challenges of the Jewish people. It is what we have been doing for generations and what we will continue to do with your support. One of today’s great challenges facing the Jewish people is the question of the future character of Israeli society.

At the forum, organized by the Jewish Agency’s Makom education initiative, we heard from Dr. Neri Horowitz, Israel’s leading expert on Haredim and the modern world, who explained the complexities of the situation. He emphasized that the animosity is rooted in a conflict of visions for what Israeli society should represent in the 21st century. This conflict manifests itself in widespread resentment over government subsidies for Haredi living expenses, the challenges of integrating Haredim into Israel’s modern economy, and the fact that Haredim are not required to serve in Israel’s military forces. From the Haredi perspective, there is a legitimate, heartfelt struggle to reconcile the practical need to embrace secular education and employment with the equally powerful need to remain true to principle and to preserve a tradition that remains an indispensible part of the Jewish story.

Dr. Horowitz shared examples of various pilot projects, including modified options for military service, work training and efforts to encourage Haredim to attend Israel’s secular universities. He said that programs that ultimately succeed in bridging the chasms and increasing understandings are those that are community-based and developed through partnerships. This is exactly what we do. For instance, along with our partners -the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and the Jewish community of South Africa- we are working with local community groups in Beit Shemesh to develop frameworks for dialogue and forums for ‘real world’ collaboration between mainstream and Haredi residents.

At the forum, we also watched a short film, showcasing testimonials from Israeli activists, including secular and Haredim, all of whom spoke of a desire to build bridges, based on mutual respect, in order to protect Israel’s democracy, which we cherish. One of the film’s voices joined us for a town hall meeting, following the screening. The Haredi woman, Naomi Perl, of the Mandel Leadership Institute, spoke about the need to cultivate a ‘new layer’ of Haredi leadership — young people with strong ‘Torah backgrounds’ and a nuanced understanding for where the two societies can successfully intersect. Cultivating leaders is something the Jewish Agency has been doing since 1929.

Shoel Silver, Chair of the Jewish Agency’s Committee on the Unity of the Jewish People was especially poignant, recalling his father’s funeral in Beit Shemesh, where eulogies were given by Knesset member Benny Begin and a Haredi rabbi. He said he truly hopes the fabric of the Jewish collective will “not be buried with [his] parents in Beit Shemesh.”

This is an extremely monumental challenge, for which no simple solution exists. The Torah commands us to ingather our exiles, but it does not tell us how. We must find the way, knowing that reuniting the global Jewish family will be the result of partnerships that are based on the fundamental appreciation of “am Yisrael.” We welcome all concerned voices to the table, and we will empower those with the best ideas and most courage.

Jim Tisch, Chairman of the Board of Governors
Natan Sharansky, Chairman of the Executive

Saturday 18 May, 2013

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