A Leading member of the Jewish Home party says the question is: Do we join a gov’t that makes Land of Israel concessions and offers us the Education Ministry?

Susie Dym of the grassroots Mattot Arim (literally: City Action Committees) organization has sent a series of questions to the 84 Knesset candidates of the in-formation Jewish Home party – or to as many as she could contact. “The party itself should be sending them these questions,” she says, “or at least it should be providing those of us who are interested with their contact information so that we can ask them.”

Leading rabbis and educators – a group of whom met outside Jerusalem last night – and others in the religious-nationalist public are concerned that the list of party candidates will not reflect total loyalty to the Land of Israel. Recent statements by party chairman Rabbi Dr. Daniel Herskowitz, and indications that the list of candidates to be chosen will not favor their positions, have caused much concern among the pro-Land of Israel camp. A decision has been made to break off from the party if pro-Land forces do not receive three of the next four slots in the list following Herskowitz.

Internet voting at <www.111.org.il> ends at 7 PM Sunday night.

The questions asked by Mattot Arim are:

* Are you for/against/undecided regarding a Palestinian state?

* Are you for/against/undecided regarding a withdrawal from any part of Judea and Samaria?

* Are you for/against/undecided regarding a transfer of security authorities in Judea and Samaria to the Palestinians?

* Are you for/against/undecided regarding the uprooting of communities and outposts in Yesha?

* Are you for/against/undecided regarding freedom of the party’s MKs to vote as they wish on the above issues?

Among those who responded “against” on all the above were: Rabbis Chaim Ratig, Miro Dayan, Hillel Horowitz and Ophir Cohen, Uri Bank, Danny Dayan, Adi Mintz, Benny Elon, Orit Strook, Rachel Silvetsky, Tzachi Fenton, Edmond Hasin, Lior Kalfa, Yonatan Pachifizi, Elchanan Glatt, Chaim Falk, Alex Epstein, Aharon Atias, Ronen Shoval, Avi Ratt, and Uri Pinsky.

Rabbi Yuval Cherlow, a member of the party’s Public Committee that will choose the candidates, also received the letter, and answered in depth – not to Mattot Arim’s liking. Excerpts from his response:

“When I was asked to serve on the Committee, I understand that we would try to put together a list of people representing the various viewpoints in religious Zionism. I knew that in this framework, I would support worthy candidates whose views were far from mine… However, I was surprised to find that there are those who are acting simply to promote their own candidates. Under such circumstances, we will not succeed, and I am not optimistic for the future. Personally, I would not have joined the Committee had I known this…

“It can be assumed that almost all of the candidates would say that they oppose withdrawals, a Palestinian state, etc. But this is merely an ideological stance, not a political one. The correct political question is: When we are offered the chance to receive the Education Ministry and join a government that will conduct negotiations on Judea and Samaria that will include the transfer of security authorities and maybe even the uprooting of outposts and communities, should we agree or not?

“This is the basic question that divides us. Some of us say no categorically, while others say that together with our loyalty to the Land of Israel, we are no less loyal to other issues, such as education, and that in politics you can’t have everything…

“The clear mandate that our Committee received in compiling the list was that Education is First! This means that we must compile a list that will not place the Land of Israel as our only necessary achievement.”

“As far as giving the MKs ‘freedom to vote their conscience,’ this cannot work politically. A party must state in advance where it stands on basic issues. What Prime Minister would include us in his coalition if he doesn’t know how we will vote?”

Asked to comment on Rabbi Cherlow’s letter, Mattot Arim's Dym said,
“When you have an existential question such as a Palestinian state and its dangers, then yes, it takes precedence over all the others… In terms of education, it appears to me that we can have more influence over our country’s education by talking with our children, meeting with their teachers, and supporting informal outreach initiatives. This is work that does not have to be done in the Knesset, especially when we need them to protect our country – and school buildings – from being destroyed by rockets.”