During the last days of Succot, a synagogue was dedicated in the official Jerusalem residence of the President of the State of Israel. Since this is officially a Jewish state, one would have expected that this dedication would have been an event that is reasonable and understandable to all. After all, if not for the synagogue and all that it represents, there would be no Jewish people or State of Israel extant today. However, since this is a Jewish state, the matter did cause controversy, for in a Jewish state, what occurrence does not cause controversy? Yossi Paritzky of the Shinui party in the Knesset wrote a letter of protest. He stated that the establishment "of an Orthodox synagogue on the site of the official residence of the president is indicative that [President] Katsav does not perceive himself as the president of all the people." How about that for skewed thinking and self-hating logic? When the president's residence did not have a synagogue on the premises and in fact had a non-praying president, that did somehow make him "the president of all the people?" Come on Yossi, even you can't be so absurd!
My heart tells me that if the President of the State of Israel would have been a Christian Arab and would have wanted to erect a prayer chapel for himself and his co-religionists in the official presidential residence, Yossi Paritzky and his Shinui fellows would not protest. If the President would be a Moslem or a Druze, why then, a public campaign for funds to build a mosque or prayer room in the presidential residence would be greeted enthusiastically by the anti-Jewish religion camp. Yet, poor Moshe Katsav is still unenlightened. He prays daily and regularly to the God of Israel, observes the Sabbath, raised observant children, publicly espouses traditional Jewish values, loves all Jews, keeps a low profile, is not involved in political or monetary scandal and is therefore seen as an anachronism to the liberated, progressive forces in this country. Katsav is the "old Jew" who was supposed to have disappeared generations ago, to be replaced by the "new Jew" who would bring to the Jewish people peace, security, independence, freedom from anti-Semitism and a modern culture and lifestyle. Alas, the "new Jew" has been a failure, succeeding only in inheriting all of the external problems of the "old Jew" - pogrom/intifada, anti-Semitism/Durban, the crashing failure of the Left's social engineering of societies, the clear vulnerability of Jews and the Jewish state in spite of all of our vaunted might - without possessing the faith and moral stamina that sustained the "old Jew" throughout the ages.
One would think that by now Shinui and those it represents would realize that they are the anachronism of Jewish history. No one is forcing Paritzky or anyone else to pray, to believe, to observe Jewish ritual and tradition. So, why all of this hatred against the "old Jew" simply because he/she refuses to disappear? It is as unreasoning as all of the other hatreds of the "other" that infect our dangerous world. Apparently, the mere continued existence of the "old Jew" alone makes the "new Jew" squirm. The Jewish State is not now a theocracy nor should it be one, so to protest against a synagogue in the Presidential residence of the Jewish State is a bitter expression of the self-hatred that so dominates the lives of those who are infuriated and threatened by the continued presence (even growing presence) of the "old Jew" in modern Israel.
In such dangerous times as now, when Jewish blood flows almost every day in our streets, where should we turn to for moral succor and spiritual and psychological support? To the movie theatres? The rock band concerts? The sports arenas? To the Knesset and our Supreme Court? To the political discussion (read: shouting match) programs on our woeful TV channels? A very substantial part of Israel turns to the synagogue for that support system in our hour of need and desperation, even those Jews who don't particularly describe themselves as being religious. Having a synagogue in the presidential residence is thus a comfort to many Israelis and cannot be objectionable to any others, with the exception of the diehard haters of Judaism and "other" Jews. By dint of his personality, sincerity, appearance and personal behavior, Moshe Katsav has done much to restore the tarnished luster of the office of the President of the State of Israel during his tenure. The synagogue in the presidential residence is another indication that he is truly the president of all of the people of Israel, even of Yossi Paritzky.
Shabbat shalom.
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Rabbi Berel Wein, noted author and lecturer, is founder of the Destiny Foundation, dedicated to educating Jews about their historical and ethical heritage (JewishDestiny.com ).
My heart tells me that if the President of the State of Israel would have been a Christian Arab and would have wanted to erect a prayer chapel for himself and his co-religionists in the official presidential residence, Yossi Paritzky and his Shinui fellows would not protest. If the President would be a Moslem or a Druze, why then, a public campaign for funds to build a mosque or prayer room in the presidential residence would be greeted enthusiastically by the anti-Jewish religion camp. Yet, poor Moshe Katsav is still unenlightened. He prays daily and regularly to the God of Israel, observes the Sabbath, raised observant children, publicly espouses traditional Jewish values, loves all Jews, keeps a low profile, is not involved in political or monetary scandal and is therefore seen as an anachronism to the liberated, progressive forces in this country. Katsav is the "old Jew" who was supposed to have disappeared generations ago, to be replaced by the "new Jew" who would bring to the Jewish people peace, security, independence, freedom from anti-Semitism and a modern culture and lifestyle. Alas, the "new Jew" has been a failure, succeeding only in inheriting all of the external problems of the "old Jew" - pogrom/intifada, anti-Semitism/Durban, the crashing failure of the Left's social engineering of societies, the clear vulnerability of Jews and the Jewish state in spite of all of our vaunted might - without possessing the faith and moral stamina that sustained the "old Jew" throughout the ages.
One would think that by now Shinui and those it represents would realize that they are the anachronism of Jewish history. No one is forcing Paritzky or anyone else to pray, to believe, to observe Jewish ritual and tradition. So, why all of this hatred against the "old Jew" simply because he/she refuses to disappear? It is as unreasoning as all of the other hatreds of the "other" that infect our dangerous world. Apparently, the mere continued existence of the "old Jew" alone makes the "new Jew" squirm. The Jewish State is not now a theocracy nor should it be one, so to protest against a synagogue in the Presidential residence of the Jewish State is a bitter expression of the self-hatred that so dominates the lives of those who are infuriated and threatened by the continued presence (even growing presence) of the "old Jew" in modern Israel.
In such dangerous times as now, when Jewish blood flows almost every day in our streets, where should we turn to for moral succor and spiritual and psychological support? To the movie theatres? The rock band concerts? The sports arenas? To the Knesset and our Supreme Court? To the political discussion (read: shouting match) programs on our woeful TV channels? A very substantial part of Israel turns to the synagogue for that support system in our hour of need and desperation, even those Jews who don't particularly describe themselves as being religious. Having a synagogue in the presidential residence is thus a comfort to many Israelis and cannot be objectionable to any others, with the exception of the diehard haters of Judaism and "other" Jews. By dint of his personality, sincerity, appearance and personal behavior, Moshe Katsav has done much to restore the tarnished luster of the office of the President of the State of Israel during his tenure. The synagogue in the presidential residence is another indication that he is truly the president of all of the people of Israel, even of Yossi Paritzky.
Shabbat shalom.
-----------------
Rabbi Berel Wein, noted author and lecturer, is founder of the Destiny Foundation, dedicated to educating Jews about their historical and ethical heritage (JewishDestiny.com ).