Israel seems to be going through some type of national mid-life crisis. She is not sure who she is or who she wants to be. Every movement seems to be laborious and painful, and every new event is viewed with great apprehension. It is in the midst of this great confusion and blurring of purpose that decisions are being made that are both very self-destructive and self-delusional. All the symptoms of a mid-life crisis.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon watches the support for his Disengagement/Expulsion Plan dip well below the 50% mark and announces, in an almost childish pout, that the expulsion will continue nevertheless.
The outgoing head of national security, who had previously been warning of the dangers of this plan, announced dramatically that today he sees no problem with the Disengagement. This last statement was made while he was announcing his plans to investigate a political career.
The outgoing chief of staff warns ominously that the Disengagement Plan will ignite further violence and his warnings are belittled by the prime minister.
Palestinian Authority foreign minister Nasser Al-Kidwa declared on Palestinian Authority television, "The dismantling of armed organizations is not on the table because weapons are legal as long as the occupation exists. Possession of weapons is a strategic issue as long as there is occupation." Such a statement goes clearly against all the previously accepted understandings, yet the government will not let facts get in the way of their rush into the Expulsion plan.
The head of the nation may become confused. The arms and legs of this people may be weakened. The body may be slumberous and fatigued. Yet, the heart is beating strongly. A heart is nourished by the influx of blood infused with oxygen and then it pumps this source of energy and life into the outermost limbs.
Hundreds of thousands of Israelis carrying flags of blue and white danced through all the gates of Jerusalem on Jerusalem Day. They gathered at the Western Wall plaza and sang and danced for hours. An influx of great spiritual energy.
Several days later, tens of thousands of children and parents who had been studying the weekly Torah portion as part of the B'reishit program gathered in Jerusalem. They then marched through the Jaffa Gate and on to the Western Wall plaza. They received in song and dance a new Torah Scroll that had been written in memory of the many Jewish children killed in the Palestinian wave of terror. As these fifty thousand parents and children, ranging from secular to religious, Sefardic and Ashkenazi, danced together, the plaza again seemed like the throbbing heart that it had become.
On Shavuot ,when Jews all over the world re-experience the receiving of Divine revelation, tens of thousands streamed in on foot from every corner of Jerusalem to gather for dawn prayers at the Western Wall.
Again "the heart" of this people has been nourished by the souls, passion and faith of those who continue to love their unseen Creator. They come to the spiritual center of the universe to express their fire and be ignited by the fires from on High.
That beating heart will never waiver and will never weaken. It continues to beat strongly regardless of the weakness that characterizes much of the rest of the body.
May we all be nourished by the spiritual power emanating from that heart: "For out of Zion shall come the word of G-d."
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon watches the support for his Disengagement/Expulsion Plan dip well below the 50% mark and announces, in an almost childish pout, that the expulsion will continue nevertheless.
The outgoing head of national security, who had previously been warning of the dangers of this plan, announced dramatically that today he sees no problem with the Disengagement. This last statement was made while he was announcing his plans to investigate a political career.
The outgoing chief of staff warns ominously that the Disengagement Plan will ignite further violence and his warnings are belittled by the prime minister.
Palestinian Authority foreign minister Nasser Al-Kidwa declared on Palestinian Authority television, "The dismantling of armed organizations is not on the table because weapons are legal as long as the occupation exists. Possession of weapons is a strategic issue as long as there is occupation." Such a statement goes clearly against all the previously accepted understandings, yet the government will not let facts get in the way of their rush into the Expulsion plan.
The head of the nation may become confused. The arms and legs of this people may be weakened. The body may be slumberous and fatigued. Yet, the heart is beating strongly. A heart is nourished by the influx of blood infused with oxygen and then it pumps this source of energy and life into the outermost limbs.
Hundreds of thousands of Israelis carrying flags of blue and white danced through all the gates of Jerusalem on Jerusalem Day. They gathered at the Western Wall plaza and sang and danced for hours. An influx of great spiritual energy.
Several days later, tens of thousands of children and parents who had been studying the weekly Torah portion as part of the B'reishit program gathered in Jerusalem. They then marched through the Jaffa Gate and on to the Western Wall plaza. They received in song and dance a new Torah Scroll that had been written in memory of the many Jewish children killed in the Palestinian wave of terror. As these fifty thousand parents and children, ranging from secular to religious, Sefardic and Ashkenazi, danced together, the plaza again seemed like the throbbing heart that it had become.
On Shavuot ,when Jews all over the world re-experience the receiving of Divine revelation, tens of thousands streamed in on foot from every corner of Jerusalem to gather for dawn prayers at the Western Wall.
Again "the heart" of this people has been nourished by the souls, passion and faith of those who continue to love their unseen Creator. They come to the spiritual center of the universe to express their fire and be ignited by the fires from on High.
That beating heart will never waiver and will never weaken. It continues to beat strongly regardless of the weakness that characterizes much of the rest of the body.
May we all be nourished by the spiritual power emanating from that heart: "For out of Zion shall come the word of G-d."