Israelis don’t want religious coercion

It almost seems like a contradiction that the vast majority of citizens in the world’s only Jewish state don’t want religious coercion.

How does that square? In Douglas Altabef’s article, “Israel at the Crossroads,” makes the case that the perceived fear of “being forced into religiosity has triggered a tremendous resentment of religion and religious people among many people who are secular.”

He, of course, is referring to the real concern and trepidation, expressed by a great number of Israeli citizens, from all stripes – including secular and traditional, who have protested for a period of 25 weeks, at the close of each Shabbat. They see the immense power which ultra-religious, right-wing parties hold in their hand. They see that despite all the fierce and protracted opposition, the coalition members are, nonetheless, still pushing forward in order to pass their reforms. They know that these radical changes would impact the equity of our judicial system, our daily lifestyles and many of our freedoms which each one of us take for granted.

Altabef points out that, despite there being a large consensus to Jewish character, as evidenced by our observance of religious holidays, it is, nonetheless, a problem since “the aggregation of three religious parties, playing a critical role in the current coalition has put religiosity on the map in the public’s awareness in an unprecedented fashion.”

And this is true, because the Israeli public merely sees a group of ultra-religious zealots running roughshod and trying, at every turn, to control the minutiae of each aspect that goes on here. Whether it’s our educational system, our defense forces or what does or doesn’t constitute a crime, this religious coalition wants its finger in every piece of the pie. So while Albatef claims that the fear is actually “delusional,” it is based on very real perceptions of losing precious rights and freedoms.

It is this collective picture and impression which everyday Israelis view as the kind of religious coercion which they completely reject. To them, it justifies their actions, which cause them to put all else aside each weekend in order to voice their dismay, in the belief that their country could actually become another theocratic entity.  

When the entire Israeli population is taken into account, many of whom come from non-observant backgrounds, including secular kibbutzim, there is great apprehension that allowing the ultra-religious to determine the nation’s destiny and character, will only result in a way of life that translates into a forced allegiance that they neither support nor want.  

Albatef refers to Mizrahi Jews (Oriental, Eastern Jews from countries such as Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and Yemen) as those who have a “live and let live” type of philosophy. In truth, this actually describes most Israelis, regardless of their background. It also accounts for one of the reasons that the gay community has been the recipient of so much tolerance in this otherwise traditional Middle-East country.

Most have no qualms as to the personal choices their friends and neighbors make, even if those are decisions which they wouldn’t necessarily make for themselves.  The prevailing position is that, “it’s your life, and no one has the right to impose their values, ideals or philosophies on you, so we respect your right to choose.”

The problem arises when the two sides become so dug in that an ensuing rift threatens to tear apart the fabric of the country, and that is exactly where we find ourselves these days. The divide is so vast and so irretrievable, that there is no meeting ground where both sides can come together and even carve out some basic commonalities in order to build even a small foundation from where to move forward.

When one group, so obviously, covets total power and control, erroneously believing that they were given a mandate to do so, the other side, fearing that they will no longer be the masters of their own fate, will do whatever it takes to fight that kind of overbearing takeover, even if it involves their own discomfort, and so it’s been.

Major roads have been blocked, schools and other institutions have suspended classes, on occasion, and next week, a major disruption is scheduled to take place at Ben-Gurion Airport as anti-judicial reform protestors gather, in response to the government’s plan to move forward with controversial legislation. This proposed bill called, the Reasonableness Doctrine is defined as “disproportionately focusing on political interests without sufficient consideration for public trust and its protection.”

Passage of the bill would block courts from striking such a one-sided decision, and this is why Israelis are prepared to go the distance, if need be. The belief that their country could be held hostage by highly political players, who would then have the power to force the entire population to conform to their personal convictions, is simply unthinkable to them, and one which they will never accept.

Unfortunately, those seeking the power have not yet adequately internalized the great resolve which makes Israeli citizens immovable in their relentless fight to maintain what they believe is the best and most equitable way of life, especially for a people whose background was being enslaved. It is exactly that kind of steadfast tenacity that has preserved us as a people, despite having been dispersed to the four corners of the earth! 

Going back to Egypt is not an option for us. While Israel may truly be at a crossroads, it is not one which will be impossible to overcome, because it has taken us 2,000 years to finally have our own homeland, free of those who would put us back into bondage, so why would we ever agree to allow it to happen internally?