Another level of religious extremism has been intoxicating Israel in the last few weeks. I'm sure many of you have heard by now the story of 8-year old Naama Margolese. While on her way to school, she was spit on and verbally harassed by a group of Ultra-Orthodox men in a Haredi neighborhood of Beit Shemesh. In the following weeks, the community saw religious and secular Jews uniting in protest against this appalling behavior and the other limits placed on women by this group of religious extremists--including segregated buses and the banning of women from walking on certain sidewalks. Sounds uncomfortably familiar to those of us in the United States where the Civil Rights Movement does not seem to long ago and racial discrimination is still alive. An event just a fews days ago drew on another grievous historical reference. Hundreds of Haredi Ultra-Orthodox men and and young boys protested the Israeli government's alleged incitement against its community by wearing yellow stars, invoking memories of a Nazi-ruled Germany.
I've been trying to sort out my thoughts in regards to all of this.
Things to remember:
- This is a small group of people that by no means represents religious Jews. It is important to recognize that there are Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox Jews that do not agree with the actions that have been taken against these women and young children.
- This is a small group of people that have been living in this community since before the state of Israel was created and do not even believe that a Jewish state should exist until the Messiah has come (as I have just learned from the above NYT article).
I recently read an article on the topic where someone suggested that if it weren't for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to distract us, religious and secular Jews would have already turned on one another. A bit extreme. What I do know is that Israel is now facing an issue that it has managed to side step for 60+ years. Can a truly democratic state also operate as a Jewish state? Can Israel continue to allow this small, religious minority to maintain power in the government?
Kadima leader Tzipi Livni was recently quoted in the Jerusalem Post on the issue:
"..the public does not hate haredim. They are angry at the government for allowing a minority to promote a state ruled by Jewish law... and they are upset because they are being asked to choose between Judaism and democracy, when the two are not contradictory."
But recent tensions over religious Jews' participation in the IDF brings to light that for some Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox, living a religious life and assimilating into life in Israel are in fact contradictory behaviors. Interestingly, the state has survived thus far without these being game-changing issues but it seems that in the last few years it has seen a steady rise in religious extremism.
On one hand, this country is a homeland to all Jews and up until now, it has managed to accommodate all. But on the other hand, being a democratic state in the Middle East is what has kept Israel's allies by its side and if it comes down to it, I hope it makes the right decision and takes a stand.
