Editor’s Note: As Roey’s term as NFTY Shaliach comes to a close, this will be his final edition of Israel Thing. Please join us in thanking him for his incredible contributions to NFTY during his time with us. As we approach the summer, Israel Thing will revisit some of our favorite editions over the last three years with commentary from members of NFTY. We look forward to bringing you an exciting array of editions in the fall.

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It’s not going to be an extraordinary statement saying New York City is a fascinating place. Not for nothing is it sometimes called “the capital of the world.” It is exemplified in front of my eyes almost every day when I ride the subway together with a mass of people making their way to their destinations. In one car you may find Caucasians, Asians, African-Americans, Hispanics, Middle-Easterners, Indians and the amazing thing is they all (with the exception of the tourists) call this city their home. Businesspeople in suits beside construction workers in overalls, young and old, crowded together — and I find myself blending in. There is something in these moments that makes me feel like I’m in a Hollywood movie. And I know that like every movie, this one is bound to end. Because as much as much I love New York, my heart is still in the east, and so are my family, some of my close friends, my nurturing culture and my native language. After living abroad for a while it will surely feel good to come back to my most familiar surroundings, though I myself am not going to be the same person as I was when I left.

Before my Shlichut I didn’t give much thought or deliberate expression to my Jewishness. I did celebrate Jewish holidays (many of which are national holidays in Israel) and I am somewhat knowledgeable about their history and culture (which is taught in public school), but I took my Judaism for granted as it was part of my overall identity as an Israeli. Like most Israeli Jews I have never affiliated with a particular Jewish denomination, mainly because it seems redundant. Life in the reborn modern Jewish state provided all the spiritual and cultural aspects I needed (and sometimes even pushed too much by legislating religious principles I consider to be religious coercion). Nonetheless, living outside of Israel’s borders, among American Jewry, inspired my Jewish life in many ways and it’s not an exaggeration to say that my experience at the URJ made me rediscover my Jewish identity.

What struck me the most in working with NFTY and Reform congregations was witnessing how devoted people here are to preserving Jewish tradition while still maintaining a progressive liberal way of thinking. They aren’t afraid to raise tough questions and introduce innovation to their heritage while confronting its ideas with their own values. This experience greatly affected the way I perceive my own Judaism when I finally realized that it’s all about people finding their own spiritual path. For some, prayer is their observance, but for others it’s social action, cultural arts or the love of Israel. All these years I considered myself a secular Jew, but that might be true only according to some specific definitions. We can all find our observance if we wish to and therefore we are all observant in different ways.

In the same way, I believe that every Jew can find his or her own connection to the state of Israel as a fundamental element to our Jewish identities and to our connections to the Jewish people. Rather than just been seen as a national political expression, Israel can also serve as a vehicle for personal and social expression through cultural, spiritual and religious innovation. I hope that during my time here I have managed to convey this message to the people with whom I engaged. Sometimes it’s challenging, especially when there are many disconcerting issues within the Jewish state including the situation of Reform and Conservative Jews who are not granted the same rights to practice Judaism as their Orthodox brethren. Nevertheless, distancing ourselves from engagement with Israel just avoids the problem and even increases it. It is our common responsibility to continue the educational discourse about Israel in order to make it an object of interest, inspiration and identification among young Reform Jews. Because with combined effort, the liberal approach I discovered here could surely become a key element of mainstream Israeli Judaism that is still very much a work in progress.

Rega Shel Ivrit

Yalla bye! – (See you!)

This is a popular slang phrase in everyday Hebrew, a combination of the Arabic word Yalla, meaning “come on,” “let’s go”  or “hurry up” and of the English word bye meaning “see you”. This combination is used as a farewell expression (usually when you are in a hurry). It might seem strange that I choose for the final section of Rega Shel Ivrit, a phrase with no Hebrew in it. However I think it well represents the Israeli society, which is influenced both by the world-dominant western culture and its close Middle-Eastern neighborhood. Israel is just one of these places, and I thank you for letting me tell you a little bit about it.

Yalla Bye,

Roey
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About the Author

Roey Schiff is the NFTY Shaliach. Roey grew up in Ein Vered, Israel and has experience working with teens and leadership development. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Business Management from Ben Gurion University. In September 2010, Roey moved to NYC to act as the NFTY and Israel Programs Shaliach as part of the URJ Youth Division.

What bring a person to act violently against another person? Does it derive from rationalized thinking that brutality allows one to impose his will on others or change a certain situation to his favor, or is it just an uncontrollable emotional outburst? Inspired by the NFTY-BBYO anti-bullying-campaign, I thought about this question after watching the documentary “Bully” the other day. And it came up again for me when some troubling news from Israel came to my attention.

The incident that first caught my eye occurred during a protest bike ride when a group of activists, including Palestinians from the West Bank and foreign activists, rode their bikes along the Jordan Valley’s main route to protest Israel’s policy in the West Bank. Video images from the event show a high ranking Israeli army officer landing a blow on the face of a demonstrator with the butt of his M-16 rifle–seemingly without provocation. It was shocking, embarrassing and shameful to watch this video, especially as an Israeli who served as a combat soldier in the IDF. The round of condemnations by politicians and military generals came almost immediately after the release of the video. The officer was quickly dismissed from his command post, with a statement by army officials that he showed professional and command failures and that such behavior does not characterize IDF soldiers and officers.

This section of the video was broadcast in symbolic proximity to another report on a violent incident, coming this time from Israel’s sports arena when a bunch of players and fans of two rival teams exchanged blows during a brawl following a soccer game. Violence has been festering in Israeli soccer for quite some time, but this incident was the straw that broke the camel’s back– following the disturbances on the soccer pitch, the Israeli Supreme League canceled games for the entire weekend. It indicated a serious flaw in Israel’s soccer system, but it would be all too easy to dismiss soccer’s problem as a bubble inside Israeli society rather than a symptom of society as a whole.

In the end, the behavior of the hooligans and players in the stadiums was not much different than that of the officer discussed before. It’s true that friction with demonstrators and sports games are situations that carry greater potential for violence than daily life. However, I consider those as our warning signs, a moment before this plague will spread further to our schools, neighborhoods, and homes. It calls for more effective punitive measures and better enforcement against the outbreak of violence, and above all it requires educational procedures that will make it crystal clear that mindless violence has no place in the State of Israel.

Rega Shel Ivrit

Kavash Et Yetzro כבש את יצרו (conquered his urges)

Personally, I think the main reason people behave violently is because they try to subdue someone else’s actions or opinions. They might think it makes them stronger, but it’s actually the opposite. Our Sages said, “Eizehu gibor? Hakovesh et yitzro” (Pirke Avot 4:1). This idiom is still in use today and means that a hero is one who conquers his own urges (controlling his temper, for instance) and not one who conquers another.

Shabbat Shalom,
Roey

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About the Author

Roey Schiff is the NFTY Shaliach. Roey grew up in Ein Vered, Israel and has experience working with teens and leadership development. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Business Management from Ben Gurion University. In September 2010, Roey moved to NYC to act as the NFTY and Israel Programs Shaliach as part of the URJ Youth Division.

Holocaust Remembrance Day is usually a time to reflect on the darkest tragedy of the Jewish people in the modern age (and some would say in all of history). The importance of having such a day is indisputable, but personally, I must say I find myself pondering the events of the Holocaust quite frequently. Whenever the temperature is freezing outside and, despite my multiple layers and warm clothing, I still feel cold, I can’t help but wonder how in the name of God people could survive the harsh European winter with only a thin piece of cloth covering their bodies. Or when feeling hungry after not eating for a few hours, I wonder how one can endure this distressing sensation for weeks, months, or even years.

These experiences that were so common in the concentration camps are so hard for us to grasp that it’s understandable (though still not acceptable) why in its early years Israel did not exhibit a receptive attitude toward Holocaust victims or even the historiography of the events of the Holocaust. Survivors’ stories sounded so horrifying that their audience thought they were exaggerated. Hearing a survivor’s testimony, I remember him saying that in the beginning, even his family didn’t believe him, and thought his suffering caused him to confuse reality and imagination. This kind of reception generated reluctance among survivors to tell what they had been through. Many felt ashamed and guilty of “being led like sheep for slaughter” instead of resisting more forcefully. Therefore, they refused to talk about their experiences and preferred to leave the past behind them, as if it belonged to another life; a life that had no place in their present circumstances in Israel.

The turning point occurred fifty years ago and one of its more recognizable milestones was the Eichmann trial. Adolf Eichmann was a senior Nazi officer who fled to Argentina and lived there under a fake identity until May 1960, when the Israeli Mossad captured him and took him to Jerusalem to face trial in an Israeli court. The charges against him were numerous, including crimes against humanity, such as his coordination of many deportations of Jews to ghettos and extermination camps. For those and other charges, he was found guilty and sentenced to death (the first and only time a death sentence was enacted in Israel). However, it wasn’t the verdict, but the trial itself that changed Israel’s (and the entire Jewish world’s) approach toward the Holocaust. The trial aroused international interest, bringing Nazi atrocities to the forefront of world news, and it was the first time the survivors were given such a public stage. One survivor after another testified in court, and the nation listened to the voices of the witnesses, feeling their agony. It prompted a new openness in Israel, as the country confronted this traumatic chapter in Jewish history.

The impact of Eichmann’s trial is felt to this day in the way Israel promotes Holocaust education and encourages survivors – who are aging – to share their experiences with others. Holocaust Remembrance Day is the culmination of our efforts to honor survivors and remember the fallen. In Israel, at one point during the day, a siren sounds, traffic stops, and the entire country observes two minutes of silent memorial. There is no public entertainment, as theaters, cinemas, pubs, and other public venues are closed. Radio, television, and even music programs are all adapted to recognize the serious atmosphere of this special day.

Rega Shel Ivrit

Yom HaShoah V’Hag’vurah –יום השואה והגבורה  (Day of the Holocaust and Heroism)

The rationale for this name arises from Israel’s past approach that preferred to focus on how Jews heroically resisted their Nazi tormentors through fighting them in the ghettos and joining underground partisans who fought the Third Reich in its occupied countries. For the same reason, the original proposal was to hold Yom HaShoah on 14 Nisan, the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (though due to its proximity to Passover it was postponed for after the holiday, still within the time span of the ghetto uprising).

Today, the name and the date of this day remain with a broader understanding, I believe, that a hero is not just someone who bears arms and fights in the name of a higher purpose; a hero is also someone chooses to live and retain his human dignity in the most unbearable conditions. I’m proud to call all those who experienced the Holocaust my heroes, as they prove to the entire world that the human spirit is stronger than can ever be imagined. Let us always remember this message together with the memory of those who perished and the heroism of the survivors.

Shabbat Shalom,
Roey

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About the Author

Roey Schiff is the NFTY Shaliach. Roey grew up in Ein Vered, Israel and has experience working with teens and leadership development. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Business Management from Ben Gurion University. In September 2010, Roey moved to NYC to act as the NFTY and Israel Programs Shaliach as part of the URJ Youth Division.

Every year around this season in Israel, there is an awareness that our lives shift during the holiday of Passover. The changing surroundings of spring’s arrival are the first indication of the holiday, as we’re directed to celebrate Passover during the spring. Then, there is also a sense of folk participation in the holiday spirit: you can smell the detergent fumes in the air as households thoroughly clean their homes; the stores are filled with kosher le’Pesach foodstuffs (and products you wouldn’t even dare putting in your mouth, such as bleach!) for the many shoppers of the season; and the most common question people asked each other is “where are you having the Seder this year?”

Indeed, an absolute majority of Israelis (even the most secular Jews among them) celebrate the holiday by attending Passover Seders, and with so many people driving on the same night to feast with their families, the roads are more packed than ever. Though it takes us twice as long to get to our relatives, I utterly enjoy seeing the collective life of the community giving expression to this Jewish tradition. It embedded itself in me so much that I never allow myself to miss a Passover Seder, even when I am far away from home and family. A few years ago I backpacked (like many young Israelis who take time for traveling after they’re done with their military service) through Southeast Asia and stayed in Cambodia during Passover. With no Jewish Chabad Center nearby, I knew that if I wanted to keep my lifelong habit I had to do something proactive about it. Within days I hooked up with some other Westerners who were living or traveling in the area and together we celebrated a Passover Seder. Each one was responsible for some aspect or other of the organizing and, though the food wasn’t truly kosher le’Pesach, we prepared and ate some traditional Passover dishes, read the Haggadah and sang Passover songs throughout the night.

I’m not an observant Jew. I admit to skipping some major Jewish holidays and Shabbat services without having a guilty conscience. So I ask myself what it is about Passover and the Seder in particular that I so devoutly follow.  Our rabbis teach that all Jews must see themselves as if they themselves had come out of Egypt. The story of the liberation granted to the Israelites as they escaped slavery in Egypt conveys a universal message that has inspired generations of people throughout history. It served us well in the darkest moments of exile as we waited for our next liberation and its living memory continues to shape our present lives and identities as Jews. Even today – when we are a free people with the huge privilege of having a sovereign state in our own historic homeland – in recalling Egypt, we are exhorted to remember that we were once slaves. It obligates us to have regard for the poor and stranger because we too were once servants and outcasts, to care for the oppressed because we too were once persecuted, and to be cautious with power because we too have suffered the perversions of another’s might.

So this year as well, I’ll sit around the table and read the same old story which is not going to be much different than last year or the year before then. The thing is, it isn’t supposed to be. The reason the tradition of retelling events from the distant past survives to this day is because these memories are still meaningful and relevant to our present lives as a collective and as individuals alike.

Rega Shel Ivrit

Seder – סדר (Order)

The term Seder of Passover originates from the Order of sacrifices that were made in the ancient Temple. With the Temple’s destruction and sacrifice no longer part of Judaism, it refers today to the prescribed order of the Passover ritual feast. And with so many customs to follow on one night, especially when drinking wine is involved, having a set order of traditions is not such a bad idea. 

Chag Pesach Sameach,

Roey
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About the Author

Roey Schiff is the NFTY Shaliach. Roey grew up in Ein Vered, Israel and has experience working with teens and leadership development. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Business Management from Ben Gurion University. In September 2010, Roey moved to NYC to act as the NFTY and Israel Programs Shaliach as part of the URJ Youth Division.

The Acceptable Parameters of Power

For centuries, the high ethical and moral standards of the Jewish people were a given. Yet, since we regained sovereignty in Israel and significantly increased the political and military power in our hands, holding this high standard has become a much more complex and challenging objective. In recent years, the state of Israel has repeatedly been accused of employing “a disproportionate response” when it comes to its military conflicts. However, the question of what are the acceptable parameters of power is trickier than it seems.

For six straight days last week, over 15% of the Israeli population lived under conditions of terror and fear, but this time no one is denying that the mass terror was expected. It is accepted that these new attacks are a direct response to a violent Israeli action. The attacks began after the Israeli Air Force targeted and killed two members of the Popular Resistance Committee (PRC), a terror organization based in Gaza. The PRC was thought to be planning a terror attack that was to take place in the coming days, similar to a previous terror attack it perpetrated that took place near the road to Eilat last August, killing eight Israelis.

In response to the assassination, hundreds of rockets, mortars and artillery shells were fired from the Hamas-run Gaza Strip at civilian population centers in southern Israel. Israel’s new Iron Dome anti-missile defense system intercepted a large portion of the rockets, preventing some crucial hits in populated areas. Despite its high success rate, the system doesn’t provide full protection and so some Israelis were injured in the missile attacks while a million more lives were disrupted (mainly as schools in the area were closed and parents missed work to stay home with their kids). Israel responded with more attacks on rocket-launching sites and weapons facilities, in which at least 20 Palestinians, including four civilians, were killed until a ceasefire was reached through Egyptian mediation.

Once again, it was a targeted killing, retaliation and retaliation to the retaliation, in what is often coined “a cycle of violence,” and the question remains whether we should engage in pre-emptive targeted assassinations, knowing the probable consequences. One may doubt the defense establishment’s suggestion that the targeted killing really did head off a planned terrorist attack, but I believe that as a sovereign state, Israel is committed to act proactively to give its citizens the security that they deserve. This requires courageous moves of diplomacy, but when left with no other choice it also requires audacity on the battlefield. In this case, the geographical setting of the foiled terrorist attack settles the matter. Sinai, although Egyptian territory, is not under control of the Egyptian authorities by practical standards, and as long as the fence on the Egyptian border is still under construction, it will remain an ideal operating ground for terrorist organizations from the Gaza Strip. Therefore, the Israeli military decided to act preemptively before these terrorists could take advantage of the holes in Egyptian security.

As we have found out, even sovereignty has its difficulties. A normal country – let alone one like Israel that is continually threatened – will not survive if it ties its hands with absolute moral strictures and does not adjust to the pressures of power and threats posed by its enemies. That being said, it’s clear that Israel shouldn’t get carried away with the use of pro-active force in its continual struggle for security. For a very timely example, striking preemptively in Iran would not have the same ramifications it has in Gaza. Obviously, when so much is in stake, the right decision is harder to make and the balance between restraint and aggression is much more delicate.

Rega Shel Ivrit 

Haba l’horg’cha hashkem l’horgo – הבא להרגך השכם להרגו (When someone arises to kill you, preempt them, and kill them first)

The above quote is taken from the Babylonian Talmud (Berakhot 62b). While the Jewish tradition elevates the sanctity of life as one of its highest values and sees all of humanity as equal in value, for we were all created in the image of God, it does not merely allow but obligates acts of self-defense. Hence, if you think about it, even pre-emptive acts of self-defense have in their way a moral legitimacy. Then again it is the actor’s moral obligation to justify the act as self-defense and also taking all the possible results to his act into account. 

Shabbat shalom,

Roey

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About the Author

Roey Schiff is the NFTY Shaliach. Roey grew up in Ein Vered, Israel and has experience working with teens and leadership development. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Business Management from Ben Gurion University. In September 2010, Roey moved to NYC to act as the NFTY and Israel Programs Shaliach as part of the URJ Youth Division.

One of the most-covered stories in Israel this week described two attempts to assassinate Israeli representatives, occurring Monday within a few hours from each other, in different parts of the world. The wife of an Israeli diplomat and three others were moderately wounded when an explosion tore through the diplomat’s car outside Israel’s embassy in the Indian capital of New Delhi. And, explosives were found near the Israeli Embassy building in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. Luckily, that device was safely neutralized before it could be activated.

The two incidents follow a number of reported attempts on Israeli and Jewish targets, most recently in Azerbaijan and Thailand. The attacks this week also took place a day after the fourth anniversary of the car bombing in Syria that killed Imad Mughniyeh, the operations chief for Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy in Lebanon. At the time, Hezbollah blamed Israel for the killing, and its leaders vowed they would avenge it at a time and place of their choosing. Every year around the time of the anniversary of Mughniyeh’s assassination, Israeli diplomats and representatives are put on high alert in fear of Hezbollah’s retribution over its leader’s death. Security experts attribute the attacks this week to Iran and Hezbollah. So, although these assassination attempts were far less successful than the perpetrators may have hoped, they finally were able to carry out the threat.

Dealing with threats of this kind is so familiar to Israelis that it is almost taken for granted. In Israel’s own territory, where it has full security control, the state uses variety of means to keep its citizens safe – from utilizing the army and police to posting security guards at the entrances of malls. But what it can do when its citizens wish to travel abroad? This is where Israel’s intelligence services come into play. These agencies are responsible for covert operations, which are suspected of conducting paramilitary activities beyond Israel’s borders. And, based on intelligence collection, the Israeli public is cautioned about an increased threat of terror attacks against Israelis abroad and advised to avoid travel to certain destinations.

For Israel’s representatives who live outside its borders, a state of alertness is even more crucial: their role as delegates of Israel and their residency outside Israel’s borders make them more exposed and vulnerable. Therefore, people in these jobs get clear instructions on how to take the proper precautions to stay safe. As I am one of them, I find myself thinking about this issue quite a bit this week. Working in a non-profit Jewish organization and interacting with the friendliest teens ever, my environment couldn’t feel any safer. The thought of my own protection rarely occupies my mind. Yet in certain situations – when a stranger asks where my accent is from, before I check in to a place on my Smartphone, or before I put on clothing that might give away my nationality – I do think twice. My caution is due partly to security guidelines I received when starting this job, and partly, I believe, because I grew up in a place where it never hurts to remain vigilant.

Rega Shel Ivrit

Sof maaseh b’machashava t’chilah – סוף מעשה במחשבה תחילה (Last made, but first planned).

This phrase appears in the Jewish liturgical song L’chah Dodi, which was composed in the sixteenth century in Safed and is still recited in synagogues throughout the world every Friday evening to welcome Shabbat. In the prayer, the phrase refers to the six days of Creation followed by Shabbat, but in contemporary Hebrew, it means that each act should first involve a thought. While thinking about the consequences of your deeds first is always good advice, when risk is involved it is a necessity.

Shabbat shalom,

Roey

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About the Author

Roey Schiff is the NFTY Shaliach. Roey grew up in Ein Vered, Israel and has experience working with teens and leadership development. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Business Management from Ben Gurion University. In September 2010, Roey moved to NYC to act as the NFTY and Israel Programs Shaliach as part of the URJ Youth Division.

למה לי פוליטיקה עכשיו – Speaking of Politics

Check your Hebrew calendar! We’re few days away from Tu B’Shvat, the most ecologically-minded  holiday celebrated in the Jewish world and nationally in Israel. Last year I wrote here about the meaning of the holiday and the customs that developed and are still kept in modern Israel around the holiday, like planting trees and eating dried fruits. These unique traditions symbolize the connection and dedication to the land, to nature and to the world around us. While this is the main message of Tu B’Shvat, in Israel it also marks a very different, yet in my eyes very appropriate occasion – the birthday of the Knesset (Israel’s Parliament).

Even before Israel’s establishment, the Zionist settlements in the land of Israel managed themselves in rather democratic way. The pre-state Jewish residents were able to found semi-governmental institutions and even elected political parties to be their representatives in the budding political system. However, it was exactly 63 years ago when the Knesset – named after the representative Jewish council convened in Jerusalem in the 5th century B.C.E– formally convened for the first time in an act that marked the beginning of the modern Israeli democracy.

Like in many countries, in Israel there is a general assumption (that isn’t difficult to justify) that the top priority of all politicians is not the public interest but their own seats. Add to that, shady political maneuvers and criminal proceedings against certain politicians (see former president Katsav, former Prime Minister Olmert, figures like Deri, Hirschzon, Liberman and others), and you can understand why Knesset members in Israel suffer from an image of unreliability and corruption. With that state of mind, many people who aim to make substantial change to Israeli society don’t go into politics, and instead try to make an impact through different arenas. These often include the work of the media and of non-profit organizations that manifest the interests and will of citizens but are themselves distinct from government.

Therefore it was quite surprising for me to hear about the recent entrance into politics of two well-known names: Noam Shalit and Yair Lapid. The first must sound familiar because Shalit, of course, is the father who fought for more than five years for the release of his soldier son Gilad from captivity in Gaza (he was freed last October). Following years of a public battle, Shalit said he would run for a place on the Labor Party list for the next Knesset elections. Around the same time Lapid – a best-selling author and columnist who has anchored Channel 2′s top-rated weekend news edition in Israel – announced he is quitting the news business and will form his own independent party with a liberal bent. Polls have shown that a Lapid-led party could have a dramatic impact on the outcome of the next general Knesset election. And though elections in Israel are currently slated for late 2013, these latest developments have created a lot of political buzz.

There are many who criticize Shalit and (mainly) Lapid, saying they lack the skills needed to make decisions about the country’s fate; that they have no political or administrative experience and have never been immersed in the turmoil of Israeli politics, the pressures of which, from within and without, are some of the greatest in the world.  Some have accused the Israeli public of confusing theater with politics in its quick and widespread endorsement of Lapid without waiting to hear his clear agenda, mainly due to his populist characteristics: easy charm, handsome looks, excellent ability to articulate his thoughts and great public speaking skill.

Personally, I think that both the Israeli public and the people who wish to be its representatives in the political ring deserve more credit. In light of the dissatisfaction with politicians, new, enthusiastic candidates who obviously care for Israel’s future are needed and I’m sure that on election day, Israelis can be trusted to take make a considered choice of whom they chose to give their votes. At the end of the day, the Knesset, for all its faults, is still a more democratic parliament than anywhere else in the Middle East. Churchill once said, “Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” The fact is that despite all of the hardship, Israel remains loyal to its democratic system and values, and that is truly a cause for celebration.

Rega Shel Ivrit

Tikkun olam – תיקון עולם (“Repairing the World”)

Much has been said about this profound Jewish concept of making the world a better place. It basically calls on each of us to take responsibility for our own part in the world – environmentally, socially, politically. For me it all comes down to that and if we put our cynicism aside for a moment, I believe that we definitely can make the world a better place.

Shabbat Shalom,

Roey
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About the Author

Roey Schiff is the NFTY Shaliach. Roey grew up in Ein Vered, Israel and has experience working with teens and leadership development. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Business Management from Ben Gurion University. In September 2010, Roey moved to NYC to act as the NFTY and Israel Programs Shaliach as part of the URJ Youth Division.

Live and Let Live – Can It Be Achieved?

As a kid, before my family moved to the Moshav (small town) where we live today, I used to live on a rather religious street in the city of Netanya. Most of the neighbors in my building were ultra-Orthodox Jews, but as a kid it never bothered me. Although we went to different schools in the city and may have had different behavioral codes in our houses, I considered many of them my friends and I fondly remember the way we played together in the building courtyard. Hide and seek, catch, cops and robbers – fun times they were. Today I sometimes wonder if something like my childhood can still happen in Israel.

The general tension between fundamentalist religious Jews and non-religious Jews in Israel reached new heights in recent weeks, mainly over the matter of the exclusion of women in society, following a few highly publicized clashes, including observant soldiers who walked out of events featuring women singing, women’s images that have been removed from billboards in Jerusalem and a young girl refusing to give up her seat in the front of a gender-segregated bus. But perhaps the most shocking incident was when a group of adults yelled and spit at little girls on their way to school, calling them “prostitutes” for dressing less modestly than their own strict dress code.

Unfortunately, in most cases the groups that generate these conflicts come from the more Haredi (Hebrew for ultra-Orthodox) sector, who already suffer from a bad reputation among the secular Israeli public. The reason for that poor opinion is due to the Haredim’s disproportionate political power, narrow interests and a lifestyle that calls for long years of Torah study rather than army service or joining the work force, which places an additional financial burden on society.

The current conflict was heightened when thousands of Israelis staged a protest against fanaticism and the increasing imposition of religious standards on public spaces and services, like buses. A few days later, several hundred Haredim took to the streets of Jerusalem, claiming to be the targets and the real victims in this story. The fact that some wore yellow stars or concentration camp-like striped prison uniforms provoked a second wave of criticism for their profound insensitivity and for insulting the memory of Holocaust victims.

Amid this round of escalating tension I feel that somehow we let a small number of ultra-Orthodox militants set the tone for all of us. There were, there are and there will always be disputes around the right levels of observance in Judaism, but we can’t allow moderation to lose ground to extremism. Violence and incitement in the name of the Torah, or against it for that matter, won’t persuade any of the parties to give up on their lifestyles. Dialog and sensitivity to the needs of each other is the only way for Israelis, with their various levels of observance, to coexist as one society in this country.

After all, different groups in Israel may have different value systems, but we all share the common language and culture that gives us the framework to foster a universal commitment to Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. There are those whose focus is the Jewish half of the equation, and those who focus only on the democracy. The unique and complex challenge in Israel is to synthesize these sometimes-competing values. As a society we have to understand that we all draw water from the same well of Jewish history, culture and tradition,  and from there we can find better ways to agree or to disagree. If kids can put their differences aside and play together, I don’t see a reason why grownups can’t do the same.

———-

Rega Shel Ivrit

Ish Be’emunato Yichyeh – איש באמונתו יחיה (man shall live by his faith)

This phrase is a linguistic innovation of recent years, and was created based on words of the prophet Habakkuk, eighth of the twelve Minor Prophets (Habakkuk 2:4). The contemporary saying expresses the ideas of ​​pluralism and tolerance, the right of every person to believe what he or she chooses, and to allow to others to do the same.

Shavua Tov,

Roey
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About the Author

Roey Schiff is the NFTY Shaliach. Roey grew up in Ein Vered, Israel and has experience working with teens and leadership development. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Business Management from Ben Gurion University. In September 2010, Roey moved to NYC to act as the NFTY and Israel Programs Shaliach as part of the URJ Youth Division.

Chanukah – Po ve’Sham (Here and There)

The truth is Chanukah doesn’t carry much religious significance. Indeed, the holiday’s historical basis – the Maccabean revolt and the rededication of the Holy Temple – is described in the books of Maccabees, but it is one of the few Jewish holidays not mentioned in the Bible itself. Nor does Chanukah come with the religious restrictions on work that the true chaggim have (much like the restrictions on Shabbat) other than for a few minutes after lighting the candles. Nevertheless, it’s one of the most celebrated and fun Jewish holidays both in Israel and in North America.

Growing up in Israel, I still remember my excitement for Chanukah every year. Without an official winter break, the 9-day vacation from school starting one day before the holiday is the closest it gets, and is much anticipated since the last day off at the end of Sukkot. The winter is a wonderful time to travel throughout Israel and as a teen I used to spend half of my Chanukah vacation with my youth movement, hiking in the Negev desert, where it rarely rains but is extremely cold at night! Another popular Israeli Chanukah tradition is attending the festivals and seeing the mega-production children’s shows that tour the country. The great repertoire of Hebrew Chanukah songs (which in my opinion beat any other holiday songs) is everywhere. And unfortunately for whoever is trying to keep himself on a diet, so is the smell and sight of the yummy, oily, fried foods (I also had to draw the line myself once after devouring four sufganyot in one day!).

In North America too, Chanukah has gained increased importance over the years and taken a place equal to Passover as a symbol of Jewish identity. One noticeable reason for that of course derives from it being a Jewish alternative to the Christmas celebrations that often overlap with Chanukah. However, the dominance of Christmas in American culture doesn’t imply Chanukah’s passivity; on the contrary, it demonstrates the respectable place of American Jewry in American society and shows that Jewish culture can survive and even flourish amid a non-Jewish majority, as it has for two thousand years.

One thing I’ve learned during my shlichut is that there are robust and vibrant opportunities to participate in Jewish life in America today, but unlike in Israel, it requires a more willful decision. Last week I was lucky to experience such the peculiar opportunity of attending the URJ Biennial and participating in the NFTY Leaders Assembly. For several days I was part of a collective of a few thousand(!) people who socialized, sang, studied, prayed and ate Shabbat dinner (the largest ever, they say) together, but above all, were there to celebrate being Jewish.

Chanukah reminds us that all these things can’t be taken for granted.  Both in Israel and North America we count our blessings and honor the sacrifices of our ancestors that allow us to enjoy the national liberation and religious freedom we have today. For me this is the definitive meaning of the holiday.

Rega Shel Ivrit

Nes Gadol Haya Sham/Po נס גדול היה שם/פה (“a great miracle happened there/here”)

Indeed, there are several differences between Israeli and American versions of the holiday. For one, Israeli kids would never get presents for every day of the holiday. Also, though menorah is a Hebrew word, Israelis call the special nine-branched one we light in Chanukah a “Chanukiya.” But the nuance I like the most is actually displayed on the dreidel: the letters נ ג ה ש for Nes Gadol Haya Sham (“a great miracle happened there”) appear on America’s dreidels, but in Israel the dreidel reads נ ג ה פ standing for Nes Gadol Haya Po (“a great miracle happened here”). So if you happen to celebrate Chanukah in Israel, don’t be alarmed, it isn’t a typo.

Chag Chanukah Sameach,

Roey
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About the Author

Roey Schiff is the NFTY Shaliach. Roey grew up in Ein Vered, Israel and has experience working with teens and leadership development. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Business Management from Ben Gurion University. In September 2010, Roey moved to NYC to act as the NFTY and Israel Programs Shaliach as part of the URJ Youth Division.

Why Diaspora Jews Have the Right (and Duty) to Be Involved

Following the Israeli media frequently, I was somehow troubled to find how many controversial laws and bills the Knesset (Israeli parliament) have approved lately. Among those bills is a law aimed to limit the public’s ability to submit petitions to the High Court, an amendment which would make it possible to sue newspapers for libel (without having to prove tangible damage caused by the publication, as the original law requires), a bill that would limit foreign funding for Israeli human rights organizations, and this is just a partial list. The problem with this legislation is that it harms the entities that act as the brakes, balances and critics of the government – the High Court, the press, and the citizenry at large in the form of NGOs (non-governmental organizations). Some op-eds claim that Israelis should be very concerned with this these actions that that may push Israel in a direction away from its own democratic nature and the larger democratic world. I’d like to add here that it’s also a concern for the grater Jewish community.

In one of my past Israel Thing issues (discussing the so-called Israel Apartheid Week), I warned about the dangerous and deceiving slander which is often used as a stick to beat Israel. The unfortunate reality is that attempts to brand Israel as a pariah in the international community are stronger than ever. While we as Jews should consider it our duty to defend the state of Israel from its haters, that doesn’t mean that we should silence our own sense of judgment toward it. We can all participate in the ongoing development of the modern Jewish narrative by supporting Israel, by being an activist for Israel, and yes, also by criticizing it whenever we disagree with its decisions and actions. We may find ourselves on different sides of the debate, but allowing a global Jewish conversation to take place is essential. After all as the known saying – “2 Jews, 3 opinions” – implies, a consensus isn’t so much of a Jewish concept.

Jewish conversations like these are critical especially when faced with an Israeli government that acts contrarily to your set of values and beliefs. This is exactly the time to speak out loudly and clearly. The easiest thing to do is to distance yourself from engagement with Israel, but this is basically avoiding the problem. I believe Israel is a fundamental element in our Jewish identities and in our connections to the Jewish people. Therefore it’s in the interest of every Jew to strive for Israel to be a place he can sympathize with, regardless to his own place of residence. Many of the Diaspora Jews have valid experiences and perspectives to bring to the table and can also be part of the process of making Israeli society more democratic, pluralistic and inclusive, as voiced in Israel’s Declaration of Independence.

By expanding the capacity to advocate and defend – in tandem with the ability to question Israel’s direction, Israel can widen its support base and better fight against the assaults upon its very legitimacy. I recognize limitations to this approach; for example, Diaspora Jews, no matter how engaged, cannot and should not vote for Israel’s political leaders or take responsibility for the physical security of Israel’s citizens. But if Israel were something that only Israelis can comment on, then it would not be the nation-state of the Jewish people. It would simply be a state for its registered citizens and nothing more.

Rega Shel Ivrit

Limtoach Bikoret למתוח ביקורת “to pull criticism”

The word Bikoret can be translated as a “check up” or criticism, while limtoach is a verb that comes from the root matach, referring to stretching or pulling. There is some sense in the combination of the words: Limtoach Bikoret, which simply means to criticize. When someone undergoes criticism, they are, in a way, “pulled”. And like when you pull a rope, the act of criticism leads to tension – Metach in Hebrew. This tension is essential because we all know that loose rope doesn’t really do the job it’s supposed to.

Shabbat Shalom,

Roey

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About the Author

Roey Schiff is the NFTY Shaliach. Roey grew up in Ein Vered, Israel and has experience working with teens and leadership development. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Business Management from Ben Gurion University. In September 2010, Roey moved to NYC to act as the NFTY and Israel Programs Shaliach as part of the URJ Youth Division.