Our Own

The fact that we have enemies is not news. The fact that our enemies want us out of the land of Israel is not news. These unfortunately are givens, and we have been fighting these battles forever, and probably will go on fighting these battles, until we and our children are left in peace to flourish and grow like any others.

Our own fighting between ourselves is also no breaking news. Since the “Book” was recorded, it is chock full of, he said, they said, I want, and the “yennims” (what others have).

Families have squabbles, siblings quarrel, couples argue, but in order to remain as one, a unit, a family, they must overcome these obstacles and learn from them, build from them and grow stronger from them.

These points are often the weak links in our bonds and are sought out and exploited by those that wish to dissolve family units, peoples or countries.

As we, in Israel grow stronger as a people in our country, and strengthen our connection to our land and our history, our enemies are making extreme efforts to exploit the differences between us, often causing many of us to forget who we are, our common bonds and that we are family. Indeed, how many Jews from the diaspora actually visit their own historical heartland. How many have been manipulated into being afraid and how many are losing interest. At least in Israel, we are seeing an opposite trend. It is a challenging fight.

Recently the news has been overflowing with Religious issues, differences, Israel’s Democracy. Various views regarding women in Ultra Orthodox surroundings and of course, our own IDF, are being used to set up points of confrontation. Not belittling these at all, though they are much smaller than presented and perceived by the media, but these are our issues in Israel, and they are being used to drive wedges between us as a people. Once again, this occurring under the shadow of a pre-nuclear Iran, that poses an existential threat to our Jewish state and millions of lives, all lives, all peoples.

Throughout various points in our own history, our enemies have dragged us apart, forming false treaties, partnerships and friendship only causing us to battle between ourselves weakening us and eventually leading to our own demise.

Just like what is going on today, once again, the concept and efforts of divide and conquer surface in false smiles and shallow promises. Foreign government officials have been making unholy alliances with opposing factions in Israel, fostering unhealthy conflicts within our own and this has become a major political activity among supposed pro-Israel groups.

Venture to your nearest JCC to hear an enemy of the Jewish state rant, while an advocate of an equally allowed opinion shut out. University campuses courting groups, who supposedly advocate peace, with names like the “Olive Tree Initiative”, orchestrating and manipulating their own political agendas, none supporting a Jewish State of Israel.

Watch how many non-affiliated Jews, and many who belong to the Reform and Conservative camps outside of Israel have been forming ranks under the flag of Women’s Rights in Israel, especially in our IDF, themselves being victims of the biased media outlets. The same regarding the Ultra Orthodox and Religious communities, again outside of Israel, paying attention only to issues pertaining to Rabbinic decrees.

Of course this does not apply to everyone, far from it, the point being, that our enemies use these internal conflicts to divide us, and hopefully wrench us from our own history, our land, just like has been done before.

Maybe we will be the generation to end this vicious cycle, and reunite our people as one….maybe.