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Judgment Day for Ultra-Orthodox Press and Politics

Who said that the fiasco of ultra-Orthodox parties at the last elections did not provoke any questions among the ultra-Orthodox themselves? The Hidabroot organization (its name means “negotiations” or “dialogue”), which is mostly concerned with conversion into religion, has recently begun a campaign in which it asked an acute question: how did the ultra-Orthodox come to “having subsidiaries cut so badly that it impacts important parts of life, but no one is responsible for this?” The organization believes the reasons for such policy to be incitement from the press, and finds the solution to be in increasing donations for missionary activity, naturally undertaken by the organization itself. This has an interesting logic to it: to convince the secular and religious Zionist population to like the ultra-Orthodox parties with their demands of subsidies and radical politicions, one needs even more missionary activity by the ultra-Orthodox.

It is hard to believe, but after the crushing fiasco at the last elections, there is almost no self-analysis or penance in neither the ultra-Orthodox press nor among ultra-Orthodox political leaders. Even the very word “almost” is more of a tribute to convention here, as I personally have not been able to find examples to the contrary. One might have thought that the ultra-Orthodox population would have begun asking questions: how did it help Yesh Atid win 19 mandates? What is its role in Shas and Yahadut Hatorah not becoming a part of the coalition? How was the Lapid-Bennet union created? Would it not have been more prudent to make concessions in time, thus preventing the subsidy cutting that otherwise followed? Perhaps, the ultra-Orthodox representatives were too haughty, too unreceptive to change, and too aggressive?

The last government with no ultra-Orthodox parties was created in 2003, and it implemented a number of painful buget cuts for the ultra-Orthodox sector. That was the Sharon-Shinui government. During those years, the ultra-Orthodox had a certain re-evaluation of values. The general impression was that the ultra-Orthodox had gone too far in their demands and behavior, and, indeed, during the Olmert government of 2006-2009, representatives of ultra-Orthodox parties behaved in far humbler ways. But once they had gotten used to power, star sickness struck again.

It is possible that Yahadut Hatorah having 7 mandates instead of 5 (even though these mandates in the opposition do not help the situation in any way) stopped it from asking the sacramental question “where did we go wrong?” Last week I paid special attention to New Year’s missives in the ultra-Orthodox press. There were countless accusations heaved at Lapid, Nethanyahu, Bennet, the secular citizens and the religious Zionists, but not one towards ultra-Orthodox politicians.

If it so happens that the ultra-Orthodox press, parties, and religious leaders are having a hard time with heshbon nefesh (a summary of the results), how can one not help them? Thus I would like to propose some food for thought:

• It would seem that the secular citizens of Israel, as well as all of its non-Orthodox citizens, have become tired of working together with ultra-Orthodox parties over the last term. The time seems to have come to admit that the secular citizens have values and even a sense of dignity, too. And the time has also come to count with them.

• Isn't it also time to admit that representatives of Religious Zionism (Dati-Leumi) are also religious? And they, too, have feelings, values and dignity. They also have important representatives in the world of Torah interpretation, who cannot be ignored.

• In the last several dozen years, the ultra-Orthodox have supported even the most fantastically radical ideas, such as different streets for men and women, turning off water taken from the Sea of Galilee for whole towns on Pesach, and a ban on phones that can send SMS. Isn’t it time to put an end to this? Why not speak out against those who attack women, against the zealots of modesty, against the “knights of ancient graves”?

• It is true that the image of the haredim is quite different from how many of the ultra-Orthodox behave in reality. Most of them are quite sensitive people who take into account the needs of others and try not to offend them in any way. Perhaps, then, those who represent the haredim in society should be replaced? Or, at least, these same norms of behavior should be applied to local ultra-Orthodox politicians and the ultra-Orthodox press with its boundless aggression?

• How is it possible that the population which believes itself to be spiritual, upholding traditional values and restricting itself to the bare minimum would constantly demand the post of Head of the Knesset Finance Committee?

• If the ultra-Orthodox of the USA, including their most radical, speak English, why is the study of English in ultra-Orthodox schools in Israel seen as self-destruction and heresy?

• The “Secular Forum” organization includes 50 local councils fighting against ultra-Orthodoxality becoming the norm for their regions. How is that this is seen as one of the greatest threats by the secular community?

• The political leaders of the ultra-Orthodox community all say that someone who is not learning must be in the army. Why do so many people, then, do not believe in the truthfulness of those statements? If everyone who did not learn really did go to the army, should the Tal law really have been repealed? Who is responsible for this act of omission?

• The countless attempts of ultra-Orthodox propaganda to convince the rest of the populace that it is the right of the ultra-Orthodox to bow out of army service and to live and work at the State’s expense have all failed. Then, perhaps, the problem is not in the secular population and not in the propaganda, but in the ultra-Orthodox denial that in these new conditions, when the ultra-Orthodox sector has grown in numbes, the situation cannot remain the same?

• If the ultra-Orthodox population is in a crisis of both economics and values, should it really place all of the power to solve its problems into the hands of elders in their 90s?

Desipte the fact that Yisrael Beitenu has taken the reins at the Ministry for Religious Services, the Shas party and Yahadut Hatorah have been able to get ultra-Orthodox rabbis elected to the posts of Head Rabbis of Israel. Is this not a Pyrrhic victory? Will it not just strengthen the alliance between Yesh Atid and Yisrael Beitenu? Will it not lead religious Zionists to understanding that their natural allies are not the haredim, but the secular citizens of Israel?

• For over 60 years the ultra-Orthodox citizens have been content with the budgets of the Zionist state. Thanks to these budgets, the Torah learning world has reached a development hitherto unprecedented in Jewish history. And if the State has become the main donor of the Torah learning world, should the spiritual leaders not make a statement that the State must not be robbed?

• It would seem that studying the Talmud does develop the intellectual faculties. Nonetheless, 25% to 50% of men from ultra-Orthodox families drop out of universities because they are unable to keep up with the program. However, drop-out rate for women from ultra-Orthodox families, who study general subject as part of their school studies, is minimal. It’s high time to come to the conclusion that merely studying the Talmud is not enough for the modern world, and that a people that deprives its children of a general education leaves them without perspectives for the future.

• The secular citizens adhere to the traditional circumcision rituals despite there being no law that would force them to do so. The people also celebrate Yom Kippur of their own volition. Isn’t it time to admit that we need no laws to adhere to traditions and that religious legal proceedings only do harm and estrange the populace from Judaism?

Shahar Ilan, Deputy Director General of the Hiddush for Religious Freedom and Equality.