Like many of you, we have been closely following the passage of the judicial overhaul bill in Israel. We have read calls by top military leadership, current military reservists and active duty officers, former ambassadors, and more, opposing the current judicial overhaul proposals. We have supported the protests of our Israeli friends and family and spoken to them as they have continued to stand strong to protect Israeli democracy. We’ve heard stories and watched footage of the historic march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and of daily protests across all the major cities in Israel, even in the face of a forceful police response.
We’ve also been heartened by the account of Israeli citizens across the political spectrum gathering at the Western Wall in anticipation of Tisha B’Av to express their wishes for compromise and reconciliation in order to preserve Israel’s vibrant democracy. It ended with loving embraces among all participants, left, right, and center. Those gatherings—like the protests—affirm the dream of a true Jewish homeland where the widest diversity of Jews can thrive and fulfill their dreams.
This hope compels us to both express our pain for the divisions in Israeli society and to hold even more firmly to the vision of a fully democratic Jewish nation. Not only do we pray for the peace of Israel both from forces external and divisions internal, but we also commit ourselves even more strongly to support those who share that dream.
Our Talmud famously asserts in the face of Jewish dissent that “eilu v’eilu d’varim Elohim chayim“—”these and these are the words of a living God.” There are voices of wisdom across the ideological spectrum. There are voices on the right, left, and center calling for reform, but reform through a democratic process—one of, by, and for the people of Israel. We believe and hope that the voices of compassion and wisdom, tolerance and compromise, respect and reverence, will prevail, and that Israel will emerge from this upheaval stronger and more committed to preserving the spirited democracy of our Jewish nation.
Looking to support the commitment to Israel’s democracy? Consider these organizations:
www.unxeptable.org
reform.org.il/en
www.irac.org
www.hiddush.org
