The Continuing NRP Controversy

Arutz 7 ^ | 25 February 2003

[anotherview]

The Continuing NRP Controversy

Rabbi Yehuda Zoldan, a rabbi in the yeshivat hesder in N'vei Dekalim, spoke to Arutz-7 yesterday. "As someone who publicly supported NRP in election campaign," Haggai Segal said, "we're curious to know your opinion on what could be called the 'historic' agreement between the NRP and Shinui redefining the religious-secular status quo in Israel." Rabbi Zoldan responded:

"I think that the general direction is positive, even though there are of course some concerns - even some weighty concerns. I'm not sure that the agreement will last for the full 4 yrs and 9 months [until the next scheduled Knesset elections], but just the fact that they are sitting and talking about these issues, and the attempt to re-examine the issue of relations between the secular and the religious, are good signs. I think the NRP, too, thinks that there is what to review in certain areas [such as the dismantling the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the reorganization of the provision of religious services]."

Arutz-7: "But the NRP has also agreed that the State should recognize civil marriages for the tremendous number of people who, according to Jewish Law, are not allowed to marry."

Rabbi Zoldan: "That's not how I understood it. I understand that a committee will be established to look into the matter; it hasn't even been established, and we'll have to see what they recommend. We can't ignore the fact that there is a problem here - people who can't get married halakhically, but yet are stuck. It's inconceivable that Moslems can get married by their Kadi, and others can get married however they want, but many others can't… The social and cultural situation in Israel has changed in the past decade or two; there are many new immigrants [of questionable Jewishness], etc. This is something that has to be looked into; we can't ignore the fact that things have changed. It could be that in the end, no solution will be found, and the Shinui-NRP partnership will fall apart."

Arutz-7: "But you hear the attacks by the hareidi parties…"

Rabbi Zoldan: "First of all, let's recall that just an election or two ago, the hareidi Shas party sat in the same government with Meretz, and everyone was upset, but they did it anyway, with the approval of Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef... There too, it broke up after for a while. But this type of thing has happened before. "Secondly, I think that the hareidi parties have to ask themselves how it occurred that such a large force has arisen - with an impressive 15 Knesset seats - which has no ideology other than a hatred for the hareidi sectors? I think they have to ask themselves what caused this to happen… "In general, many of these issues have nothing to do with the status quo, and we know that in our hearts. The law granting extra benefits to large families is a humanitarian issue, but it has nothing to do with religion. Even the Tal Law [governing military exemptions for yeshiva students] - it's worthwhile reviewing it… Shinui climbed some very tall trees, and I don't think they got very much of what they wanted."

Arutz-7: "You don't think that the extent of Torah study will be lessened as a result of these political developments?"

Rabbi Zoldan: "No, I don't. Whoever wants to study Torah can do so, in any of very many frameworks. New laws will not make the difference, for those who are worthy of studying. Those who are just sitting and wasting their time in yeshivot - I don't think that even the heads of the hareidi yeshivot want those kind of students. It's true that Tommy Lapid's motives are not to benefit us, those who study Torah. But you never know; it could be that in some mystical way, the rise of this type of party will help us ask ourselves whether everyone has to learn in a yeshiva. We know that there are many, known as 'shababnikim,' who simply do not belong in yeshivot. Historically, too, even in the hareidi public there were those who studied in yeshiva for a while and then went out to support themselves by the 'labor of their hands.' Today, too, we know that not everyone who looks like a Talmid Chacham [Torah scholar] is in fact that way. I therefore don't see it as such a terrible thing if we review this matter. It's true that Tommy Lapid talks about 'more productivity for the economy,' and so on, and that really his true goal is that Jews shouldn't study Torah. But we know the problems from within, and we know that not everyone is really sitting and studying Torah."

Rabbi Mordechai Noigershall, a leading hareidi educator, then responded to Rabbi Zoldan's words: "I am truly very surprised to hear such words from Rabbi Zoldan today. First of all, it is not 100% honest to start talking now about what's worthwhile to check, etc., when during the election campaign the NRP did not say these things. The NRP should admit that it compromised with Shinui on certain issues, instead of trying to 'legitimize the illegitimate' with all sorts of reasons… Secondly, regarding Shas and Meretz, the situation was very different then. This time, a more stable, Jewish, and nationalist government could easily have been formed with the hareidim's 16 seats instead of with Shinui's 15 seats -

Arutz-7: "No, Ariel Sharon could have formed a secular left-wing government with Labor and Shinui, without the right-wing and the religious."

Rabbi Noigershall: "No, not as easily as with the hareidim and the NRP; Labor made many problems for Sharon. In any event, it's not because of the NRP that Labor didn't enter; the NRP doesn't bother Labor at all. [ed. note: The Labor decision not to join the government was made a few hours after the Likud-NRP agreement was announced, and the latter was cited as a main reason for the Labor refusal.] Rather, it's been a while that the NRP has not liked the hareidim's approach to religion… and it was even a bit hard to tell whether it was the NRP or Shinui that wanted the hareidim less."

Arutz-7: "You don't think that the hareidi public and leaders should make a 'personal accounting' as to how it is that a party could arise in Israel with such hatred for the hareidim? Isn't it possible that there were some cases of chilul Hashem [desecration of G-d's Name] by these parties in the past few years?"

Rabbi Noigershall: "Shinui did not arise because of [that,] but rather for many reasons, and everyone has to make his own personal accounting; the NRP should not make a 'personal accounting' for us. It's ugly self-righteousness for the NRP to take this approach… We've been talking about these matters in our own personal circles well before Shinui arose… It's true that we have to work to be 'the instruments by which G-d is loved,' but this won't happen by 'klopping al chet' [being penitent] on the breast of the other."

[Drango]

I misread the title and was gonna urge congress to defund NPR/PBS.

[archy]

'preciate it!

-archy-/-