Posted on 11/19/2002 10:02:49 AM PST by Destro
Is Israel becoming less Jewish?
By Shalom Freedman November 19, 2002
The threat to the Jewish character of the Jewish state is growing more and more severe. This is first and above all because of the much higher (two and one half times higher) birth rate of the Arab population. But it is also because of three other factors which have only come into play in recent years. One is the large number of guest workers who are choosing to make Israel their permanent home. A second reason is the large number of non-Jews who have been part of the wave of immigration from the Soviet Union. A third factor is the illegal residence in Israel of a large number of Arabs from across the Green Line, including many who have moved from the Hebron area into Jerusalem.
If in 1960 Jews constituted eighty-nine percent of the state, today they constitute only seventy-eight percent. And this official number does not include the large number of unregistered foreign workers or Arabs residing illegally in Israel.
A considerable part of Israel's Muslim population has rejected its own minority status and refuses to consider itself part of the Jewish state. A great share of Israeli Arabs are, in their own eyes, Palestinians who believe the demographic factor will lead to the day when the state becomes not a Jewish state, but a "state of all its citizens." This is for them a stage toward the eventual transformation of the country into a part of the larger Arab world, i.e. making it into yet another Arab state.
As for the large group of non-Jews, estimated at between three hundred and five hundred thousand, who came with the wave of aliyah from the former Soviet Union, it is clear that the great majority of them will make no serious effort at Halachic conversion. A certain number of these non-Jewish immigrants are actually believing Christians who are crowding Israel's Orthodox Christian churches on Sundays more than ever before.
As for the guest workers, the same reality applies here as has been seen in most countries of Western Europe. The workers first come temporarily, but tempted by the higher standard of living, they extend their stay and eventually begin bringing their families over. There is a growing population of young people among this group who will in time have Israeli citizenship, but will not be Jewish.
At present there is no sign of the non-Jewish populations cooperating politically. But should they do so, it is likely that the first item in their platform will be to detach Israel from the Jewish people, and make it the 'state of all its citizens' that the Arab minority so desperately wants.
There is another alarming sense in which Israel is becoming less Jewish. The extreme polarization between the religious and the secular has resulted in secular Jews moving farther and farther away from Jewish tradition. The unfortunate efforts at religious coercion on the part of the ultra-Orthodox have led to a backlash in the larger secular society. The grandchildren of many of those secular Jews who were founding fathers of Israel are often simply ignorant of Judaism.
It appears that the broad, moderate, Masorti, or traditional center of the Jewish people is being reduced from both sides. Therefore, a broad consensus around a few basic principles of Jewish and Israeli identity is becoming less and less likely. This is reflected in the increasing numbers of young people who, for one reason or another, do not serve in the army. Already forty-five percent of those of enlistment age, including religious youths who opt for yeshiva studies as well as others, find their way out of it.
Countering this process of diminishing Jewishness is likely to be more difficult than it has been in the past. Aliyah, the traditional answer, is more and more problematic as assimilation increases in the Diaspora. Aliyah from the former Soviet Union is a good example of this. Perhaps a large infusion of religious Jewish immigrants might help, but it may well be that the numbers are not large enough to make a vital difference.
Certainly efforts to facilitate conversion of Israel's non-Jewish immigrant population, without sacrificing authenticity, should be increased. Until now, the numbers of converted immigrants have been small, and most have managed to live without it. The non-Jewish population of Israel is already so large that it can show some contempt for the majority's institutions.
Still another suggested remedy for the problem is the bringing to Israel of large numbers of crypto-Jews from various parts of the world. This idea of mass immigration of communities that identify themselves as being lost members of the Children of Israel makes certain sense but may too be Utopian, as there are no signs that those masses are on their way here.
One additional possible answer is through peace negotiations, in which the Arab party to the conflict is ceded certain heavily populated areas within Israel. An agreement, in which the Arabs become part of an Arab political entity, leaving Jews as the outright majority of a Jewish one, is a diplomatic possibility. But it is one which may have insurmountable security difficulties.
A more fundamental improvement of the situation would come from a massive overhaul of the school systems within Israel. This would involve an emphasis on more serious teaching of Judaism and Jewish history in the secular school system, and a wholly revamped program in various Haredi institutions which would connect them to the historical life of their own people. The goal of this fundamental change would be an increased involvement of larger segments of the Jewish population in the activities of the Jewish state in order to strengthen its Jewish character.
Most importantly, Israeli political leaders must become more aware of the increasing threat to the Jewish character of Israel. They must begin seeking ways to ensure that an enterprise created through the sacrifice and effort of generations will not be carelessly dissipated through an apathetic resignation to the extension of present trends. Views expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect those of israelinsider.
Shalom Freedman is an American-born writer on Jewish subjects who has lived and worked in Israel for many years.
sfreedman@bezeqint.net
Who was attacked? Yes, there was some inappropriate behavior. They were out of line. I do not recall the original story reporting beatings and physical attacks on other passengers. This type of conduct is shameful, but it is far from typical, since it does not occur on a regular basis.
Try not to change the subject, start calling everyone Nazis or dissappear like you did the last time.
I have not changed the subject.
I have not called anyone a Nazi.
I did not "disappear" from this forum at any time.
That was another Freeper, not me. Your memory is incorrect. Try gingko biloba.
I don't blame Alouette. Even the most principled and devout defender of his beliefs gets sick and tired of being attacked exclusively on the basis of anecdotal evidence and ad-hominem (Just Like The Taliban, yet Jewish!) attacks. I often think the Orthodox party does a grave disservice to their political goals by ignoring how important the mainenance of secular law even in Jewish state is, but that is a criticism of their strategy and approach to government, NOT of their existence, which appears to be that which you and your ideological bedfellows espouse.
What will you cite next? The Protocols of the Elders of Zion? Proof, courtesy of the Egyptian Yasser Arafat and his friends, that Orthodox Jews consume Palestinian children for lunch?
[Orthodox Jews] don't have control of the country as the Taliban did.
And they never will. You sound like a liberal shill proclaiming the menace the Christian Moral Majority poses to the nation. The Orthodox Party is a minority, DEFENSIVE movement, and all they can hope to do is take steps to defend their personal way of life through a coalition government.
Please, just look at the disgraceful company one keeps in taking such a stance against Orthodox Jews. It is the inevitable consequence of spreading such thinly veiled poison.
Alouette thanks for the collection of propaganda. Anything promoted by Noam Chomsky is by definition vile, and I applaud your work in making us aware of such garbage.
TopQuark I believe you are correct in your asessment of the danger Leftists pose to the Israeli government. Their attacks on Orthodox Jews, masked as a concern for secular rights, amount to nothing more than an effort to divide and conquer what is left of Israeli conservativism.
That is simply disgusting, explicitly and in its implications. Is that really the best you can do?
The prayers of all Jews, especially the Charedim, help keep Israel safe. The Charedim are more religious and pray more so they are influential. The IDF takes care of business on the material plane.
Now who's namecalling?
Whoever it is you're babbling about, is not me. Now go boil your head.
Well, if the Neo-Nazis are quoting you, you might want to consider what it is about your postings that they find so appealing.
Tell me how I am wrong in assessing the similarities between your tactics against Orthodox Jews and those used by American liberals against the Christian moral majority.
Yeah I'm an ignorant Nazi who relies on ancedotal evidence. Great. Feel better now?
Actually, yes. I feel much better. If you can offer something other than anecdotal evidence and vague accusations for your statements against Jews, and provide some reasons why your views are so different from the awful people that most often express similar thoughts, I would be interested to hear it.
Unfortunately, I don't think either Alouette or myself are fooled by your attempt to divest yourself of responsibility for the obvious implications of your crude attacks on Orthodox Jews by stating them in a misleading manner. Noam Chomsky does it much more smoothly than you do, and even he is not that difficult to catch. If you are "sickened" by my statement that you sound much like an American leftist, how do you think an Orthodox Jew would feel at being told the those of his faith are worse than the Taliban?
The big difference is there is a direct and fairly self-explanatory correlation between the two separate things I analogized, which even you picked up on, whereas your claim of a Talibanesque Orthodox Jewry is seriously in need of evidence to support it, as well as a reasonable means for them to get control of the country and "shove their way of life down" your throat (speaking of which, they must be some sneaky Jews to reach all the to Worcester, Massachussetts...).
2. most of the branches of ultra-orthodox in Isreal is the Jewish answer to the Taliban. Different sides of the same coin.
3. Odd how its the non-observant Jews who know how to behave.
+
Sheesh if you would spend half the energy you use up attacking secular Jews on trying to get the orthodox to "live and let live" many communities in the US and Israel would be alot more peaceful.
If these flagrant attacks on the very nature of Orthodox lifestyle constitute your vision of "live and let live", then I will gladly do without. I coexist here at my university, with absolutely no problem, with any number of Jews of all variations, and the only ones I have ever seen causing trouble are liberal, non-observant Jews that spend their time attacking Israel, the United States, and conservativism.
I'm a goy and I've been witness to some of my secular Jewish associates disparaging Orthodox Jews.
I have found that furor of secular Jews in Tenafly, NJ over the placement of strips of rubber on utility poles to create an Eruv elucidating.
There are certainly many instances where the Orthodox Jews and the party that represents them have made poor choices. It is also unfortunate that they have apparently converted some of their more communitarian views, fine when expressed voluntarily and individually, to government welfare, such as with the schooling. I personally will also never understand religious conscientious objectors, although I certainly have more respect for their choice than those of a garden variety leftist or hippy.
But I think it is kind of a stretch to assert that the Orthodox are not productive as a society, which is difficult to quantify, and, in my view, even more hard to defend as a reason to in any way "understand" the rabid leftist attacks on them. There is a big difference, I think, in the criticisms sincere non-Orthodox level at the political party about their political platform, and any of the socialist, pro-Arab tripe that riddles what Alouette has posted here, and it is important that the distinction be clear to all when a discussion occurs about it. I think a large part of the disproportionately negative perception of the Orthodox is due to the latter garbage, and not so much to the former, which is perfectly reasonable.
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