Page 30 - Jewish News | November 2021

30A November 2021 COMMENTARY

Sukkot and the new government of change

By Harold M. Halpern
am writing during Sukkot, a holi- The holidays provided a time for beginning put together after much re- and has created hope, particularly after
day of joy. Irving (Yitz) Greenberg, the new government of Israel to pause. flection. the internal clashes between Jews and
I rabbi, Jewish scholar, philosopher It is a coalition of numerous parties – So far, so good. Israel has not had a Arabs in Israel during the Gaza rocket
and teacher, has said that while “Pass- right, left, center, secular, religious, Is- budget for four years. Its failure caused attacks, for a greater integration of Is-
over is the story of the freedom of the raeli Jewish and Israeli Arab – which the preceding government to collapse. raeli Arabs into Israeli society.
Jewish people, Sukkot celebrates the have significant differences in policies. The new government, self-described as A word of warning is necessary.
way the liberation continues.” We live They were united in opposition to Ben- a government of change, has approved Issues have bubbled up within the coa-
in the sukkah as much as is possible jamin Netanyahu continuing as Prime a proposed budget at a first reading in lition both from the parties of the right
“to recapture the Minister after 12 years while on trial the Knesset. A budget is critically im- and from Ra’am, which need to be re-
spirit of the Exo- for bribery, fraud and breach of trust. portant to enable the government agen- solved before there can be a successful
dus to remind us The coalition selected Naftali Bennett, cies to fulfill their mission which was final vote in the Knesset.
that the Jewish leader of Yamina, a small right party, curtailed in the preceding three years. For now, the new government of
people were will- as Prime Minister for two years. Yair If the budget is not finally approved by change may justly celebrate during
ing to take risks, Lapid, leader of Yesh Atid, a center and November 4, new elections are man- Sukkot for its accomplishments in its
which is the price largest coalition party, as the Alternate dated. first 100 days. In Yitz Greenberg’s
of striving to be Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. At the outset the coalition, mem- words, the government has begun “to
free to perfect the He will succeed Bennett as Prime Min- bers differed on budget allocations. take risks… to strive” for betterment,
Harold M. Halpern world.” ister for the remainder of the four-year Instead of walking away, they debated a message of Sukkot and the High
Shlomo Riskin, Chief Rabbi of term if the coalition doesn’t break up the issues, without hatred, and com- Holidays. However, given the narrow
Efrat, Israel, teaches us that Sukkot has forcing an earlier election. promised on their differences. The pro- majority and conflicting priorities, its
two identities. One identity is that it The first 100 days in office of the posed budget provides for additional durability is fragile and uncertain.
“is a desert festival... which celebrates new coalition came during the holi- funds for badly needed new hospitals A final word. Discussion of the
our desert wanderings (for 40 years)… days. and medical staffing; additional funds threats to Israel from Hezbollah from
living in flimsy booths.” Sukkot is a New voices of leadership are now for social services and crime protection the north, Gaza from the south, Iran
“reminder of all of the exiles of Israel heard in the Knesset and in the halls for Israeli Arab communities; reduc- and issues of the West Bank, as well as
throughout our 4,000-year history, and of governments around the world. The tion in food costs by decreasing import issues of exemption from military ser-
thanksgiving to God… that we have coalition has but a one-vote majority in taxes and increasing competition in the vice for the ultra-Orthodox, and con-
survived” persecutions, pogroms and the Knesset. This slim margin leaves supply of kosher products; funds to join trol by the Orthodox Rabbinate over
the Shoah. little room for error. much of the world in climate control; marriage, divorce, conversion, Shab-
The second identity is centered on Recognizing their fragility, all the funds for a security blanket for farmers bat restrictions on public transportation
the Four Species that we wave in the parties have agreed to focus on matters to ease the transition to increased im- and prayer at the Western Wall are be-
sukkah, which “represent our conquest on which they can have a civil discus- ports; and funds for the financial loss yond the scope of this column but will
and inhabitance of our homeland…. sion without demonizing those who to workers whose retirement age will be written in a follow-up article.
Sukkot represents God’s kingship… differ. They have restored the essential be increased from age 62 to 65. Harold Halpern is a retired attorney
which turns the sukkah into rays of di- art of compromise to politics. On vital It must be noted that an Israe- residing in Lakewood Ranch. He is a
vine splendor….” This sukkah is the policy matters where compromise is li Arab political party, Ra’am, is for board member of the American Asso-
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“joyful transition from the desert to the not possible, they have agreed to main- the first time a part of a new govern- ciation of Jewish Jurists and Lawyers
land of the plenty, symbolized by the tain the status quo to avoid blowing up ing coalition. It has fully engaged in and of the West Coast Chapter of the
% %
Four Species.” the coalition. So, truly, this is a new the political process of give and take, American Jewish Committee.

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