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Rabbi David Stav

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What is the Greatest Challenge

A s Jews who love Torah and the shofar or Simchat Torah. They have Israel”2 was not a suggestion but the very
State, we want to see our people only heard of Shabbat because of the essence of our being.
in good health, returning supermarket law that forbids opening If one tribe feels that another tribe’s
to Zion, and keeping the Torah and stores on Shabbat; they only know about existence is superfluous or dangerous it
mitzvot. After all, that’s what we pray prayer because of the debate around will be the end for us all. Indeed, there
for every day.1 But what is our biggest women’s prayers at the Kotel. are those who think success will come
challenge? when the secular/ultra-Orthodox/
The challenge is not outreach or getting Reform disappear.
Many of Religious Zionism’s challenges people to do teshuva. A person who That won’t happen so quickly. But
have already been overcome. The State doesn’t understand why they are Jewish our goal is not to convert everyone
of Israel is an undeniable fact. The core and what they’re doing in Israel will to Religious Zionism. What we do
of Torah learning and the majority of not stay. Not because it’s worse here need though is to welcome and accept
the people are already in Israel. And than anywhere else, but because they everyone in the tent of Avraham Avinu.
most of the people who are not here are don’t understand why the stores are Every assimilated Jew in North Carolina
absent due to practical reasons (family, closed for Shabbat or why someone who or Israeli emigrant from North Tel Aviv
elderly parents, work, etc.) or because didn’t serve in the army has to decide is one of G-d’s lost children. Another
they have no interest in being part of this for someone who did who and how to silenced soul. And their progeny will ask
great historic process (assimilation and marry. us where we were when G-d’s sons and
other factors.) A small minority are not daughters left Him, never to return.
in Israel on principle or for ideological We haven’t managed to The issue is not who has the right
reasons. bequeath the sweetness of religious ideology. Everyone knows
And even Judea and Samaria is stable. who continues to bear the flag. What is
Although not officially resolved, there truly important though is how we carry
this together into future generations?
"is no-one who really thinks it is possible How do we revive interest in Torah and
to evacuate hundreds of thousands of Torah to the people heritage – every Jew’s Torah and heritage
citizens from their homes. It is certainly – among the Children of Israel?
an important political topic but not a Even if they don’t keep all of His
challenge the Religious Zionist camp Why should we care? The national instructions, let us at least ensure they
needs to address. religious camp is strong and our path want to be part of His family.

So it seems there is one piece of the proven. No! Anyone who thinks they 1 Three of the blessings in the daily Amidah prayer
“Torat Yisrael for Am Yisrael in Eretz can still maintain a country while losing are for health, returning us in repentance, and the
Yisrael” puzzle still missing. We have millions of Jews in the Diaspora does ingathering of the exiles.
a wonderful Land, Jews are here, and not understand the meaning of Torah or 2 Deuteronomy 33:5.
Torah is flourishing here in all of its what a nation and a country is. Rabbi David Stav is Chairperson of
Tzohar and Rabbi of Shoham
glory. There is no one tribe that can build a

But the people are not connected. country. It was our original 12 tribes
We haven’t managed to bequeath the who established the monarchy. They
sweetness of Torah to the people. were completely different from each
other. Some were more religious, some
It bothers me that many Jews have never less. Some devoted time to Torah study
heard of Avraham or Yitzchak. They while others went into business. They
don’t know anything about blowing the understood that “together the Tribes of

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