Page 35 - Jewish News_February 2020

COMMENTARY February 2020 35A

Another crossroad Similarity yet contempt

By Harold M. Halpern By Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz, Community Chaplain
story tells how one Lubavitch-
period. Netanyahu serves as a caretak-
sraelis hoped that the second elec- without a budget and with a divided A in order to fortify our egos because we
tion of the year on November 17, er Prime Minister without a Knesset, er in mid-19 century Europe are already intrinsically unique from
th
I2019, would result in a govern- explained to another that, “The any other human being that will ever
ment. It didn’t. The parties in the Right electorate unsure if another election world, my friend, is divided into two, walk the face of the earth.
Block and the Center-Left block again will continue the deadlock and wheth- ‘them’ and ‘us.’ There’s no point talk- The question is how willing we
deadlocked with both short of the 61 er democracy and its government can ing about ‘them.’ are to actually cultivate our innate
votes in the 120-seat Knesset required function to provide for its needs. Now us Jews specialness since this is something
to select a candidate for Prime Minister What is the likely outcome? The are divided into that requires considerable resolve and
to form a government. divide over the issues remains. the Hasidim and resilience. For many, the easier road
Israelis vote The Right wants to continue with those opposing to differentiation is to just depreciate
for a party and Netanyahu as Prime Minister, annex them, the Mit- others or simply pursue a path of non-
not an individual. the Jordan Valley in the West Bank, nagdim. And re- conformity. But while the non-con-
A party receives maintain the religious status quo under ally, there’s no formist may believe he is highlighting
a proportionate the Orthodox Rabbinate, and weaken point talking about his singularity by doing so, this con-
share of the Knes- the power of the Supreme Court to re- Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz the Mitnagdim. trived iconoclasm actually distances
set seats based on view actions of the Knesset, including Among us Hasidim there are basically him from realizing the possibility of
its percentage of a right to overrule its decisions. two kinds, Satmar and Lubavitch. No unfolding his authentic self.
the total votes. The Center-Left wants Netanyahu point talking about the former. With Our given ethnic, religious, na-
Harold M. Halpern This encourages to go; to modify the strictures of Ortho- Lubavitch there are the scholars and tional and other group identities should
multiple parties to represent diverse dox Rabbinate control over daily lives, those that just join in the farbrengen serve to encourage the exploration and
interests. The only restraint is a party marriage and the military exemption of socials. Of course, no point talking growth required to achieve true indi-
must receive at least 3.25% of the vote Orthodox students until age 35; main- about the farbrengen, so this leaves the viduation. Too often, though, they are
– a very minimal requirement. tain strong security in the West Bank scholars among us, you and me. And utilized instead to narrowly define our
No party in Israel’s history has ob- without annexation to keep open the everyone recognizes how little you identity parameters, thereby foreclos-
tained 61 votes. A coalition of parties future possibility for a two-state solu- know.” ing our potential capacities in myriad
has always been necessary to form a tion; and maintain the power of the Su- This humorous yet mordant an- realms.
government. Today’s world is highly preme Court as a check on the action of ecdote reflects what Freud called “the Tellingly, “the narcissism of mi-
polarized. After approximately 90 days the Knesset. narcissism of small differences,” a term nor differences” phenomenon seems to
of negotiations, no one could get the Yet, this election will have some associated with the longing for distinct have been especially borne out with the
necessary votes. difference. Voters may realize the stakes identity. According to the founder of advent of the internet, cell phones and
The Right coalition of Likud, two and turn out in higher numbers. Gantz psychoanalysis, because the perceived social media, as they underscore just
Orthodox Religious Parties and Yamid, has established his credentials as a via- uniqueness of a person is threatened by how much humanity, indeed, has in
a Nationalist party, mustered 55 votes ble candidate. Criminal charges against others who appear too much like him, common. Food, fashion and entertain-
for Benjamin Netanyahu – six short. Netanyahu may lose him votes, but yet, an overemphasizing of relatively small ment have become internationalized to
The Center Blue-White coalition with is that enough? It may not be for Gantz. differences between them is undertak- the point that lifestyles and consumer
two parties on its left plus commitment Netanyahu’s lost votes may go to en to enhance ego strength and sense desires are now fairly universal.
from 10 of 13 Arab-Israeli coalitions other Right parties. A couple of ex- of personal superiority. “It is precisely But this accentuated appreciation
received promises from 54 members of treme Right parties that missed the the minor differences in people who of sameness has led to an unparalleled
the Knesset – seven short. threshold vote in November may gar- are otherwise alike that form the basis unleashing of antipathy via Twitter,
Yisrael Beiteinu, led by Avig- ner enough in March to take seats, of feelings of hostility between them,” Facebook and ubiquitous electronic
dor Liberman, said a plague on both while at the same time, minor Left par- Freud wrote in drawing on earlier message boards. In increasingly recog-
of your houses, and together with the ties that made the threshold may fail. work by British anthropologist Ernest nizing our similarity we, as Freud theo-
three remaining Arab-Israeli members If this occurs, the Right may get 61 Crawley. rized, are also fighting against it.
made no commitment. No one could votes. And Liberman may again have This idea is witnessed today in the Nevertheless, there may be some
get to 61. The two largest factions, the power to tip Right or Center-Left. tension found between Sunni and Shi- room for optimism. In the face of a
Blue-White and Likud, refused to form But public pressure may demand ite Muslims, Serbs and Croats, Flem- global existential threat like global
a grand coalition. a broad coalition rather than a narrow ing and Walloon in Belgium, Catholics warming, we will, ultimately, and de-
Both Benny Gantz and Netanyahu government. The parties may rise to the and Protestants, and within the Jewish spite our hostilities, be compelled to
stated their reasons. For Gantz it was occasion and compromise their interests community and many others as well. come together to address it. It may
immoral to serve with Netanyahu under for a decent period of time to give the Of course, division can also be found be that the creativity, resourcefulness
criminal charges of bribery and breach country some stability. This is the hope in families where sibling conflict can and compromises required for this
of trust. For Netanyahu, a rejection by of the Israel public. Democracy will be quite pronounced. will lead, by necessity, to the building
Gantz to annex the Jordan Valley in the then have met its test. Stay tuned. A healthy individual or group iden- of real bridges of trust and mutuality
West Bank disqualified him. The more Harold M. Halpern, a retired attor- tity should strive to evince what it is among people. Hopefully, this will oc-
likely reason is that both thought they ney living for 12 years in Lakewood for, not simply what it is against. Its cur before it is too late.
can do better in a third election. For Ranch, is a board member of the Amer- aim is not to find fault or inferiority Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz serves as a
Netanyahu, it keeps him in office and ican Association of Jewish lawyers in others but to productively fulfill the Community Chaplain and Director of
delays his criminal trial. and Justices, and a board member of potential of the identity’s inherent dis- JFCS’s Jewish Healing Program. His
The next election is scheduled for the Sarasota Chapter of the American tinctiveness. In other words, we don’t position is underwritten by The Jewish
March 2, 2020. Truly, this is a critical Jewish Committee. have to seek out differences in others Federation of Sarasota-Manatee.

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