Israel -- January 2003

Rabbi Melanie Aron

February 7, 2003

I had hoped to return from Israel able to say that Israel is like the Mid-West at the end of winter. Everything is still covered in snow, but you know that spring is percolating beneath the surface.

Unfortunately I do not really think that is the right analogy. Closer to the truth might be the image of a lobster in a pot of water. It doesn't jump out only because the water gets hotter slowly.

The situation in Israel today would have been thought intolerable if presented to Israelis two or three years ago. However, because it has come upon the country, gradually, stage-by-stage, it is accepted as a necessary reality. As individuals, Israelis are committed to bearing up well, though in a variety of ways, the strain on families and on society in general is evident.

The security situation seemed to me, having last been in Israel in the months before Passover 2002, a bit better. Though this situation can change in an instant, the frequency of successful terrorist attacks was down. The paper was full of reports of attempted attacks that were thwarted by the police, border guards or the army, but one did not have the same sense of being perpetually under attack as last year. Restaurants and shops are also more prepared and guards are even more ubiquitous. People are again going out to eat and to have a cup of coffee, and there are some outdoor children's activities, but always with the awareness that the situation could change at any moment.

People are divided in their assessment as to whether Sharon has accomplished anything by destroying the Palestinian infrastructure and killing or arresting leaders of the intifada. Is it really making it more difficult to complete successful terrorist attacks, or do these actions just increase the supply of resentful, angry Palestinians willing to sacrifice their lives to kill Israelis?

Also on the security front, there is concern with what most Israelis saw as the inevitable war with Iraq. The day I visited our neighbors from last year, Yuval, Shifrah's friend, had been instructed in school on how to put on his gas mask. Quite a science lesson for an 8 year old. People are half jokingly making plans to go down to Eilat or other areas considered safer when the scuds begin to fall. Interestingly though, there is as much worry about Iran as Iraq, and more concern within Israel about Iran developing nuclear capabilities which they fear would make its leaders bolder in the support they give to Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations.

On the economic front, things are definitely worse than a year ago, and most Israelis seem to feel that the statistics the government is using on unemployment are artificially low. There is an informal, off the books economy providing some means of support but there is also increasing dependence on soup kitchens, a new phenomenon that was hardly known in Israel in earlier years. Previously government support kept the cost of food staples extremely low.

I was amazed by the lack of excitement about the elections, which were just a few days away when I was in Israel. Normally one would see banners on apartment house porches and at all the major road junctions, and there would be rallies on Saturday nights. The enthusiasm for the rallies may have been dampened by the fear of terrorism, but the lack of signs and banners was a symptom of how little hope the Israelis had concerning the choices before them. While people agreed with Mitzna and would ideally prefer separation, there was little enthusiasm for his candidacy because of suspicion of the Oslo process , lack of trust of the Palestinians, and continuing concern that Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon had had unforeseen consequences. Those who voted for Sharon were not doing so with great enthusiasm. He had brought neither peace nor security, but he had held on during a difficult time and there was great reluctance to change horses midstream.

After the Israeli election, we heard a lot in the United States about the weakening of Israeli democracy, which some felt was reflected in the lower voter turnout, but we should be conscious of what the numbers really were. Israeli Arabs, arguably the most disenfranchised of Israeli minority groups, and those with the lowest voter turn out rate among Israelis, still turned out at the polls at higher levels than the entire American electorate. The voter turn out among Israeli Arabs was reported at 64%; in the states that would be extremely good.

On the mission we made visits to various social service organizations. Each visit brought home the message that Israel's current needs are greatly overwhelming the existing infrastructure and the funding that is available. Every organization spoke to us about an equal number of potential clients who remain un-served because of budgetary limitations. The backpacks, school supplies, coats and sweaters I had brought from Congregation Shir Hadash to a school in Kiryat Malachi were received with enthusiasm, but clearly other much more significant support was needed.

Kiryat Malachi, a development town not terribly far from the Gaza Strip but within Israel's 1967 border, is our Federation's twin city. We support a number of projects there for the elderly, for immigrants, and for children. In addition we are involved in a three way program, modeling philanthropy to the nouveau riche of Chof Ashkelon, ayuppie enclave. The intention is that they develop a Federation type organization within Israel and work with us to help Kiryat Malachi. In that the days of Israeli socialism are long gone, it becomes increasingly important that those who have done exceedingly well in Israel's high tech boom, step up to assume some responsibility for those who are suffering the consequences of Israel's increasing income gap.

Before I left for Israel there was an lot of anxiety expressed by family and friends, and even Michael and I were feeling cautious enough based on our experiences last year, to each travel separately to Israel this winter, making sure one of us was home with our younger two children. I found though while I was in Israel, that this was not what was uppermost in my mind. Based on my experiences last month, I feel more comfortable urging others to go to Israel than I did last March. If you go I think you will feel as I did, that your presence is an important statement to the Israelis and much appreciated.

On my way home from Israel I had the opportunity to stop in London and attend the first ever international conference of women rabbis. At some level it was like stepping into a time warp. Here in California 90% of the time I experience myself as a rabbi, and not as a WOMAN rabbi. That was not the case when I was first ordained in 1981. Though there are still salary inequities, and few women in the largest of American pulpits, there have been significant breakthroughs even over the past 5 years, and almost every American woman rabbi who seeks employment as a congregational rabbi finds a position. That is not the case in Europe, particularly not in Britain where women have not begun to break through the glass ceiling. Leo Baeck, the Rabbinical Seminary, continues ordaining women, but the congregations lag behind in their acceptance of women as leaders, particularly in the larger and more prominent congregations.

There was much though that was heartening about the conference. First of all I was amazed at the vitality of Reform Jewish life particularly in Eastern Europe. Did you realize that there are 85 Reform congregations in the former Soviet Union? I also feel I understand better some of the differences between American and European Jewish life, many of which flow from the continued heavy shadow of the Holocaust, the lack of critical mass of Jews in many communities, and the minority status of Liberal Judaism in Europe. I met women from all over the continent, including a number of second career rabbinic students who had been pivotal in starting small Reform congregations in isolated areas in Northern and Eastern Europe. When these congregations couldn't bring a rabbi to their community, these individuals chose to go to rabbinical school and become the rabbi their congregation needed. Because there is no training available for liberal cantors in all of Europe, there is a tremendous shortage along with the shortage of teachers, educators and other Jewish professionals. Some of our more skilled Temple members would be very welcome to spend a month or two helping one of these small congregations by leading services, teaching Hebrew reading and cantillation, and otherwise helping them to develop their skills.

My son Jeremy's favorite joke reflects his current interest in languages. What do you call someone who speaks two languages? Bilingual. What do you call someone who speaks three language? Tri-lingual. What do you call someone who speaks one language? An American. Let's not remain like the stereotypical American, unaware and uninterested in what goes on beyond our own borders. We can have a significant role in Jewish life in Israel and through the continent of Europe, and playing that role will enhance the meaning of our own Jewish lives.