Yerushalayim – a city of multiple realities

Family smachot and the opportunity to spend Pesach in Yerushalayim sent me back to Israel for yet another visit, enabling me to once again get the feel of the realities of the current situation.

I had only been in Yerushalayim for some three hours before reality struck – the sirens wailed and thanks to the Houthis in Yemen we and millions of others had to interrupt daily routines to go to the so-called “safe rooms”.
However, the four occasions when this happened during our four-week visit aside, life in Yerushalayim (where we spent most of our time) seemed calmly normal. Yes, we were inconvenienced by a few demonstrations that interfered with traffic at times, especially in the major city thoroughfare Rehov Aza that passes Netanyahu’s Yerushalayim residence. But in for example such Charedi quarters as Geulah/Meah Shearim and many other parts of the city as well, one had no idea that a war was on. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary and there was hardly a uniformed person to be seen, Even the ubiquitous wall posters referred to Charedi/religious concerns and not the war (surprisingly not even to the contentious draft issue). Clearly some were living in a bubble, separate from the rest of the country.
And as that continued from day to day (remember that some 500 days had preceded this time) I became more and more concerned.

Despite my relationship with elements of the Charedi world and empathy with those of us to whom Torah is a supreme value, let me spell it out in no uncertain terms. A situation where tens of thousands blithely see themselves as exempt from “sharing the burden” that falls on the major portion of the populace is simply untenable when tens of thousands of others have family life and livelihoods interrupted for a now even further extended period (and all that is without entering into the issue of physical danger faced and experienced by so many).

They say Torah learning must continue at all costs! Funny about that. My visit coincided with the month of Nisan, when yeshivot are closed for “bein hazemanim” (between terms) break (although there certainly were some who engaged in “yeshivat bein hazemanin” studying even in off-class time) But somehow for most who would vocally and vociferously oppose any change to existing arrangements, learning didn’t seem that important during these weeks.

Let us deal with the real question. Learning and religious life are at odds with army service? That certainly isn’t the situation in, for example, Gush and Efrat, the strongholds of those who both study and serve unlike Charedi boys, whose parents don’t have to worry if their child will literally survive the night unscathed. Do those who refuse to participate even in non-combat roles really see the country surviving, let alone flourishing, only at the expense of the efforts of others? True, I wouldn’t want my son or daughter endangered, but given the needs of our country I just don’t get it. And for the record, let us not forget that even if one accepted some concession for those who really make the effort and devote life to study at the expense of physical living standards, what about the many thousands who don’t – they just take the view that “I’m religious/Charedi” and therefore to preserve that lifestyle I need not participate in other aspects of Israeli society (which I really don’t want to recognise or regarding which so many Charedi leaders don’t wish to see their communities involve themselves)?

And now I turn from that view of ongoing life there to the specific date that we will celebrate this coming Sunday. As we celebrate Yom Yerushalayim – to my mind the ultimate celebratory “yom” after the solemn commemorations of Yom Hashoah and Yom Hazikaron followed by Yom Ha’atzmaut and all that that day meant to the immediate post-Shoah generation – we are experiencing a foretaste of that which generation sought – L’shanah haba’ah b’Yerushalayim. In fact to cite Rabbi Shlomo Goren on Har Habayit on that great day in June 1967, “b’shanah hazot, b’sha’ah zu – this year at this hour” we are privileged to live that dream of generations, to be present in Yerushalayim even if – despite all the construction underway – it is not yet the Yerushalayim rebuilt we pray for and await. But it is incumbent on everyone – especially those granted the privilege of actually living there – to make our physical contribution to that achievement rather than assuming we can leave it to others and all will be well. In fact I wonder whether if those who seem to take that attitude really looked into their hearts and thought about it – would they really believe that all could be well if they just relied on others. I strongly suspect that an unreal laziness of thought perhaps combined with wishful thinking is predominating.

Each day in the amidah services and in birkat hamazon we pray for binyan Yerushalayim – the (re)building of Yerushalayim – bimhera beyamenu, speedily in our days. And indeed the amount of physical construction – whether apartment buildings or access roads and tunnels – has to be seen to be believed. Personally I cannot engage in another of my frequent visits without seeing new development. But aside from the financial aspects of supporting construction activity and acquiring that which is built, is every resident or other form of beneficiary seriously contemplating their personal contribution to it happening? Let’s be blunt – without the army and its personnel, where would all this be? And why should that burden not fall on and be shared by all?

Yes of course there is the spiritual aspect of rebuilding and growth, with Torah a key element. Without it Yerushalayim would – chas veshalom – be no more than another city, perhaps a historic monument. But past and future must go hand in hand – the builders of our future lean on our past – but don’t stop there.

And while it is welcome it is not enough just to recite a daily psalm and prayer for “acheinu kol beit Yisarel – our brethren of the house of Israel” and assume that therefore one has done one’s duty. Serious introspection is undoubtedly the need of the hour – regrettably I felt that it is sadly lacking in many quarters. So let us look forward to a peaceful, brighter and collaborative future.

Shabbat shalom
L’shanah hazot b’Yerushalayim