Some draft-age Israelis are making a big mistake. They're using Disengagement as an excuse not to go into the army. That's exactly what the Left was hoping for. They are playing into the hands of the "enemy."
A friend of mine, whose son was murdered by Arab terrorists a number of years ago, calls every Jewish wedding and every Jewish baby born here in Israel our "revenge." This is the opposite of those who say: "Why bring children into such a horrid world?" We must follow her lead and go on with our lives, even more so than before. It will give us more strength and victory, G-d willing.
One of the aims of Disengagement was to disengage the patriotic Israelis from the state, to weaken their loyalty. They don't want lots of good patriotic soldiers. They want "their kids," who dream of living in Los Angeles or New York. They don't want soldiers who want to pray at Josef's Tomb or farm in Atzmonah. They want to prove that the most patriotic are actually disloyal.
So, please encourage the kids to enter the army and also hold onto their values and not use Disengagement as an excuse to disengage.
4 comments:
I've thought about this and am leaning on agreeing with boycotting the army.
We know beyond a doubt that all of Israel's victories in the past 57 years were miracles. It had much less to do with technology and better quality soldiers than God's providence.
Since Rabin, the normal-religious group has made the army and ideal, for Israel and self-fulfillment as well. The most elitist unit, Sayeret Matkal, is apparently mostly religious now, unprecedented.
BUT, is the army an ideal to strive for over other things? We see that even with religious kids inside, they still took part in the expulsion. We see the religious general of the personnel department openly deriding Rabbis and the hesder yeshivas.
Maybe the army isn't that important?
The army is crucially important, also for national unity. It's the best meeting place for all sorts of Israelis, kiruv etc. We need you.
It's not the only place, and I disagree about the best place part. The panim el panim initiative that was started before Likud referendum and continued until the expulsion is going through a revival. Panim el panim detours around the media and gets invited into the home where someone is most comfortable and relaxed, and without the normal 'defensive' barriers we all put up when we leave our front door. Until now, the house was impossible to penetrate. A place where the anti-Jewish yediot ahronot and arutz1 and 2 ruled which information reached eyes and ears. Panim el panim allows many more Israelis (a tiny minority does miluim, and while kids are impressionable in the regular army, there is always the dati-not dati separation) the opportunity to interact with [usually] religious jews and settlers.
If Israeli society is centred around the army, which is a man-made tool, then perhaps this is why Israeli society is weakening and disintegrating. Any army is an illusion of strength and power. The society should be centred around torah. Torah is not an illusion.
Shabbat shalom
Please come to Ariel on Sat night, 2130, meleva malka at the college in Ariel for the Netzarim refugees by the mechina in Eli.
For many, the army is Panim el Panim. We all must do something.
If I can get a ride to Ariel, I'll go.
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