Thinking AND Living "Outside of the Box"

I agree with Batya's post, "I Don't Understand How G-d Fearing People Don't Celebrate Israeli Independence!" I cannot fathom a religious Jew not celebrating and marking Yom Ha'atzmaut in some way. How can one not appreciate the tremendous miracles He has wrought by allowing us to found our own country and witness the rebirth of Torah living and Torah learning here in the Holy Land? (Sorry this sounds shmaltzy, but after 31 years here, I still get teary eyed every time a plane with one of your boys flies over my head!)

Having said that, I must mention that there are different ways to celebrate this glorious day. Our country is extremely polarized and I don't give a hoot if what I do is considered "normal," as long as my husband and Hashem allow it :) Need one light a "mangal" and eat barbecued meat to celebrate the day? Is there only ONE kosher approved way to celebrate Yom Ha'atzmaut? I have in my possession a tape of my Rebbe, Rav Yehuda Cooperman, shlita, founder of the Michlala Jerusalem La'banot. He says that to say Tachanun on this day as if it is the same as any other day is tantamount being "kafuyi toda" (lacking appreciation) for His goodness in allowing the founding of the state of Israel after the Holocaust.


However, I recently read a copy of the new book by Rabbi Dovid Holzer on Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik, "Thinking Aloud." (Superb reading, by the way!) Rabbi Holtzer served the Rav as his Shamash-- right hand man: chavruta and "sounding board" for over six years. He explains Rav Soloveitchik's stand on saying Hallel with a bracha. It is not so simple, according to the Rav, and NOBODY can accuse him of not having been a zionist! It is a strictly halachic issue which Rabbi Soloveitchik analyses and explains in great detail. (This book is based primarily on tape recordings of the Rav speaking.)

Personally, when I made aliya, I bent down and kissed the ground despite the funny looks I got, and since then have never hid my zionism. My children, (boys with black kippot, girls who studied at Bait Yaacov schools) were raised in a home where Yom Hatazmaut meant another lecture about "...how blessed we are to all live here."

It has meant listening to the International Chidon Tanach (Bible Contest,) while preparing a very special holiday meal. It has meant spending the day in joyous reflection about how wonderful it is to be a Jew here in Eretz Yisrael. It has meant special food and dress, despite the day falling during sefirat ha'omer. I don't believe that I am any less a zionist than someone who chooses (as I did several times in my late teens,) to pray at Mercaz Ha'rav and dance to the Kotel.

Why? For one thing, living here has meant great sacrifice on my part. My parents were unable to fly in for my sons' bris ceremonies; nor was I able to see them every year. And, my children's weddings have never included any of my close family due to monetary and/ or health reasons.

The Netura Karta are "kafuai toda," in my eyes, living here while hating the state and they disgust me. Additionally, I find repugnant people who lack the basic derech eretz to stand in place during the sirens remembering our fallen heroes. You don't want to stand still? Then stay at home!!!! Otherwise, stand and say a bit of Tehillim for the many holy people killed "al kiddush Hashem" while sancitfiying His name, some of whom have nobody to say neither Kadish nor Tehillim for them!

I abhor young men who hypocritically claim Torah to be their life (as it is for my husband, who for the first 20 years of our marriage learned 15 hours a day. My children grew up calling out "Abba" at night, for Abba was learning Torah until 3.00 - 4.00 a.m. daily!) As a Rosh Kollel, my husband said often throughout the years to batlanim ( lazy men ) supposedly dedicated to learning, "Who are you kidding? Go do army service and get a job! What you're doing-- pretending to dedicate your life to learning- is a chilul Hashem! (desecration of His name.)

Two of my cousins in the USA work in chinuch (Jewish education,) garbed in dark blue suits and hats, with knitted kippot underneath. One studied for a few years at Kerem B'Yavne and the other at Shalabim before finishing degrees at Yeshiva University. Can you imagine an Israeli's reaction at seeing them remove their hats.... to reveal a kipa seruga???? What are these men meshugane- crazy? Not at all! Many in Ner Yisrael Yeshiva of Baltimore and Chafetz Chaim Yeshiva of N.Y. used to dress this way in my time. (I have lived here since '78 so can't say what goes on there now!)

Why must everyone in this country conveniently fit into a little box, like the children's toy that teaches them to recognize shapes. You must be a PERFECT triangle; square; rectangle; etc. to fit in. If not, well... you don't get to go into the box. There is no place for individuals who refuse to conform to being conveniently labeled "chiloni," "dati leumi," or "charedi." Well, my children were raised in a home where these lables were simply not allowed. There are people who keep Torah and mitzvot, even if they dress differently than we do, and those who as yet do not keep Torah and mitzvot. Period! When my young ones were quizzed by other children in kindergarten if we are Ashkenazim or Sepharadim, (I am the first; hubby the second; the house goes by Sephardishe halacha,) I would tell my kids to say, "I am a good Jew like all the other good Jews the world over whose souls were at Har Sinai!" Loving your fellow Jew as yourself includes EVERY Jew, no matter what his attire or affiliation.

I would never, ever wish to live abroad. I abhor my visits to the USA to visit my 84 year old father and have let the family know that after 120, they will come visit me should they wish to see me. Nevertheless, here in Israel we could do with a little bit more patience and acceptance of other Jews without pre-judging him or her by dress ; kippa; etc. such as that we witness abroad.

I adored my year at the Michlala: We were eight girls in the apartment. Two were American daughters of illustrious Charedi Rabbis; Two were American ba'alot teshuva (yours truly one of them,) a third room housed a Gerer Chasidic girl who lived in Bnei Brak across the street from a Bnei Akiva counselor (who married a boy from Mercaz during that year;) and the last room housed an Israeli Charedi Ashkenazi girl from the Haifa area with a lovely Yemenite girl from a moshav up north. I don't recall if she was dati leumi or charedi. You see I never noticed. These words and concepts mean nothing to me! She was simply a good girl-- whose neshama was at Har Sinai with mine!