When the 'choosing people' head back to the ballot box, will they take a leap of faith? - opinion

It’s the question that everyone – myself included – is struggling with this week: “Who should I vote for?”

It is indeed a quandary, but one that we must address; the right and privilege to choose our leaders is not something to ever take for granted. Israeli elections are not just routine civil events; they are matters of life and death. But it’s a tough, tough choice we face.

Like so many of you reading this, no doubt, I’m torn between two options. On the one hand, the existing government has some very fine people in it. Benjamin Netanyahu is unquestionably one of the outstanding fixtures and figures of Israel; his longevity of nearly 20 years in office has left an indelible mark on the history of the nation. 

I have no doubt that virtually every Israeli citizen recalls at least one moment when Bibi brought honor to this country. As both a “war” and a “peace” prime minister, he has steered the ship of state through the most turbulent of waters. His financial acumen, his unshakeable posture vis-à-vis Iran and its nuclear ambitions, and the ground-breaking Abraham Accords are among his standout achievements.

I always felt I had a personal connection to Bibi. I hosted him in my synagogue in the US when he was deputy foreign minister, and it was clear then that he was a rising star. He hosted me in his own home several years ago, when he outlined his future goals, many of which have come to fruition. He has a charismatic presence, and his oratorical skills are second to none. On an international podium, he’s the man you want.

Several pervasive problems with the Netanyahu administration

But there are several pervasive problems I now have with the Netanyahu administration. First is the security issue. Bowing to public pressure, the 2011 freeing of more than a thousand avowed murderers – including arch-terrorists Ahlam Tamimi, mastermind of the horrendous Sbarro bombing, and Yahya Sinwar – in return for Gilad Schalit, laid the groundwork for the Oct. 7 invasion and massacre. 

While every life is precious, a strong leader must weigh present gain versus future consequences and make the hard choices, even when they are unpopular. The ensuing deaths of 3,000 Israeli soldiers and civilians – with Hamas still remaining fully armed and threatening – are a black mark on Bibi’s record.

This concern over the government’s ability to protect us is exacerbated by Bibi’s steadfast, arrogant refusal to both accept any blame whatsoever for Oct. 7 nor allow an independent, thorough investigation of the tragedy, rebuffing the legitimate demands of the victims as well as the general public.

A truly great leader, one who sees the nation’s good as his top priority, prepares for the years ahead by grooming a competent successor. But instead of ensuring an eventual, successful change of power, Bibi frustrates the emergence of the next prime minister.

Some of the best candidates were sent abroad, such as UN Ambassador Danny Danon to New York or Tzipi Hotovely to the UK; others like Yuli Edelstein and Nir Barkat were shoved to the side. Bibi is 77 years old this week; no Israeli PM has ever served at that age. Where is the concern for our future?

How can I, as an observant Jew and bereaved father, support this government?

BUT PERHAPS what both aggravates and frightens me the most, as a parent of soldiers, is the stranglehold on the government preventing the ongoing yeshiva study vs IDF service problem from being solved. This issue goes to the nature of what it means to have a Jewish state, and it epitomizes the lack of equality that is keeping this country bitterly divided.

The horrible lashon hara of the leader of the Degel Hatorah faction that recently polluted the airwaves – referring to soldiers as murderers who fight only for their own personal glory rather than to protect the nation, and claiming that Zionism is a desecration of God’s name – is straight out of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s playbook.

How can I, as an observant Jew and bereaved father, support a government that looks the other way when such evil, anti-Torah curses are uttered by members of the coalition?

Now, I accept that there are also good, Israel-loving members in the coalition; but sadly, they are barred from speaking their minds, let alone voting their conscience when scandals such as these arise. “Party discipline” forcibly mutes them, and so, whether they like it or not, they must be judged by the actions of the majority, not by their own personal convictions.

In Jewish law, we learn that if a cow has a single defect that renders it treif, the whole animal is treif, and no part of that cow may be eaten. So, when you vote for one, you are, in truth, voting for all.

Of course, there are legitimate concerns regarding the opposition as well. Are they capable of dealing with the many areas of conflict that inhabit our borders, and beyond? Will they push for a two-state solution (though Netanyahu publicly approved that very idea in his 2009 speech at Bar-Ilan University)?

Will Arabs be accepted as members of a ruling coalition, as happened in Naftali Bennett’s government when Mansour Abbas joined (though Netanyahu had first approached Abbas about joining his coalition)?

Will a new government be able to maintain a strong relationship with America, our principal ally, such as exists today, and repair our relations with the many countries that now condemn us? And will it keep Israel a fully Jewish state, with emphasis on our spiritual nature as well as our secular one?

I believe that the opposition boasts numerous qualified, deeply committed men and women, including a former prime minister, and a distinguished military leader who paid dearly in blood for his devotion to Israel. If they are successful, I predict that numerous other lawmakers, including many from the Likud itself, will join their ranks in due time, forging an even stronger partnership.

The real question is, can we make a leap of faith to effect a change, or are we forever bound to the status quo? It may not always be true that “plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose,” the more things change, the more they remain the same. I prefer the Greek philosopher Heraclitus’s opinion that “change is the only constant in the universe.”

The Talmud in Berachot recounts that for a long time, only elite, rabbinic veterans were allowed into the grand yeshiva of Yavne, presided over by Rabbi Gamliel. Guards were even posted at the door to keep newcomers out.

But then the sages decided to remove Rabbi Gamliel from his position of authority, due to his arrogance, and install the young rabbi Elazar ben Azaryeh as the new nasi. The doors of the study hall were thrown open, and hundreds of benches were brought in to accommodate the incoming members.

The Talmud says that on that day, there was a massive intellectual breakthrough. There was no matter of Jewish law that was left unresolved; even long-standing disputes that had been stuck for years were successfully analyzed and resolved by the new membership.

I’m not as cynical as Paul and Art; I don’t think we lose when we choose. May we make the right decision as we cast our ballot, and may God bless our leaders with the wisdom and courage to bring lasting peace to our land.■

The writer is director of the Jewish Outreach Center of Ra’anana. rabbistewart@gmail.com