Israel: Two Visions, One Wall
Continuing from the previous post , I posed a question about what kind of society we want to build in Israel. This wasn't a rhetorical question - it's something we need to put careful thought into. Because there are, as I see it, two distinct visions operating here. Let's call them "V1" and "V2." Sometimes they're spoken out explicitly, and other times they're implicit, operating beneath the surface. In either case, these visions motivate the way people think and act in relation to important issues, and I would say we'd be well-served to keep this in mind as we make our way forward. V1 - One vision is of Israel as a traditionally religious Jewish society, based on the belief that this is what God wants for us, and indeed expects of us. It's a vision where the society is predominantly Jewish, both in terms of the population and in terms of Jewish commitment - i.e. observance of the mitzvot (commandments). It is an ideal which sees the...