The fateful days of the holidays and the elections
An opinion column by Moti Shklar examines the connection between the Tishrei holidays, the Israeli happiness index, and the upcoming elections. The author argues that the elections are not between left and right but between those who see meaning in existence as a Jewish and democratic society and those who try to separate these values. He notes Gadi Eisenkot as aligning with the messages of the holidays.
An opinion column by Moti Shklar, published on ynet, examines the connection between the Tishrei holidays, the Israeli happiness index, and the upcoming elections. The author opens with a surprising statistic: the happiness index of Israeli society ranks eighth in the world, and among young people, third. However, he notes a problematic statistic of low trust in institutions. Shklar argues that the holidays connect us and highlight the importance of connection to the world, loyalty to ourselves, the collective, and the unique culture. He quotes the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks on the connection between repentance, forgiveness, and freedom. According to him, these elections are not between left and right or between religious and secular, but between those who see meaning in our very existence here as a Jewish and democratic society, and those who try to separate these values. Shklar claims that almost all political camps miss what the days of repentance and the holidays offer, except for Gadi Eisenkot, who aligns with these messages. He notes Eisenkot's willingness to renew the historic alliance with classical religious Zionism and the placement of religious figures on his list as a sign of hope.