The true test of Israeli society is precisely now
Dudi Vakhtel argues that the true test of Israeli society is now, in the midst of the political struggle. He recalls a story of a pre-military preparatory program head, where students choose to save Satmar Hasidim before an Arab school, and warns against abandoning Jewish brotherhood.
Dudi Vakhtel, a columnist for Channel 14, argues that the true test of Israeli society is precisely now, in the midst of the political struggle after the elections. He recalls a story of a pre-military preparatory program head, who teaches his students about the 'tribes' in Israeli society: secular, religious, Haredi, and Arab. In an exercise, students are required to choose which educational institution to send the best rescue unit to – a Talmud Torah of the Satmar Hasidic sect in Bnei Brak or an elementary school in Kafr Qasim. Year after year, all students choose the Satmar Hasidim, out of a sense of Jewish brotherhood. Vakhtel compares this to the days after October 7, 2023, when unity overcame disagreements. He warns against normalizing those who are willing to abandon Jewish brotherhood and cooperate with enemies, while noting that on the fringes of the left there are those who have already abandoned this brotherhood, but emphasizes that these are not the face of the entire left. The article concludes with a call to maintain the Jewish connection above any temporary political achievement.