How much are Israel's haters paying religious affairs minister?
Op-ed: Those who insist on presenting Israel as a dark state are probably rejoicing over Shas minister's despicable comments against Reform Jews.
The first state is democratic, liberal and at the same time also Jewish. The second state is dark and ultra-Orthodox. One of its spokespeople is Religious Affairs Minister David Azoulay of Shas, who by mere words declared that as far as he is concerned, Reform Jews are not really Jews.
Reform Jews, Azoulay should know, are the spinal cord of the United States Jewry together with the Conservatives, who – according to Azoulay's admission test – are not Jewish either. There is not a single institution – from AIPAC to the American Jewish Committee – which doesn’t have Reform Jews as part of their leadership.
We are talking about pro-Israel bodies. We are talking about a community in which most members are our loyal supporters. Israel needs them, and they need Israel. Their love doesn’t depend on one dark minister or another.
They understand the situation in Israel, but when only several weeks ago the President's Residence offended the Conservative community, and only last month that same Azoulay said that Reform Judaism was a disaster to the Jewish people, we have a problem.
It isn't over – it seems that Israel is insisting on presenting a dark face, and these two affairs get marginal coverage or are considered an unimportant episode here. But in the US these things receive major coverage. The New York Times has already published a large piece about the disgraceful comment, and Jewish newspapers like The Forward are pulling their hair out. What is happening over there in Israel?
There are many bad people, Israel haters, who insist on proving that we live in a dark state. They usually lie, but not always. They are probably rejoicing over Azoulay's existence, because evil people's job is done by fools. They usually inflate every racist and despicable comment made by some marginal rabbi in order to present Israel as a monster.
This time they have a fat fish in their hands – a minister in the Israeli government. And they don't have to engage in any manipulation. He delivers the goods. How much are they paying him?
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu knows something, and more than just something, about such miserable statements. He knows that they cause huge damage. He doesn’t have to throw Shas out of the government and he doesn’t have to fire Azoulay either. But he can, and must, denounce the rebellious minister's comments in the clearest and most profound manner. The ball is in his court. He had better do something.
