When I was a little girl, I was told a fable whose lesson has accompanied me to this very day: The sun and the wind looked at the earth together and saw a man walking in the street wearing a coat. They made a bet among themselves who will succeed in removing the man’s coat. The wind was the first to try. It blew and blew with all its might, but the man was cold, so he closed the coat and held on to it tightly. The wind wouldn’t give up and it called upon the rain and the snow to come to its assistance, but all of them together only made the man hold on that much tighter to his coat and walk faster. When the wind finally called it quits, it was the sun’s turn to give it a try; and lo and behold, the minute the wind stopped blowing, the sky calmed down and the sun came out to warm the earth, the man willingly removed his coat since he didn’t need it anymore.

 

In our reality, on the other hand, no one has bothered to learn any lessons from childhood tales and again we see violence, again in Beit Shemesh and again the same war raises its ugly head. The orthodox vs. the secular, right wing against left wing, and as always, the main point is forgotten, as well as the facts on the ground. The reality is that a group of radicals that believes that it can force the citizens in the State of Israel to succumb to its rules through violence is living in Beit Shemesh. Ironically, they have recruited the wind (spirit) to their assistance to try and rule the entire city. If they had known this simple fable they would understand that only kindness has the power to move mountains; if you attack, you will encounter resistance, whereas no one can resist kindness.

 

These insights are not my own, they are written in the Torah and in the Jewish book of laws. I learned recently by very special people that what separates the Jewish religion from all other religions and philosophies in the world is that the Jewish religion strives for togetherness, the connection between people. Many Jewish laws talk about this connection from different aspects. If tis so, how can it be that basic manners was so easily forgotten from the minds of those that claim to be God-s emissaries? Those that think that theirs is the only truth? How dare they stone a woman whose only crime was to hang commercial banners on the street or to bully an 8-year-old girl? This behavior mainly shows a lack of sanity and orientation, not to mention God.

 

 On the other hand, these days, the entire country is found in a war of religion and culture. The secular are using these cases to attack the Haredi culture; and the Haredi, out of self-defense and fear of strangers meddling in their way of life, use lies and manipulations to get back at them. Both sides are busy demonizing each other, but who benefits from it all?

 

We now have a golden opportunity which is so easy to miss, but so very worthwhile to catch! An opportunity to get closer together, to finally become, after more than 60 years, one People. During the last month, I have learned the beauty of religion through amazing people who opened a wonderful world I’d be happy to get to know better, even though I will never become part of it. The Haredi world is beautiful and diverse and it is a huge injustice to treat these radicals and extremists as their representers. The same way as it is a terrible injustice to take the bum and the floosy as the representors of the secular culture. We are one People, and we don’t have to accept upon ourselves the others’ way of life in order for us to love and respect them.

 

Let the sun warm us and remove all hatred and fear that are of no use. Let us banish darkness from our hearts and accepts our brothers. This call is directed both to the secular and the Haredi. Fear no more! When faith is strong, it cannot be harmed because the neighbor believes something else. Brothers, go out to work, serve in the army and become proper citizens. Don’t shut your hearts out to us, otherwise a great disaster will fall upon us. Please let the light come into our small country that has had its share of wars.

 

 

 

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