Israel/Palestine

Series of scandals rocks Israeli Orthodox Zionism

First there was the “Gays are Perverts” speech by Rabbi Yigal Levenstein, one of the leading educators of the younger generation of Orthodox Zionism. This was followed by the disturbingly unenlightened ideas expressed by Col. Eyal Karim, who is designated to become the next chief rabbi of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Then came Orthodox former commander retired Maj. Gen. Gershon HaCohen’s defense of Orthodox Zionist Brig. Gen. Ofek Buchris upon being accused of rape. All of this should compel Orthodox Zionism to engage in some serious soul-searching.

Even when taken individually, each incident is so unacceptable that its very roots should come under investigation. When these events follow one another in a period of weeks, they expose the powerful forces at work to change the very essence of Orthodox Zionism as we once knew it.

At the center of each of these incidents are some of the most senior and influential figures in Orthodox Zionism, the very people charged with educating the next generation. For that reason alone, what happened cannot be considered a series of stand-alone incidents. They represent a line of thought and action that must prompt a much more comprehensive debate than simply focusing on “incitement against gays and lesbians.”

HaBayit HaYehudi Chairman and Minister of Education Naftali Bennett did have the courage to renounce Rabbi Levenstein’s “pervert speech,” even if it meant coming out against a popular figure who plays a dominant role in his own religious Zionist electorate. On the other hand, he did not go far enough. For example, he did not demand that Rabbi Levenstein be removed from his position as head of the pre-military yeshiva in Eli. The reason for this is simple. While Bennett realizes that Levenstein’s remarks are destructive and ignorant, and that they are tearing Orthodox Zionism apart from the inside, he is also aware that Levenstein’s followers have enormous public and electoral strength — as evidenced by the hundreds of rabbis who signed a letter in support of Levenstein. Bennett focused on Rabbi Levenstein’s boorish remarks about gay people, but he ignored the fact that Levenstein also said that reform Jews are ''part of Christianity.'' Obviously this would have been one battle too many for him. At the same time, Bennett also ignored the underlying principle behind Rabbi Levenstein’s comprehensive ideology, which advocates the superiority of Jewish law and religion over national institutions, chief among them the IDF.

Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/07/orthodox-zionist-eyal-karim-gays-speech-ofek-buchris.html#ixzz4FgD4vOfT