A survey held by IDSF HaBithonistim in January 2024 shows that a whopping 91% of the Israeli Jewish population believes that the social discord that has been plaguing the country severely undermined our military deterrence towards Hamas. Without a strong and broad base of Jewish identity, Israeli society is in danger of declining and losing its ability to withstand threats.
A battle of identities has been raging in Israel for the past decades, and many are turning their backs on their Jewish identity in favor of a “universal” identity. “As once Zionism departed from Judaism, we seemed to have lost our sense of purpose and guiding principles,” Ruth writes. When people disconnect from Judaism as a shared identity, and from collective national feeling, we are unable to conduct a pragmatic discourse on the most vital issues of our existence. It is crucial therefore to understand that having a Jewish state is much more than having a technical majority of Jews – it demands Jewish values as well.
Turning our backs on Jewish identity undermines our most valid claim for the country’s security. Our grandparents came to Israel because they believed that this is the promised land and the remedy for thousands of years of exile. For good reason Ben Gurion said that the bible is our charter – he also understood that without a sense of belonging between the people of Israel and the bible – we have no justification for being in this land”.
“It is inconceivable therefore that two separate camps have allegedly risen in Israel: the faith-based camp and the state-based camp”, Ruth further asserts. There is, she says, no such thing as a faith-based camp– as we are all people of faith. One may be an atheist but still believe in one’s heritage and act accordingly. In order to reconnect as a nation we must then– first and foremost – reconnect to our Jewish identity.
One of the main propellants that lead Dr. Kabbesa Abramzon to focus on national unity at the present moment was the large protest that raged against the judicial reform. “I also thought that any reform must be done in a manner that includes the public rather than threatens it”, Dr. Abramzon shares. “I came to realize that some of the groups involved in the protests simply have no desire to find common ground,” she concluded.
And yet, Dr. Abramzon believes that both the rift in Israel’s society and the call to refuse to report for reserves duty on the part of the protest movement played a crucial role in propelling Hamas to commit the heinous attack. “Unity is the sine qua non of the Israeli people’s existence, as history shows that every period of discord only brought calamity on the people of Israel”, she says.
Many maintain that a society that is a patchwork of cultures such as Israel cannot truly achieve unity. However, it would be wrong to claim that Israeli society is structured on sub-cultures. We are one nation seeking to reconnect. According to Ruth’s perception, unity in Israel’s society is absolutely attainable, but is under threat in two main arenas: the media and politics. These two arenas derive their power from fomenting discord and factionalism. To remedy this state of affairs we need leaders of stature in these areas who would not hesitate to make big changes to put Israel back on a healthy track.
IDSF Habithonistim is committed to promoting a complete Israeli identity. “The novelty of the IDSF HaBithonistim is its refusal to align itself with any one camp in the identity war”, Ruth explains. My aspiration is also to see a nation that knows who it is, in a country that is strong and that knows how to incorporate its values of Zionism, Judaism, and democracy into its cultural and educational systems”, she added.
Dr. Ruth Kabessa AbramzonPhoto: Sharon GabayTo conclude, social discord has severely undermined Israel’s military deterrence toward Hamas. Once Zionism departs from Judaism, we lose our sense of purpose and guiding principles. In order to reconnect as a nation we must– first and foremost – reconnect to our Jewish identity. We need leaders of stature in media and politics to make the big changes necessary.
- Dr. Ruth Kabbesa Abramzon is an expert on Management and Government, a social-Zionist activist and senior researcher at the Israel Defense and Security Forum - the IDSF