t77 i THE ARRANGEMENT

+9. The Arrangement heredim honor only Jewish Law-Halakha-and deny the sovereignty of the secular Jewish state. Time of Favor Since the establishment of the state of in have served in YVONNE KOZLOVSKY GOLAN r948, the majority of soldiers who the ror have been secular. They have hailed from Tinte of Fauor (Ha Hesder), directed byJoseph urban centers, agricultural collectives (kibbuc Cedar [e] zim), or private or collective farms (moshavim). Israel, zooo However, the ror contains a growing group of religious Zionists who follow the philosophy of Mandatory national service is required of most Abraham Isaac Kook, who believed in inte- Israeli citizens.'When an Israeli reaches the age of gratingTorah studywith the buildingof the state. eighteen, he or she must go to the induction off,ce This group is called the national religious sec- closest to home, be tested, and be assigned to a tor. It gained tremendous momentum after the job according to che needs of the Israel Defense Six Day \Var of ry67,when many consid- Forces (ror). Men serve for three years, women ered their country's victory as the beginning of for two. Women-and men, in some cases-can the Redemption that could culminate in the com- substitute community service for military service. ing of the Messiah. Modern religious Zionists, Exempted from the draft are members of minor- loyal believers inJewish religious law as well loyal iry groups-including Muslims, Christians, and citizens oflsrael, are found throughout all levels Armenians-and the heredim, ulra-Orthodox of government, society, and culture. They fulfill Their traditional Jews who consider their full-time engagement in all of their civic responsibilities. Talmudic studies to be their profession. political party, the Mafdal (National Religious The ultra-Orthodox are exempted from ser- Party), has been represented in the Knesset, Is- vice in the tor under an agreement made in 1948 raelt parliament, since it was founded. Members between David Ben-Gurion's government and of the national religious sector live in all types of r}re remnant of the scholars studyinginyeshivas- agricultural and urban setdements in Israel. The schools devoted to learning and interpretingJew- young men are inducted into the ror-usually ish religious texts-who arrived in the new state into combat units, some of which are coed-and trom Europe when the embers of the Holocaust are highly motivated. Many of the national re- were still smoking. To continue this tradition of ligious women opt to perform community service religious education after so manyJewish scholars in uniform, usually as teachers of new immigrant had been murdered in the Holocaust, the soldiers, or as civilian tutors workingwith school- scholars were exempted from military duty' It chlld..n in remote Israeli towns. The members of q'ould have been difficult for them to adjust this sector support the "settler movement" in Ju- ro army life, which was so different from the dea and Samaria-which Palestinians and more closed communities in which they lived. More- Iiberal and leftist Israelis call the "occupied ter- over, many were physically not able to meet the ritories," otherwise known as the \trest Bank and xmy's requirements. Despite the $overnmentt Gaza. For the adherents of the national religious gesture toward the ultra-Orthodox, the extreme movement, the Land of Israel is indivisible. It was 178 : YVONNE KOZLOVSKY GOLAN

bat duty. A yeshiva for such students is callcd Hesder Yeshiua. The name of this film inHebrew,Ha refers to the arrangement between the ment and the settler movement on army but embodies a dilemma of loyalty. Does rhc ligious soldier obey his IDF commander or rabbi who is the head of his yeshiva? The between the two loyalities is the dramatic tion of the film. \Tritten and directed byJoseph Cedar,-l leased with the English title Tirne of Faum, film won five Ophir prizes (the Israeli equi of Oscars)-for screenplay, cinematographs, ing, and best male and female actors (Aki and Tinkerbell, respectively). It was norni for a Peace Award by the American Political Society in zoo1. Born into a religious Zionist family, Cedr 6nes himself as a National religious Zionk

The Orthodox Israeli soldier Aki Avni (as Menachem) order to write the screenplay, he lived for prays. From Tirne ofFauor (zooo), directed byJoseph years in the Dolev community settlement c 'West Cedar. pno:roFEsr / KrNo TNTERNATToNAT Bank, about six kilometers from Ram (It falls under the jurisdiction of the Beni Local Council, named for the area promised to the people of Israel by God, as stated the Bible to the tribe of Benjamin.) This t in the Bible, and it must be setded in its entirety first time that an observant Jew has after the return oflarge areas ofthe biblical Land making a feature film of international of Israel to Israeli sovereignty-especially the cap- about the setdements in Judea and ital, Jerusalem. From inside knowledge of the National There is a more strictly religious Zionist group community, dubbed yarmulke wearers, hc whose members do not believe in men andwomen plains th! issue of being under dual serving rogether. In order to recruit them, the rnl (rabbinical 4nd military), and the conficr had to find a suitable solution. In the mid-I95os, alty during a crisis. (In Israeli society, the the government decided to recruit national re- yarmulke or skullcap-black, white, or ligious yeshiva students under a speci al besder (ar- velvet or crocheted; large or small; rangement) for five years of service, combining embroidered; and so forth-indicates a periods ofTorah study at ayeshivawith periods of political and religious leanings. Those active military service, such as training, maintain- with the National religious group are ingequipment, guard duty, and, if necessary, com- ciated with crocheted yarmulkes.) The ARRANGEMENT

- The plot revolves around two axes: Rabbi . Meltzer and his presenr and former srudents - Pini-another Talmudical genius, in spite of his - poor health-and Menachem, a successful com- bat oficer (Ah Avni, a star of Israeli television who, after this film, left Israel to try his luck in Hollywood); and Itamar (Micha Selekrar), now married and a father. Inspired by Meltzer, the three-who have been best friends since their stu_ dent days-dream aloud of blowing up the al- Aqsa Mosque, which is situated on rhe -above the sacred I7estern rilZall, a rem_ nant of the Second Temple,Judaismt holiest site. This scene is an exposition of the messianic ex_

tionship between the rabbi and his daughter, who rejects Pini in favor of Menachem. The film begins with a long shot of a winding, deserted road inJudea. A soldier stands at a hitch_ hiking post and thumbs a ride to his settlement. (Israel has oficial hitchhfting srations where sol_ diers can srop cars for rides home on weekends, a leftover from the early days of the state when there was little public transportation and fewpri_ vate cars.) This shot shows the remore location of Menachem's community.

Based on their devotion ro their country and religion, the Jewish sertlers are committed to making this barren region bloom and to defend_ ing it at all costs. From this perspective, the view of the empty road has a symbolic significance for o,*jo:I..,::n. th. fot.,... Rabbi Meltzer dreams ofestabtishing a rabbi:.li::f,:_:^.:_.:l:g:l*:,-1." plans to promise his daughtea Nlichal (Tin- renewed Kingdom of Israel and redeemi;;. kerbell)' in marriage to his best student' Pinhas land from its desolation. Immediately after Men- (Idan Alterman)' Michal fu in her late teens, while achem and Michal me et hitchhiking to the settle- Pinhas' "Pini," or is in his early twenties. Thin, menr, rhe scene moves to a darkened alley where paJe' and diabetic' he is a religious zealot. three shadows walk stearthily, fearing discovery. l8o : YvoNNE KOZLOVSKY GOLAN

They are Menachem, Pini, and Micha. The alley- against "unbelievers"-arouses the young meni way is in the Old City of Jerusalem, in an area adrenaline and sense ofreligious duty. located near the Temple Mount. After they sneak Since 1968, the government of Israel has ar_ past Israeli security guards and \Taqfpersonnel tempted to place a physical barrier between Jesr (the Vaqf is the Arab religious authoriry in and Arabs at the Temple Mount, realizing hor charge of Muslim holy places), they lower them- important the location is to both groups. Bl in_ selves down to bathe in the waters of the undcr- credible luck, an attempt to blow up the Te* ground Gihon Spring. The underground tunnel ple Mount by a young, mentally ill Australian o, dates back to biblical times. It was hewn into the August zt, t969, was thwarted. Michael Dennr rock to bring water to Jerusalem when the city Rohan, an evangelical Christian, confessed tharhc was besieged by the Assyrians. The waters of the was trying to accelerate the coming of the Messieh Gihon still flow in the same channel, and immer- by establishing the Holy Temple on rhe TemFlc sion in it is believed to be more ,,visio- spiritua\ enrich- Mount. Since then, the fear of a disturbed ing than purification in the water of a mikvah, or ary" who might take the law into his own han&; ritual bath. The channel of the Gihon is located has haunted the Israeli government and its l.u, beneath the al-Aqsa Mosque, which stands on top enforcement and securiry agencies. of the Temple Mount. There has been a persistent fear that Ulrra-Orthodox non-Zionist scriccly religious Zioniscs might rake their rabbis' prohibit stepping onro rhe Temple Mount, since mons very literally. Sermons encouraging this is the site of the destroyed First Temple, built dents to purify themselves in preparation for by Solomon, and the Second Temple, built by r€storation of the Holy Temple could incite Herod. As long as the Messiah has not yer come, to hasten the coming of the Messiah by and the Holy Temple has not yer been rebuilt, ing the al-Aqsa Mosque. those Jews-especially who have not undergone The three young men in the film discuss religious purification-must not step onro rhe establishment of a combat unit, to be made site. This prohibition has been breached by other soldiers from their Hesder yesblua. Me rabbis (usually religious Zionists) who believe who is an rDF officer, will lead the unit, that ever since Israel regained control over the Rabbi Meltzer had lobbied the ror to Temple Mounr in the Six Day\Var,Jews are obli- Agencies such as the General Security gated to rebuild the Holy Temple there. For po- Israel's equivalent of rhe US Federal Bureau litical convenience, the governmenr of Israel ad- vestigation, and the Mossad, the equivalent d:r heres to the ultra-Orthodox ban and forbidsJews Central Inrelligence Agency, worry abour to climb the Temple Mount. would happen if the rabbi has more in Thus, these three young men are violating the over this unit than its military commanden ban byimmersingthemselves in the Gihon. Their The unit might act on its religious conr-i clandestine bathing in this place brings them into and disobey orders. aworld of mystery and sacred awe. Theirproxim- Military units made up of soldiers who are ity to the al-Aqsa Mosque and rhe possibility that yeshiva studenrs have existed for decades dynamiting it could ignite the Middle East in a 6lm erroneously portrays the establishm* bloody jihad-a holy war waged by Muslims the unit as an exceptional case. Cedar 38I : THE ARRANGEMENT

and their families money and rhis choice to highlight the rebellion that from giving them as heroes. In response, the tor, arise if the soldiers shifted their loyalty praising them Ehud Barak, the minister of defense, dre rnr military commanders to religious headed by with the yeshiva and pro- The fear of such activities derives from severed its arrangement from serving in the ror' in the past, particularly the so-called hibited its students takes command of the Underground" affair. In the film, Menachem appoints his friend Micha as second in During the 198os, reserve oficers living in set- unit and him. "\7hat is the secret of in the territories took the law into their command, to assist asks a secular officer of his reli- hands and created a clandestine organiza' their success?" colleague. "It is the call to recite the Sberna dubbed the'Jewish Underground," that in- gious O Israel, the Lord is God, the Lord to attack Palestinian targets in the \Zest pr"y., [Hear the religious ofEcer' "The mo- They used standard ror equipment and is One]," responds soldier hears that het fight- y murdered three students, wounded ment that a religious his entire self in the mis- of others, and attempted to assassinate ing for God, he invests brings about its success." Palestinian mayors. Two of the mayors were sion and is invited to be a Sabbath wounded; one had to have his legs am- Meanwhile, Pini at the rabbit home, which is a great honor' . A Border Patrol demolitions expert was guest denotes Rabbi Meltzert desire when he tried to dismantle an explosive The invitation to have Pini for his son-in-law' This plan runs ice planted by the Jewish Underground' The opposition from Michal, who refuses the ar- p was also suspected of planning to blow up into match. She has had her eye on Menachem Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque' ranged time and encourages him to pursue her' its members were caught while attempting to for some reciprocates her affection and goes to up five buses in eastern Jerusalem' Indict- Menachem rabbi to express his feelings' Rabbi Meltzer lmlts were filed against twenty-nine people who the that Menachemt love for Michal con- bdonged to the organization, fifteen of whom insinuates murderous element since she is intended convicted and imPrisoned' tains a -re Pini: it is as if Menachem has murdered Pini Cedar based his screenplay on this event' with- for his future bride. Menachem retreats mt knowing to what extent reality would follow and taken into himself and almost stops visiting the settle- his plot. In zoo9, after imposin g a freeze on the attemPts repeatedly to become closer hilding of new settlements, the government of ment. Pini Michal, but nothing helps' She sPurns his ad- lrael announced that it would evacuate some set- to The rabbi pressures his daughter to marry riers from the'West Bank, as it had done in the vances. Pini, but instead she leaves the settlement to live C'aza Strip in zoo5. Soldier s ftom aHesder Yeshiua apartment inJerusalem' performed an act unacceptable in an army: they in an doesn't "get the girl," but he consoles him- raved a poster during a military ceremony' an- Pini the rabbi's sermons' which glorify Jeru- oouncingthat their unitwould not evacuate their self with as the pinnacle of the hopes and longings of rclatives from the settlements. The army consid- salem Rabbi Meltzer emphasizes that oed this open revolt; the soldiers were arrested theJewish people. embodiesJudaismt dream of rnd sent to military prison. This did not Prevent the Temple'Mount and the coming of the Messiah' Pini' Cre rabbis of their Hesder Yeshiua, Har Beracha, Redemption l8z : yvoNNE KozlovsKy GOLAN

the rabbit procdgd, draws the conclusion that the strike. They suspecr Menachem is implicated be- time for action has arrived. He incites Micha to cause he is Pini s friend and commander, and it commit a crime by telling him that the rabbi has is from his unir that the explosives were stolen. ordered them to blow up the Temple Mount, and At the climax of a battle exercise, Menachem is that Menachem is part of the plot. Micha steals arrested as his soldiers look on, and is broughr explosives and ammunition from the unit,s arse_ in to be interrogated by the General Securin nal and brings them to rhe tunnel under the Service. The interrogation produces no resulcs. \Testern S7all, the same runnel feamred in the Menachem knows nothing and cannot reveal earlier scene. anything. \Zhen Michal arrives and explains. Rabbinic aurhorizarion for a crime recalls an Menachem understands what has happened and extremely traumatic evenr in Israeli history: rhe sets our to srop Pini and Micha. assassination of Prime Minister yitzhak Rabin on Menachemt character epiromizes the religious November 4, r99s, by a radical religious Zionist Zionist: a moral person and peerless warrior, a who felt that he had rabbinical sanction to kill disciplined soldier, obeying God and the rabbis Rabin as a rnoser, someone who gives away the and also adhering to the civil law of the land_ Land of Israel or delivers inro the Jews hands of Menachem's repuration may be compromised br non-Jews. The Oslo Accords heralded rhe return extremist religious interpretations rhar could de- ofterritory occupied by Israel to the palestinians stroy rhe delicate balance between religious and in return for a peace agreement. The Oslo Ac- secular Zionists. The popular Israeli television cords were intended to be the framework for fu- star Aki Avni plays Menachem. Avni has built hrs ture negotiations between the Israeli government career on playrng many roles as the tough sol_ and Palestinians, within which all outstanding..fi_ dier who is nevertheless sensitive ro the needs of nal sratus issues" between the two sides would be his men, and beloved by those in his command resolved. Some religious right-wingers considered Rabbi Mehzer is portrayed by the noted acror. Rabin as firting the description of a rnoser. rs It Assi Dayan, son of General Moshe Dayan. Dar-an still unclear if the assassin acted alone or some if served as the Israeli minister of defe nse during dlc rabbis confirmed his opinion, and if so, who they Six Day \Var, granted the Waqf control over rhc were. Temple Mount, and established Israeli gor-tr_ In the film, it is Pini who decides to bomb the nance in the territories conquered in that rvar. lr holy site. He goes behind Menachem's back and is interesting to watch Assi Dayant performana deceives Micha into believing that Rabbi Meltzer as someone who both continues ,o!11616 hi "rr4 had approved the plot. If pini and Micha ac- fathert legacy. complished their goal, it would endanger state The one faw in the film was the castirrs d' security and the well-being of all Israelis. Just be_ Idan Alterman as Pini. He fails to develop hr fore setting out on his private mission, he boasts complex role as the Talmud student rurned r+ to Michal of his plan. rorist. Alterman is too well known to Israeli m Michal dutifully notifies the police and se_ diences as a gifred comedian. Most of his pu_ curity forces. They set our ro rrap the attackers, formances are in nonsense roles; he is shorr amdl without knowing where and how they intend to small of stature, with a silly smile permanendo n ]83 : THE ARRANGEMENT

his face, like an Israeli Buster Keaton. Neither the shows that they are not a monolithic group and audience nor the critics found his portrayal of emphasizes that most ofthem are like Menachem. Pini credible. They defer to their military commanders when Cedar collaborated on the screenplay with their religious sentimen$ contradicr their obliga- Levy, a national Jackie religious entertainer and tions as soldiers. In addition, the film gave Israeli comedian with perceptive insights about the pre- audiences insights into the complexities oflife for carious relationship between the religious and religious soldiers and the rensions in their com- secular sectors. screenplay The exposes the am- munities, as exemplified in the romanric tri_ bivalence oflife in the yeshiva and in civil society: angle between Menachem, pini, and Michal. Mu- the predicament of translating a rabbit zealous tual trust between religious and secular Zionists sermons into political action while still honoring eroded around the time of the Rabin assassina- the obligations of the citizen vis-).-vis secular law. tion, and when the Jewish Underground was ex- Cedar and Lery propose that Israel should not posed. Cedar's film aims at reestablishing that point fingers at Menachem and those like him, trust. who constirute the majority of religious Zionists, without suficient evidence-as Israeli leftist or- Background: htcp: / /www.jcpa.org/ jpsr / s99-yc.htm; http://www.ynecnews.com/ arti ganizations did when they cast aspersions on na- cles/ o,7 3 4o,L-1g r 936t,o o .html. rional religious circles for complicity in the Rabin assassination. Cedar and Levy concede that there are rogue religious Zonists like Pini in the com- Bibliography nuniry but they are few in number. After all, pini Friedman, RobertI. fo depicted as arrogant and sickly. His diabetes Zeahtsfor Zion: Inside Israel! West Bank Settler Mouernent. N ew Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers nay symbolize not only physical illness, but men- Universiry Press, r994. trl illness as well. Cedar is using the exceprional Gorenberg, Gerchorn. Fundamentaliszn and the Struggle case to warn against one possible scenario. He for the Temple Mozzt NewYork: Oxford University Efu the veil from national religious society and Press, zooz. &es not idealize it. Inbari, Momi.'/ewisb Fundamentalisrn and the Temple Mount: yno Will Btuild tbe Tbird Ternple? Trans_ Nevertheless, Ti m e ofFa u orreceived crirical ac- lated by Shaul Vardi. Albany: State University of New im in Israel for its pioneering glimpse into the York Press, zoo9. ional religious subculture. It challenged preju- Ravitzky, Aviezet Messianism, Zionisw, andJewish Reli- that secular Israelis often harbor toward the gious Radicalisrn Translated by Michael Swirsky and movement in general, and Orthodox sol- Jonathan Chipman. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, r996. in particular. Respect for state policy is ex- Zertal,Idith. Lords of the Laid: Tbe War ouer Israel! Set- ited in both the religious and secular sectors of tlements in the Occupied Territories. New york: Na- i society. The majority of yeshiva students tton,2oo7. to disobeying the government. The film