KISLEV, 5736 I NOVEMBER, 1975 VOLUME XI, NUMBER 3 THE Ew ISH SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS BSERVER Agudath Israel in Israel - Political Party or ''Torah Government in Exile''? 1Nl ,~,,- ,~ l 1\liri .. ••.·.·.··· .. .'\J THE JEWISH OBSERVER in this issue A Jewish Observer Symposium Agudath Israel in Israel: A Political Party or a "Government in Exile"1 THE JEWISH 0sSERVER is published monthly, except July and August, Time to De-politicize I Leo Levi 4 by the Agudath Israel of America, Both a Party and a Movement I Joseph Friedenson 14 5 Beekman St., New York, N.Y. 10038. Second class postage paid at New York, N.Y. Subscription: Chanukah and "Hoda'ah" - $6.50 per year; Two years, $11.00; The Eternal Light of Gratitude I Zev Haberman 21 Three years. $15.00; outside of the United States $7.50 per year. Single copy seventy-five cents. The United Nations and Racism - a Statement 25 Printed in the U.S.A. Second Looks at the Jewish Scene RABBI N1ssoNWoLP!N No Hiding Place in the Theater 26 Editor "They" I Joseph Rosenberg 29 Reform "Sloppy-Doxy" 32 Editorial Board DR ERNST L. BODENHEIMER Chairman RABBI NATHAN BuLMAN RABB! JOSEPH ELIAS JOSEPH FR!EDENSON RABB! MosHE SHERER THE JEWISH OBSERVER does not assume responsibility for the K'Ashrus of any product or service Photograph Credits: pages 4-13, from Russian Immigrant Rescue Fund; pages 33- advertised in its pages. 35, Zelman Studios NOV., 1975 VOL. XI, No. 3 Typography by Compu-Scribe at ArtScroll Studios, Ltd. Leo Levi Agudath Israel in Israel: Time to De-Politicize 1/\118 ,~,~ 11t!JI1 For valid reasons, you enter a course of action. As time evaluate our course. goes on, this course becomes routine and you no longer Agudath Israel was formed "to advance Jewry and think of the reasons. Meanwhile, conditions change, and Judaism on the basis of the 'Religion', free of any someone challenges you: why do you follow this routine? political tendency"' and it worked in that direction, Your response is likely one of utter amazement at the more or less successfully, until the State of Israel was questioners naivete. As true as this is to most of us, it is founded. At that time, the spiritual leadership of even more true of organizations, which suffer from greater Agudath Israel decided that the battle for the survival inertia than individuals. of Torah in the secular state required that Agudath Israel become a political party. Only thus could it pre­ A man working on a vital aspect of Torah-survival vent legislation which would undermine the preserva­ recently told me: "Agudath Yisrael has offered us help, tion of Torah Umitzvoth in the country. It was a deci­ but I am afraid of affiliation with them; it might sub­ sion fraught with danger, but given the knowledge vert completely all my efforts."* It would seem that if available then, it was the best decision possible. In ef­ matters have come to such a state, it is time to re- fect, it excluded a significant segment of previously DR. LEVI. who immigrated to lsrael from America five years ago, heads the Dept. of Physics and Electro-Optics at Jerusalem College of * This man has organized a group of army veterans to save from the Technology. His published works include JEWISH CHRONONOMY. draft, girls who for religious reasons, do not want to serve in the APPLIED OPTICS, a definitive text; and articles in journals of Jewish army. The reader will appredate the importance of this effort in view thought, includingThe Jewish Observer. At Dr. Levi's request, his of the fact that, in many circles of Oriental Jews, a decent boy will not system of transliteration was followed in this article. marry a girl who has served in the army. 4 The Jewish Observer/ November, 1975 faithful Agudah membership who did not want to Indeed, this splinter-party approach has been tried in recognize the government as legitimate; and perhaps the State of Israel and the degree of its effectiveness is a many others who, for economic reasons, could not join matter of historical record: Such a party can have some a party that was the political adversary of their impact as part of a coalition government - its partners employer (or labor union). But no one could predict will avoid offending it as long as the issue is not impor­ what extent of anti-Torah sedition was in the offing, tant to them and as long as other coalition candidates and as a party, it was possible to attain some modest are even more demanding. Even in this position, results immediately. however, a small party carries limited weight aS Meanwhile, things have settled down.The effec­ evidenced by the experience of Agudath Israel who in­ tiveness of a religious party compared to other political itially joined the government when the State of Israel weapons can be evaluated on the basis of experience. was founded, but had to leave the coalition when it was And the secular camp had undergone a major evolution unable to prevent women's draft - a matter of highly made inevitable with the attainment of the Zionist goal. questionable military and economic value according to making Zionism itself superfluous. professionals.' Many Agudists are re-evaluating the party status of If the party is in the opposition, it is in a far weaker Agudath Israel and this paper is written to clarify that position yet. It must then wait for the rare occasions issue. Although the· main purpose is to present the when the coalition government is in a difficult position arguments in favor of abolishing party status and con­ over a crucial vote, and exploit these situations for some centrating the efforts on reviving the Agudah as a concessions. Invariably, however, these concessions powerful spiritual movement, an effort is made to pre­ will be either transitory or trivial. The constant pres­ sent the opposing arguments, as well. This paper sure, that the Jewish electorate exerts on both the should not be read as a suggestion to Agudath Israel - Democratic and Republican parties in the United the writer feels far from qualified to make such a sug­ States, is simply missing in the present set-up here. gestion; it is meant, rather, to present the arguments for An objective appraisal of the realities of the interplay change and provide evidence for their validity. of political power blocks in a modern democratic Each of the following sections discusses one major republic seems to imply that the American approach argument that militates for a return of Agudath Israel should be tried here also. The time seems to be ripe for to supra-party status. These are followed by counter­ this. In the last election, 75% of the elected represent­ arguments and suggestions. atives belonged to the two major parties. If the votes cast for religious parties would go to them also, a mere Effective Political Action 13% would be split among the secular splinter groups - a situation making a healthy two-party system feasible. TORAH IS NOT A PRIVATE RELIGION given to individuals. There is one serious limitation to this system: a major It is a national constitution, and the nation, as such, ac­ party will not compromise on a matter of principle - on cepted it. The responsibility of one Jew for the other a matter which will affect its basic position. Thus, at the (arevuth) goes far beyond concern for the spiritual time of the founding of the State, the ideological op­ welfare of our fellow. Hence, political activity has position of the socialist factions caused much difficulty always played a major role in Torah life. This is certain­ to Torah observance in the State. This opposition has, ly especially true today in the State of Israel. however, declined significantly. Except among the left­ However, political action can take many forms and wing Socialist Mapam faction, there seems to be little the effectiveness of various actions changes with time. opposition to Torah in principle. Already a number of For instance, a suggestion that U.S. Jews found a Batey Knesseth have been established on the secularist "Jewish Americans" party to protect and advance their socialist Kibbutzim, which used to be the major expo­ interests would not be taken seriously. The present nents of the opium-of-the-masses approach to Torah. system works well enough. Each of the major parties Even notorious secularist strongholds of yore, such as has a sizeable segment of Jews, and neither can afford Giv'at Brenner and 'Ein Charod have built Batey Knes­ to antagonize that segment, especially since there is not seth in response to the demands of their membership.3 much at stake. Thus the vital interests of American Many of the original Marxist leaders have died or Jewry are protected, provided it remains politically retired from political life and many others have come to alert. If, instead, its voting power were concentrated in see their erstwhile ideals as dead-end streets - or at a few representatives in the Capitol, it would surely be least have mellowed with age. Ugly remnants of this far less effective - even granted that a major portion of anti-religious bias still abound, especially among jour­ the Jewish electorate would vote for this party. This, nalists, and they can have devastating effects if left however, is a questionable assumption; it presupposes without response. But the general population is open­ that the voters would consider the goals of this party of minded and responds to an honest argument. The a significance overriding, for instance, economic con­ younger generation is, on the whole, too materialistic to siderations.