77 Zionist things you think other Zionists don’t think

Another Independence Day, following another Memorial Day, joins the series of national commemorations we have marked while deeply divided, since the judicial reforms until today, in our second year of war. It seems that everyone can disagree with each other from here until kingdom come. But the arguments are often about the implementation; the principles often remain the same.

I know, there are those who think things so drastically different than others which even invalidate the thinking of those others. But there are things upon which we all can agree, which are Zionist wishes, dreams and ideals, and maybe we all think they must be implemented differently, but we all can agree they are, inherently, part of a Zionist vision.

Here’s the fun part: I think that no matter what side of the political spectrum you’re on, you’ll find a way to think that the other side has violated each of these principles. Hence, I wrote them the way I did. Just try and think about your side, and maybe you’ll realize that folks on the other believe the same thing, but they execute it differently. I am reducing a lot of complicated disagreements here into the values which lie at the base, upon most of which, I imagine we can agree.

Once we agree on values, maybe we can discuss the how’s and what’s. But first, in the name of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, let’s all first figure out the Why.

Here are 77 Whys.

1. A nation should be safe.
2. A nation should have a home.
3. A nation should run their home well.
4. A nation should be able to depend on their army to keep them safe.
5. A nation should be able to depend on its police to keep it safe.
6. A nation should deal fairly and responsibly with minorities in its borders.
7. A nation should contribute to their army.
8. A nation should contribute to their society.
9. Jews should be interested in a just society.
10. Jews should be interested in good government.
11. A nation should have safe borders.
12. Poor people should be helped.
13. Weaker members of society should have equal opportunities to succeed.
14. Government should be responsible.
15. Government should be fairly elected.
16. Government should preserve rights.
17. Governments should ensure the greatest protections of rights for the greatest amount of people.
18. Governments should prefer the good of the many over the good of the few, if the one is not possible without favoring the other.
19. When possible with little inconvenience or cost, all persons should be given the greatest amount of rights possible.
20. Governments should preserve individual rights as a safeguard to the rights of the many.
21. Individuals have a right to be concerned if their rights are being infringed.
22. Same goes for members of their family.
23. Same goes for their friends.
24. A government should also have a strong judiciary to punish those who do not abide by the law.
25. Courts should punish those who do not abide by the law
26. Courts should not discriminate between groups of people with regards to crimes committed
27. Government bodies should not discriminate between groups of people when it concerns items not connected to group identity.
28. Government officials should be concerned with people beyond their voter population
29. Politicians should be held to account for being dishonest.
30. Politicians should not be threatened.
31. Politicians’ families should not be threatened.
32. Violence is an unideal form of resolving conflict which was not started in violent ways.
33. Freedom of expression is a value
34. Freedom of religion is a value
35. Freedom of the press is a value
36. Freedom of assembly is a value
37. Journalistic integrity should be valued
38. Hell, integrity should be valued
39. State instruments such as the police and the army should be as apolitical as possible
40. The law should be applied equivalently when possible
41. A nation should act with force when necessary
42. A nation should possess the means of force necessary for when force is necessary.
43. A nation should act with restraint when force can be reasonably avoided
44. A nation should be interested in the economic welfare of its citizens
45. A nation should work to reduce unnecessary burdens on any particular sector of society.
46. A nation should work to reduce unfair burdens on any particular sector of society.
47. A nation should not pursue expensive policies without clear benefit.
48. A nation should not pursue projects which are only for the sake of optics if not motivated by considerations of soft power dynamics.
49. A nation should not tolerate violations of the law
50. A nation should not tolerate violations of the law by politicians
51. A nation should not tolerate violations of moral standards by public figures.
52. A nation should not tolerate harmful slant in media
53. A nation should not tolerate propaganda when utilized unnecessarily
54. A nation should not allow its citizens to go without protection.
55. A nation should not allow civilians to endanger themselves unnecessarily
56. A nation should not allow civilians to cause infrastructural damage without cause
57. Civilians should object to immoral practices by governments.
58. Civilians should abide by laws.
59. Civilians should be safe when executing their rights.
60. Civilians should not worry that their government will not protect their rights
61. Civilians should not worry about unfair treatment
62. Civilians should not worry about being harmed by state instruments.
63. A Jewish state should worry for the welfare of Jews in all places
64. A Jewish state should have active discussions about the various definitions of “Jewish values” which exist
65. A Jewish state should do the best it can to act in the interest of Jews worldwide.
66. A Jewish state should have space for many forms of Jews.
67. A Jewish state should have space for many expressions of Jewish culture.
68. A Jewish state should serve as a light to the nations.
69. A Jewish state should support camaraderie among Jews.
70. A Jewish state should be served by politicians who support camaraderie among Jews.
71. A Jewish state should support Jewish continuity and security.
72. A Jewish state should allow for many expressions of Jewish religion.
73. A Jewish state should make best efforts to limit the disasters of Jewish history which led to destruction and exile.
74. A Jewish state should safeguard Jewish traditions
75. A Jewish state should remember the Jewish helplessness of generations past.
76. A Jewish state should work towards a brighter future for the Jewish people.
77. A Jewish state should not just exist, but should thrive and be the best place it possibly can.

Here’s to good years ahead for our state, and for building a Jewish state of which we can be proud. Together.