A Budget-Happy Jewish National Peace Plan

Israel today presents a most curious value schism. Respecting our Ancient Values, there are sustained efforts to uncover sites & items of archaeological significance; from prior Jewish ‘CommonWealths’ [1st:(Northern/Southern Kingdoms) 1208-to-720/586-BCE -and- 2nd: 516BCE-to-70CE], from prehistoric Neolithic activities, and even from evidence of Lower Paleolithic uses of fire & wooden-tools -AND- there are ALSO sustained efforts to passionately study ‘National Texts’ (and commentaries thereto) that have been written or compiled over the last 3340 years (more or less); which in turn include ideas, teachings, and stories from Time Immemorial (according to which-ever dating system you subscribe to). 

Respecting our Modern Values,​​ simultaneously, there are sustained efforts to replace anything ‘almost new’ with something ‘obviously newer’; including bus stops, play grounds, sidewalks (90% of sections would last for 100 years!), street-light poles, street identification signs, school interiors (floors, desks, etc.), … even removing old urban trees to plant ‘anemic’ looking saplings -AND- (of course) unusually intense activities to innovate every aspect of ‘modern’ science, technology, ideation, and Torah too. 

Aspects of our Ancient-Modern value-scism paradoxically indicate an unresolved collective psychological dilemma; (how) To Sustain our indigenous continuation of primordial cultural developments from antiquity -OR- (when) To Accelerate illusions of our only existing in​​ an extremely po​​​st-modern instant-now! 

YES – We can ALL subscribe to both (not ‘just’ either); without any contradiction.

Underneath these examples is an even stranger assortment of (anti?) social dissonances, between The Religious (or quasi-religious) and The Secular (or quasi-secular); a most peculiar polarization of juxtaposed life-styles, educational foci, and self-actualizating modes of post-trauma Maturation Therapies (including praiseworthy aspect – too numerous & too dynamic to catalog). Simply, Israel is a multi-national Jewish state, comprising a broad population that spans from Israeli (Jews) all the way to Jewish (Israelis). 

NO – I do not know which label goes to whom. 

More Precisely, Israel is composed of substantially asynchronous autonomous ‘agent’ individuals, families, and assorted variable-size intersecting networks; each being hierarchical in description only. Every individual typically is a quasi-trantient member of various networks -and- (apparently) each network is likewise mutually operating asynchronously & autonomously. Therefore, even given the awesome progressive (albeit volatile) nature of our society, we propose some National Unification steps that may be BOTH equally respectful AND equally shocking to BOTH extrema camps (albeit probably ‘only’ to an overwhelming majority of ‘political’ parties, etc.); a binding compromise that considers All aspects of BOTH extrema ‘sides’ to be acceptably Correct. 

Now, just to get into the progressive stability spirit, here are some simple & easy National steps. 

First: Let’s start by having BOTH old playgrounds and new playgrounds; because I (and you too) want to see our grandchildren on the same swings that our parents saw us playing on. YES – we can cover gravel & mud underneath with a safer softer layer, and yes we can wrap metal frames with rubber, and replace the seats too; but please let’s leave those swings where they are; until their metal frame or their hanging chains rust too much to be safe; AND please let’s not replace (or move) sturdy old park-benches – just because they are not new anymore. Of course, some shade from old trees or from newly stretched fabric canopies is a peaceful touch.

Next: Between roads & around public sidewalks, let’s plant no-maintence flowering perennials; that may need their overgrowth occasionally trimmed, but never need to be replanted. YES – We have enough expertise in botanical gardens and agriculture studies departments to know which to plant where, and what decorative mixtures to plant together; thereby enriching our everyday environment with countless wondrous micro-ecosystems. Of course, it would be nice to have signs identifying these plants; and a link explaining & illustrating their history, harvest, storage, and uses – as foods, spices, or as interim-medicinals. The seasonal cycles, of perennial gardens flowering, give natural rhythm to our mundane or stressful meanderings. Likewise, in places with enough surrounding space, let’s plant different sometimes-flowering long-living slow-growing hardwood & aromatic trees; cedars, sequoias, redwoods, eucalyptus, acacia, etc.; since we are here to stay.

These & countless other small changes, in public spaces, will enhance our feelings of permanence; without diminishing our ever striving to grow, improve, and thrive. Please, let us walk along paths – familiar  from our childhood; underneath trees that have grown old – just as we too grow old. As we are increasingly living hyper-urban, let us do so with dignity – by casually appreciating spaces from before, now, and tomorrow; not by reason of philosophical ‘Heritage’, and not just to be saving public expense, but for our own ongoing emotional comfort.

Having thus considered enjoying some stability in our superficial & external life transitionings, let’s take a much deeper look into our collective visceral, cognitive, and ‘spiritual’ values; and (especially) our diversity dissonances.

For example: Altruistic Haredim want universal Torah Study – not just for the Mitzvah ‘observant’ – but for all Jewish men -with- ‘equivalence’ Halacha awareness for all Jewish women (too many variations & distinctions to elaborate – see paragraph before NOTE below). Ideological Tzahal pragmatists want universal conscription – not just for some – but ‘equally’ for every man -with- ‘equivalent’ service-status for all women (likewise – see paragraph before NOTE below). Apparently, lurking behind this political-spiritual schism are numerous respective institutional Budgetary concerns, which ignite far greater passions than our variously costumed lifestyle orientations do; (such as) in discussions between distant relatives – at weddings, etc. 

A ‘Fair’ Biblical-type compromise gives both sides identical levels of comfort -and- of discomfort; so they are each equally happy with what they gain -and- each equally unhappy with what they lose. 

Appreciate – There are awesome human similarities between both ‘sides’, which (surprisingly – from our vantage) have many identical goals for each individual → to be: more conscious, alert, and aware; more responsive of the complex circumstances of their fellows; more proactive as human beings (not like an animal -and- not like a robot); knowledgeable of support structures – the instant accessibility to Halacha Scholars and/or to situational awareness reactive instant multi-scale logistic revisions; etc. 

Currently, some insist that only TORAH learning (and Mitzvah observance are what) protects us, some insist that our survival depends on TZAHAL (their self-sacrificing dedication to success), and there are a growing fringe of others who seem to ‘circumvent’ the beliefs & practices of both TORAH and TZAHAL. Essentially, here is (part of) ISRAEL 2.0 – A radical proposal for quasi-universal TORAH -and- TZAHAL; while inherently suggesting a stark ‘Participate OR Exit’ dilemma for those others!

Now: IF every 18 year old male is to be drafted, and IF both TORAH and TZAHAL opinions are to be respected, THEN each needs some adaptive changes. For example, truly exceptional capacity individuals (according to Double-Blind zero-Nepotism! zero-Protexia! testing) may accept academic reserve Draftee status or advanced rabbinical study Draftee status – with Identical Commitments to extended ‘appropriate’ TZAHAL service thereafter.

On TORAH’s side ⇒ Every yeshiva chair needs to stay active in TORAH study; however, deciding who occupies those chairs needs revision. Specifically, just as physiological, psychological, and psychometric examinations are currently being used to direct new soldiers to their respective initial placements – according to TZAHAL’s needs; so too must the ‘chairs’ in yeshivot be active with TORAH study. THUS, TZAHAL in conjunction with Roshe Yeshivot must coordinate applying examination results to assign an ongoing (nepotism-free, protexia-free) replacement number of draftees – to (no cellphone) TORAH study in existing yeshivot ⇒ Regardless! of the draftees Halacha-observance orientation (see NOTE below).

In keeping with Halacha and TZAHAL discipline, (1) all these yeshiva assigned draftees will report to their daily studies (or optional prayer groupings) before dawn, (2) scheduling of night study intensive sessions will parallel basic-training outdoor equipment-laden hikes’ ‘spontaneity’ patterns, and (3) Bein-haZmanim will be repurposed for intense weapons, weapons systems, and C3 education. 

Furthermore, just as officers coordinate transferring soldiers between units, likewise Roshe Yeshivot will coordinate exchanging students between yeshivot. The occasional one-for-one exchange of a yeshiva student for an active soldier – to be coordinated by Roshe Yeshiot and TZAHAL jointly. 

ATTENTION: Current total monetary ‘subsidies’ for Yeshivot (Torah studies) may Increase; thus requiring shifting of Government allocations.

On TZAHAL’s side ⇒ Gender will be strictly segregated for all lower & intermediate ranks. Every unit will include an appropriately knowledgeable Halacha team – including an ‘orthodox’ Rabbi-Officer – to maintain acceptable operational (kosher → non-machmir) standards in the unit; including ALL traditional ‘special circumstance’ Halacha Leniencies for Soldiers! 

Furthermore, new draftees having insufficient psychometric scores and/or insufficient technical education (not general education!) will be directed to appropriate discipline-intense programs to bring them into useful army status – including Halacha awareness education (NOT Hashkafa indoctrination – elaboration in NOTE below); notwithstanding their complete participation thereafter in basic training, regular service assignments, and Milowim.

In that both TORAH study and TZAHAL service are essential for our ongoing social & political survival: regardless of Halacha-observance orientation: (1) Milowim will similarly distribute individuals to dynamic TZAHAL assignments -and- to yeshiva TORAH assignments; AND (2) Tzav-8 must ALSO call up Shlav Bet milowim persons (or ‘healthy’ post-milowim age persons) as simultaneous replacements for TORAH students being brought into instant active TZAHAL duties!

Regarding WOMEN in Torah-centric, Civil-centric, and Tzahal-centric Roles: I think it best to let women come to a (closed room) consensus among themselves – however long (and continuous) that process may be. On the Halacha side, we may respectfully recognise that women are exempt from requirements that men need – for ‘perfection’ of their Jewish male maturation; while Jewish women are (and Always have been) networking to solve and resolve their personal & logistical issues – according to their proximate collective best understanding – be that via a sister/cousin/friend, or a mother/aunt, or some Grandmother, or a Rabbi! On the Tzahal side, unofficially this is what already happens (particularly among female soldiers); regardless of what the organizational chart looks like.  

NOTE: The distinction between Halacha awareness and Hashkafa indoctrination has always been obvious to the ‘Un-Orthodox’ – when ever they object to Halacha being applied to topics that seem to have nothing to do with ‘Religion’ → and the real reason for such ‘applications’ is that Halacha relates to ‘Best Life Practices Advice’ for every aspect of life (individual, family, and community), for every situation (including the most unlikely ones) wherein A Complex Hierarchy of Risk Avoidance Protocols are being applied and/or exempted (according to the combination of factors in actual respective circumstances). [see https://www.derondareview.org/TorahTechnology.pdf] ⇒ However, for better or worse, all such ‘cultural practices’ of rules & customs have latency aspects; the more life critical ones having top priority to Halacha navigation ‘experts’ consideration, while other aspects increasingly diversify us into assorted micro-community practices. 

In all fairness, it does not appear (to me) that anyone ever contemplated, investigated, discussed, or resolved the complex human developmental & maturation issues that are occurring in our Age of Abundance; as it might be characterized in comparison to ALL prior generations. Simply stated (from outside of most Orthodox perspectives), Halacha is a much MUCH bigger package of ideation than spirituality, peace of mind, or the ‘world to come’. For details – see full text – especially (beginning) using a euphemistic G?D? ‘word’ – in https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/mishnah-tehillim-gd-and-our-now/. 

…and please permit a meta-personal postscript: Agricultural Economics, both ‘organic’ and petro-chemical, dictate growing species of fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens that look GOOD, are SWEET, and have long SHELF-LIFE; so that they can be picked (long) before ripe, sorted by ‘grade’ & size, (maybe washed & packaged too), travel distances to wholesale storage, be distributed to retail vendors, and sit at home – since typical consumers do not buy ‘fresh’ produce every day. Every so un-often, in the Open Market ‘shuk’ (never in the ‘Super’ market), I see some species of produce familiar from my ‘prehistoric’ childhood; and those ‘weird’ mud-encrusted potatoes, woody over-sized carrots, tiny patina coated grapes, and randomly shapeless apples – each have flavors, textures, and aromas which evoke delicate moments of sensory nostalgia, heartfelt comfort, and maybe even a few visual flashbacks. YOU would enjoy having these too!  Finally, your comments, critiques, and corrections are sincerely solicited; likewise your Simcha announcements or invitations.