Supreme Court Sucker Punches the Public Mid-War

We are in the middle of a war where the outcomes are far from clear. We pray to God for victory. Almost half of the casualties to date are religious soldiers. Yet in the midst of a time when unity is critical, and the need for morale is high, the Supreme Court decides not just the divisive basic law question but also to redefine mother and father as a gay couple who can also adopt children. For the religious soldiers and for 2/3 of the Israeli public that is either religious or traditional, the court is in essence giving them the middle finger.

For religious Jews who live by Torah law and principles – the woke standards of Manhattan are antithetical to a Jewish country. The Torah speaks of sexual morality as one of seven Noahide laws – so important that we read the specific laws on the afternoon of Yom Kippur. One would have thought these decisions were the purview of the legislative branch, but apparently not.

The driving force behind the lawsuit was apparently the Reform movement of the US. They were also behind the lawsuit that eliminated the ability to hire a Shabbat observant taxi driver – for those uncomfortable with non-Jewish drivers, especially at this difficult time. While few Reform Jews live in Israel or plan to make Aliyah, their intent to fund further religious divisiveness is clear. They reportedly provide significant support to MK Gantz.

If the court is not going to pause its activist agenda during a war, then why should the ruling coalition? There are ways to move forward to change the justice selection process without kicking up as much of a storm as last time. Perhaps they could request that President Herzog could propose something akin to a “base closing commission” as the US uses for controversial decisions. It could include an equal number of representatives of each side – but it is important to move forward to a court that better represents the nation even if they are small steps.

Our religious soldiers and the families which support them are not interested in fighting for a country with a Manhattan-woke future. The prospect is demoralizing for us and actually encourages the enemy which sees wokeness = weakness. The coalition should find a way to limit external advocacy funding and set up processes for moving forward with a future court that reflects that better reflects the Israeli electorate. So when we talk about the day after – we are not just talking about governing in Gaza but also governing in Israel.