Shabbat Parashat Sh'mot
Tevet 18th 5772
1/13/12
Shalom,
Usually I try to stay away from discussing politics, but I think that the events taking place this week have changed Israeli politics forever. It is therefore impossible for me to follow my previous practice.
This week, three individuals who had nothing to do with politics announced their entrance to the political scene of Israel: Yair Lapid, Karnit Goldwasser and Noam Shalit.
Broadcaster-columnist-author Yair Lapid is now - as of Sunday - an "official" politician. It may seem baffling to those unfamiliar with the man that, according to polls, some ten percent of Israelis would be willing to cast their vote for his new party, which has not yet even been formed. But those who have followed Lapid over the years know it is impossible to find him a parallel in the spheres of American or British journalism and politics.
In a media career that spanned three decades, 48-year-old Lapid has done everything to epitomize the "new Israeli" and, since there is no clear definition of what that is, he has strived to create it in his own image. For eight years he presented the eponymous "Yair Lapid" talk show on Channel Two prime time, in which the last question he presented to each of his guests was, "What is Israeli in your eyes?" In perhaps one of the greatest giveaways of his career, he interviewed his father, journalist-turned-politician Yossef "Tommy" Lapid, whose answer to this question was an emotional, "You." While Lapid Junior now seems to be emulating his father by leaving media for politics, there is only a superficial resemblance between the two cases. While Tommy Lapid took pride in his Hungarian origins, writing cookery books redolent of paprika and tour-guides to classical Europe, his son yearns to be the ultimate Sabra. And while the father almost entered politics by accident, agreeing at the last moment to step in and save the nearly-extinct Shinui faction, subsequently leading it to electoral success in two campaigns, his son has been planning his platform for years and, by all reports, intends to launch his very own, resolutely middle-of-the-road party.
As part of Lapid's move toward middle-aged respectability, the subjects of his weekly columns changed from folksy family-life stories to weighty discussions on the main issues of the day and Israel's future. Essentially, he was building up a manifesto for a "sane" mainstream Israel.
He took care not to stray too far to either extreme. He remained secular, but also connected to Jewish roots and biblical sources, in favor of compromise with the Palestinians but full of sympathy for the settlers, projecting a vision of a westernized Israel with a Mediterranean aroma. If no man can be all things to all people, Lapid has certainly tried.
The second is Karnit Goldwasser. Goldwasser earned a Masters in environmental planning from the Techniyon and has a daily talk show "status" on Channel 3. Goldwasser became famous following the kidnapping and death of her husband Udi z"l by the Hezbollah on July 12th 2006 in Lebanon. Udi together with Eldad Regev were killed during the Hizbulla ambush and their bodies were brought back to Israel two years and four days later on July 16th 2008. Up until the bodies were carried out during the exchange no one in Israel knew whether Eldad and Udi were alive. During that time Karnit Goldwasser was the voice and the face behind the efforts to bring the missing soldiers back home. During her journey Karnit met many of the world's leaders and with time, due to her intense efforts, became a symbol for the fight to release Israeli soldiers in captivity. Recently, Goldwasser published an autobiographic book "the way from me to you" telling her story and the tragedy that changed her life. Her battle to bring Udi back home forced her to confront many of the world's leaders and following that battle, Goldwasser remained in the public eye as a social activist. Karnit is planning to join Yair Lapid's new party.
Noam Shalit, father of the ex-Israel Defense Forces soldier who spent five years in Hamas captivity in Gaza, announced on Monday that he intends to run for a place on the Israel Labor Party list for the next Knesset. Noam Shalit, who has been a member of the Israel Labor Party since 1996, informed Israel Labor Party chairperson, Shelly Yachimovich, of the decision on Monday.
"Following years of a public struggle, during which I got to know Israeli society thoroughly - both its beautiful and ethical sides - I have decided to join public life," he told reporters. "This is out of a desire to serve the public, and to be in a place from which it is possible to influence the character of Israeli society. The Israel Labor Party is a social-democratic party that is pro-peace, and so it is my natural home. I believe that, under Shelly Yachimovich's leadership, the Israel Labor Party will be able to do important things for Israeli society," he said.
Yachimovich congratulated Shalit, saying, "The battle of Noam Shalit and his family to free Gilad started as a private battle, but turned into a battle that contains within it all the base values of Israeli society: Solidarity, Mutual support and Zionism. Noam's battle is an example of a worthy public struggle that is necessary and effective at the same time. This battle united the whole of Israeli society around shared values. Noam has been a man of the Israel Labor Party for many years, and I am convinced his contribution as a member of Knesset will be a great one." (taken from Ha'aretz)
Regardless to the outcome of the elections, whether these individuals will find themselves in the K'nesset or not, they've already created history.
This is not the first time where people that have no background in politics decided to jump in into politics but these are three individuals who also have no "traditional" background like many of the Israeli politicians like ex military career. These individuals were drawn to politics based on personal experiences showing the whole world they could do what the government couldn't and to me brings a new era in Israeli politics.
I think that today the reasons people chose their political parties and candidate have changed. The cottage cheese protest started last summer, swiping the whole country, creating a new public agenda way beyond the cheese, is finally reaching its ultimate destiny by sending new people to the Knesset. People who are courageous and sensitive to say publically that it's time for a change of both in actions as well as in creating a new public agenda for the discussion.
The era where the only thing (almost) that ever mattered i.e. security is starting to fade out. I think that the vast majority today in Israel realizes that it is impossible to continue living here without reaching an agreement with the Palestinians and this agreement will include some territorial compromise. I think that most Israelis do not see much difference on that issue between (excluding the radicals) the right the center and the left. Arik Sharon and Ehud Olmert spent most of their lives in the Likud (right) but were sent to be Prime Ministers after forming a new "center" party, Kadimah, together with members from the Labor party (left). Ehud Barak, who grew up and led the labor party has left it, started a new party called "Atzmaut" and is a minister in Likud government led by Netanyahu. Everything is very dynamic and I think that most Israelis feel that there is not much of a difference who's calling the shots when it comes to the questions of security. Therefore, what differentiates the leaders is their view about other items on the agenda. People realize that other reasons than what he or she thinks of the Israeli-Arab conflict are legitimate in trying to choose a candidate. After the last summer when the whole country understood there's need for a change in so many aspects of life: social, economy, welfare education, health and more, it's time that the voices of the protest are translated into actions. This climate and these issues brought hundreds of thousands to protest on the streets and these new politicians to take the next step and translate it into real actions.
This is democracy at its best, when ideas and experiences motivate individuals to enter the House of Representatives to make a change.
Good luck to all candidates and to the rest of us, Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem,
Cantor Arik Wollheim
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