Yesterday we celebrated Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and among other things, prayed about such sublime and beautiful values as national unity.
It turns out that Justice Minister from the “Jewish Home” had other thoughts on the matter:
instead of unity – to divide;
instead of getting closer – to sow hatred;
How else can you explain Ayelet Shaked’s position, when at Rosh Hashanah she decided to insult the Russian-speaking Israelis and those born here, just because they are different from Shaked, Orbach and Bennett?! All have long ago understood that the celebration of the New Year is not connected with religious considerations; it is a beautiful and colorful festival, symbolizing the beginning of the calendar year and nothing more.
This morning, I received dozens of angry letters from the Russian-speaking Israelis who were insulted by Shaked’s words. But why the “Jewish Home” should bother, when they can simply cash in on a lie?!
It is very unfortunate that in 2015, while the State of Israel uses solely the Gregorian calendar, including holidays, and while Knesset is scheduling a vote on a budget, all of a sudden one party decides which Jews are real and which are not.
This is reminiscent of the fifties and sixties, when the government tried to prohibit and eradicate the culture and traditions of Jews from Arab countries. Uri Orbach z”l had a lot of good qualities, and I do not know why Shaked dug out his most racist saying. And, of course, I do not know what Uri Orbach thinks looking down at Ayelet Shaked. But I hope that he is in a better world, in which there is no place for hatred and the desire to cause pain.
I want to remind the “Jewish house” the words of Rabbi Akiva: “Love your neighbor as yourself” – one of the main tenets of the Torah. And now excuse me – I have to run to Tiv-Taam to buy products for the New Year (it is such a luck that Ayelet Shaked reminded us three months ahead, otherwise I would have missed it) and I do not apologize!
September 14, 2015
