•

COMMUNITY VIEWS

A Political Balancing Act

benefit from an exchange with the
ittle did I know that I would
party
leader, Eli Yishai, and with an
have a bird's-eye view of an
editor
of the Haaretz [pro-Labor
Israeli political drama! I
Israeli]
newspaper who has profiled
recently returned from a
Shas.
However,
we could never have
professional development seminar in
anticipated
that our meet-
Israel, sponsored by the Jew-
ings would occur during the
ish Council on Public Affairs,
very week when Shas threat-
the national community-rela-
ened to leave the govern-
tions umbrella agency. As a
ment, thereby ending the
member of the seminar plan-
coalition's majority in the
ning committee, I participat-
Knesset.
ed in discussions about the
itinerary during the months
Origins Of Shas
leading up to the seminar.
The Haaretz journalist, Avi-
One of the topics we
rama Golan, described how
thought warranted more
DAVID
the Shas movement began
understanding by Jewish
GAD-HARF
some
15 years ago, when
community relations direc-
Special
to
the
then
Sephardic chief
tors is the Shas phenomenon.
rabbi,
.Ovadia
Yosef, con-
the
Jewish
News
As a result of the 1999 Knes-
cluded
that
Israeli
children
set election, the little-known
from
families
of
Mideast
Shas political party greatly
origin were not being well-served by
increased its representation and
the existing network of Orthodox
became part of the government. Many
schools.
Israeli voters from a Sephardic back-
Rabbi Yosef's initiative to create a
ground transferred their allegiance
new
school system found support in
from the Likud party to the Shas.
the
Sephardic
community, many of
We knew that our colleagues would
which felt marginalized in Israeli soci-
ety. Grievances about growing social
David Gad Harf is executive director
and economic problems within the
of the Jewish Community Council of
Sephardic community, and the per-
Metropolitan Detroit.
ceived unwillingness of the existing

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political parties to deal with these
problems, resulted in an expansion of
social programs sponsored by the Shas
movement and the creation of the
Shas party.
The current Shas party leader, Eli
Yishai, holds a cabinet position as
minister of labor and social affairs.
Despite being in the midst of intense
discussions with Prime Minister Ehud
Barak and others regarding the politi-
cal crisis, Yishai spent more than an
hour with my colleagues. He asserted
that the current minister of education
discriminated against the Shas schools,
by providing less funding for Shas
teachers than for -teachers in other
school systems.
While his complaints seemed on
the surface to be reasonable, we
questioned him about the inevitable
impact of weakening the govern-
ment at the very point when the
peace process was at a critical junc-
ture. Yishai indicated that while
Shas supported the peace process, its
No. 1 priority was the education of
children.

Applying Pressure
Of course, Shas was able to exert the
maximum pressure on the Israel gov-
ernment precisely because of the tim-

ing of the peace process. Prime Minis-
ter Barak wanted to preserve his
majority in the Knesset so he could
move forward in negotiations with the
Palestinians.
Upon our return to the United
States, news reports indicated that the
education minister and the other cabi-
net ministers aligned with his party
resigned their positions, thereby con-
vincing Shas to remain in the govern-
ment.
It was very informative to witness
the Israeli political process, with all its
merits and faults, in action. As time
goes on, it will be interesting to see if
the Israeli people conclude that fur-
ther reform is necessary. Some Israelis
advocate a higher threshold for repre-
sentation in the Knesset; others favor
steps that would ensure that a govern-
ment would remain in power through
its full four-year term.
Israelis will have to balance their
concern about political instability and
irresponsibility against their desire for
a government that is responsive to the
needs of various groups within Israeli
society.
In the meantime, it makes for
interesting political drama, with reper-
cussions that go well beyond the spe-
cific issues at hand.

❑

SPECIAL COMMENTARY

The Jewish Aspect Of Independence Day

New York
brating tonight? Is it the acts
is July 4th. The
of men in the late 18th cen-
evening descends;
tury? A superpower at its
beside the smoldering
height? A melting pot of
smoke of barbecues
possibilities? On your blan-
and over the last slices of
ket or rooftop, you may be
watermelon, you are waiting
asking: What is the special
for the first fireworks shell to
Jewish connection to this
explode.
celebration?
"Bombs bursting in air"
As you wait for the fire-
ANDREW
may stream through your
works to begin, you might
SILOW-
mind or perhaps the melody
take a moment to reflect on
CARROLL
of a Sousa march, as you sit,
the following ways of telling
Special to
one among millions of
the Jewish story of Indepen-
the Jewish News
Americans, on beach blan
dence Day.
kets, folding chairs and
• Trace your family's story.
rooftops. You might even
Do you know who was the
pause to wonder: What are we cele-
first in your family to come to Ameri-
ca? Where did they come from and
Andrew Silow Carroll is communica-
where did they arrive? What else do
tions director of the National Jewish
you know about them? Who were the
Center for Learning and Leadership.
first in your family to have American-

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born parents? Grand-
parents? Great-grand-
parents? Recall a major
historical event or trend
in. America that had an
i
impact on your family.
• The Declaration of Independence
proclaims "that all are endowed by
their Creator with certain unalienable
rights, that among these are life, liber-
ty, and the pursuit of happiness."
Reflect on the past year: What has
been the biggest divide in American
life? Race? Class? Gender? Ideology?
Though we cannot wish away those
divides, imagine for a moment that
you could put aside the tensions.
When have you experienced a sense of
unity in America? Revisit a moment
when you felt connected to being an
American in a way that affirms its
diversity. What could you do in the

coming year to cele-
brate and foster the
diversity of America?
• Seasonal celebrations
are marked with two
blessings, one for the holiday and one
that acts as a general blessing for spe-
cial occasions. As you watch the fire-
works, and celebrate another year of
freedom, you might pause to recite the
following:

Yevarach et kol ha-msubim kan,
otam v'et baytam, v'et zaram, v'et kol
asher lahem. Bless all who are assem-
bled here, their homes, their children
and all that they have.
Barukh atah Eloheinu melech hdo-
lam, shehecheyanu, v'keyemanu,
v'hegeyanu, lazman ha'zeh. Blessed are
You who has given us life, sustained
us, and brought us to reach this
moment. ❑

6/

‘

2000

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