In Wartime We Need to Fight

Charedim have never been so hated. Indiscriminately. Without discretion or consideration. They are all hated. Passionately. Anyone dressed in a hat, sidelocks, and a kippah. They say what we always say about despised groups: “They’re all the same.” “Freeloaders.” The hate is generalizing, racist, and anti-Semitic.

These words were not written by some Charedi journalist writing for Yated Ne’eman or Mishpachah Magazine; MKs Moshe Gafni or Yisrael Eichler did not speak them from the Knesset podium. They were written by the secular journalist Yossi Klein in Haaretz.[1]

In his article from last week, “A New Response to Anti-Charedi Critics,” Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer offered some justification for the media criticism leveled recently against Charedi society, especially in matters of Israel’s economy. We should not automatically reject it as anti-Semitism. In his view, our instant rejection of such criticism derives from an imaginary division of the Israeli public into “them and us,” leading us to reject all claims on the basis that it’s “them” against “us.” If only we would see the world as “we and us,” we would think twice before rejecting the harsh critique.

Unfortunately, however, much of the anti-Charedi sentiment in the media is unrelated to economics. Instead, it’s about the fact that we proudly act like Jews

To be fair to Rabbi Pfeffer, it seems that he refrains from reading vicious propaganda appearing on platforms sometimes referred to as “journalism” and is unexposed to the hatred and enmity directed against tradition. Unfortunately, however, much of the anti-Charedi sentiment in the media is unrelated to economics. Instead, it’s about the fact that we proudly act like Jews. Yes, it is about “us versus them.” We are engaged in a cultural-ideological war over the character of the State of Israel, and anti-Charedi propaganda is a significant part of it. If we want to win, we must recognize it. Talking about “we and us” is surrender.

 

Why Do They Hate Charedim?

According to Rabbi Pfeffer, “Criticism of Charedim includes several components, but the central point raised in recent months focuses on economics.” The reason the media is so angry with Charedim is that “employment rates for Charedi men have been hovering around 50% for several years now,” and “the average salary of working Charedi men is approximately 55% of the average salary of non-Charedi Jewish men.” Because of this, “the poverty rate (relative poverty, albeit, but it remains not insignificant) of the Charedi public – families, individuals, and children – is far higher than poverty rates within general society.”

Before we start debating whether it’s fair to blame families with only one breadwinner (because they prioritize the father’s Torah study) or hardworking individuals with low earnings, let’s first consider whether the economic situation is the actual cause of what Rabbi Pfeffer dubbs “criticism.” To do so, let’s hear directly from those who express such concerns:

Charedim are not the worst, but they are the most hated. Surveys show that Israelis hate the Charedim. About 80% of secular Israeli Jews are concerned about “Jewish content” in state schools, according to the Hamadad website that collects data on politics, society, and identity. The funding of Charedi educational institutions without core curriculum studies concerns a similar percentage of secular Jews.[2]

This is Yossi Klein again from a few months ago. There was no talk of a budget or judicial reform. Yet, the agenda was pretty straightforward, as the title proclaims: “Secular Versus Charedi: A Tale of Fear, Hatred, and Shame.” The fear is not about economics but about religion. The economy is just an excuse:

Over half the members of the coalition that will form the next government differ from each other in how they practice religion but are similar in their extreme nationalism. There are no more “moderate religious politicians.” For most of them, a halachic state is the ideal. The gradual but consistent religious takeover of the army and education causes concern that turns into fear and hatred. […]

Hate and shame. Surveys have not determined the extent of shame associated with our hatred. How is it that enlightened, progressive people employ the same tools that have been used to hate us: stereotypes, generalizations, and prejudices? Ironically, we are the ones who employ the same accusations that were once unfairly attributed to our ancestors: extortion, exploitation, and isolationism.

Over time, Klein’s shame disappeared, and only hatred remained. His friend Chaim Levinson clarified that animosity towards Charedim was not anti-Semitism but rather a fervent and justified zeal of the enlightened who fear the dark and the primitive:

The Charedim are “sucking our blood,” according to Galit Gutman. In my opinion, this is a shocking and unprofessional statement. It is factually incorrect in the context of municipal taxes, which was the issue under discussion. This is because Charedi municipalities are very few, and the arrangement does not benefit them exclusively. The statement makes a sweeping generalization about an entire population and employs rude and venomous language that foments animosity rather than presenting factual arguments.[3]

Well said, indeed. Yet, Levinson immediately clarifies that accusing Gutman of anti-Semitism is nothing more than a “show of demagoguery” that obviates the prospect of engaging in a “public discourse, which must be based on factual information, followed by opinion, nuance, and a genuine goodwill to find a resolution.” Apparently, this is precisely what Gutman did.

In the face of a gross proliferation of incendiary speech, even journalist Gideon Levy, who has a long history of reporting on Charedim, felt the sudden urge to defend them.[4] They reminded him of the Palestinians:

Expressions of hatred toward Charedim have reached unprecedented levels. As someone who feels some affection towards them, contrary to what is common in secular and liberal society; as someone who believes that they also fall victim to being outsiders; and as someone who believes that settlers deserve greater condemnation and opposition due to their violence and the detrimental consequences of their actions, the growing hatred for Charedim triggers harsh thoughts. They and their leaders are responsible for some of the hatred but not for all of it.

Notwithstanding his greater animosity toward settlers, Levy continues to clarify that hatred towards the Charedim is entirely understandable:

They are hated because they are distinct in their clothing, language, culture, way of life, and faith –  in their entire world. This hatred cannot be tolerated and must be rejected. Israelis also dislike the poor and worship the rich – and Charedim are poor. In recent years, hatred of Charedim has increased due to their presumed arrogance, aggressiveness, domineering nature, lust for power, and sense of superiority. It is harder to condemn this hatred. They will have to pay its price.

God forbid, there is no resemblance between today’s Charedi hatred to the hatred of Jews in Eastern Europe. Those Jews were merely “different in their clothing, language, culture, way of life, and faith” but lacked today’s “presumed arrogance, aggressiveness, domineering nature, lust for power, and sense of superiority.” For Europe, only the twisted imagination of anti-Semites could attribute such characteristics to the Jews. Right.

You don’t have to despise them, he tells his Haaretz friends – not all of them. Some of them have the potential to develop into worthy and valuable human beings. Give them time, and they will change

Moving on, another opinion column in Haaretz, this time by Miron Isaacson, warns of increasing hatred of Charedim. In a column entitled “Don’t Make a Mistake, Don’t Hate Charedim,” Isaacson writes:

The atmosphere of struggle has revealed many frustrations within the secular-liberal public, and it seems that the central and most substantial of them is related to Charedi society. Unfortunately, the harsh criticism of Charedim is escalating, among many, into total enmity.

To ease the friction, Isaacson tells his friends not to worry since “the increase in the proportion of Charedim in Israel’s population will likely bring about significant social changes.” You don’t have to despise them, he tells his Haaretz friends – not all of them. Some of them have the potential to develop into worthy and valuable human beings. Give them time, and they will change.

I could go on, but I’ll spare the readers.

Destruction of the Soul

The loathing some Jews harbor toward brothers who continue to live as Jews is not a new phenomenon. In his masterful article from 1934, “Destruction of the Soul,” the great historian Yechezkel Kaufman describes in vivid colors what he calls “Jewish anti-Semitism,”[5] writing that “We inherited Jewish anti-Semitism from the Enlightenment generation.” Facing modern versions of age-old anti-Semitic accusations, the crime of Jewish Enlightenment was to sign an admission of guilt and demand that Jews repent their ways to win favor in the eyes of the nations.

Among the spiritual descendants of Enlightenment Jews, nothing seems to have changed except for replacing “Eastern European Jews” with the modern Charedi variant. Otherwise, it’s all pretty much the same. Claims of parasitism, laziness, ignorance, exploitation, greed, and arrogance – all of these are copy-pasted from the same slurs of centuries back. For instance, Kaufman cites Herzl’s resentment of Jews ashamed of their mere existence:

The Jews, too, faithfully say ‘Amen’ to the anti-Semitic slogan that we earn our living off the ‘feeder’ nations and that were it not for them, we should be forced to starve to death. This is another evidence of the decline of our self-respect under the onslaught of false accusations. (Introduction to The Jewish State)

This is the very claim leveled against Charedim today. As our brethren of yesteryear, we are parasites who enjoy living at the expense of secular Jews, insisting on and taking pride In living lives of ignorance and poverty. It is as though those in control of academia, the military, the media, the judicial system, and the government offices are there because of the divine gift they were blessed with and not because they ensure the entire institutional system works in favor of those born on the right side of Tel Aviv.

As our brethren of yesteryear, we are parasites who enjoy living at the expense of secular Jews, insisting on and taking pride In living lives of ignorance and poverty

As other articles demonstrate, and as I will elaborate on below, I’m the last to accept Charedi norms uncritically. Nonetheless, blatant lies should be called out as blatant lies. Not only does the wealthy man steal the poor man’s ewe lamb, he even accuses him of theft.

At least Haaretz authors don’t feign innocence. They openly express their desire to maintain the power positions wielded by secular liberals, leaving no influential role to those Jews who continue to behave as Jews. This is what Israel’s social wars, ostensibly over the proposed “judicial reforms,” are truly about. Our liberal elites are willing to accommodate the presence of religious marionettes from time to time, provided they pledge loyalty and follow instructions. But nothing more.

Much to their delight, Charedim in Israel indeed lack power. The only power they wield is in the Knesset; as it turns out, in Israel’s democracy, it isn’t worth much. They might sneak a bite here and there from budget leftovers and “coalition funds,” and even then, they will be met with contempt and derision and labeled “parasites” and “bloodsuckers.” The truth must be told: the only thing that scares Israel’s liberal elites more than poor Charedim is rich Charedim.

Taking our weakness and misery and turning it into guilt is a labor of hate. And those among us who say “but surely we are blameworthy” (Bereishis 42:31) act like a battered woman who never ceases to blame herself

The hoped-for “Charedi integration” is nothing more than a hope that Charedim will stop being Charedim, as Isaacson clearly expressed. Once they enter academia and integrate, the hope is that they will join the struggle on the side of the Enlightened. Impressive funding is being invested in this project, and the message is clear: if you’re willing to accept the secular-liberal terms of engagement, you’re welcome to join. If not, you stay on the dark side.

We may be small and weak, “deplorable,” as Hillary Clinton once commented (much to her regret) about Trump supporters. But this is due to our fidelity to tradition under conditions that work against us. Taking our weakness and misery and turning it into guilt is a labor of hate. And those among us who say “but surely we are blameworthy” (Bereishis 42:31) act like a battered woman who never ceases to blame herself.

A Time for Greatness

Rabbi Pfeffer claims that the voices I described above belong to a very small minority within Jewish Israel. I agree. However, I disagree that their minority status should paralyze our defense mechanisms and cause us to behave as if they are genuinely concerned about our future. That same minority dominates the education system, higher education, culture, government, judiciary, media, and the economy. It has declared a war of attrition against the Charedim. Rather than a negligible minority, it is a minority that sets the agenda.

The great majority of Jews of all colors love their people and their heritage; they also feel a sense of brotherhood vis-à-vis the Charedim. However, the venomous anti-Charedi propaganda promulgated by the small and vociferous minority, portraying them as lazy and sinister creatures who only wish to live at the expense of others, succeeds in inciting hatred among all sections of society.

Moreover, I even agree with Rabbi Pfeffer’s assertion that our response to the poisonous propaganda should not be withdrawal into the comfortable corner of a victimized minority. We need to be a part of Israel’s majority, and our insistence that we aren’t is detrimental to both ourselves and the rest of the country. Yes, we need to step up to the plate.

However, I find denying an “us versus them” framing dangerous. The most potent forces within Israeli society have mobilized for a total war against the Charedim, not because of their lack of economic participation but because they are Jews who proudly want to live as Jews. Our response must not be “but surely we are guilty.” Our thoughts at this time cannot be directed toward shifting our mindset from “them and us” to “we and us.” In times of war, one has to wage war.

Charedi Jews need to stand tall. Undoubtedly, one of the critical goals we need to pursue is to assert ourselves as a significant and influential presence among the Jewish people – to gain economic, intellectual, legal, cultural, media, political, and military power. We need to change the equation in which these positions are almost exclusively filled by individuals who think like Yossi Klein from Haaretz. Our future as a Jewish nation and a Jewish State depends on it.

The path to achieving this is not by being ashamed of our very existence. One of the reasons Torah-observant Jews lack power is that circumstances work against us. It is hard in Israel to get a job – any job – without a degree from an academic institution. Yet, studying in an academic institution, certainly at elite institutions, is deeply challenging for somebody wishing to maintain loyalty to Hashem and the Jewish People. Powerful forces work against us.

Charedi Judaism could not thrive without the Kollel institution. The strength of Charedi Judaism is its Torah scholars. It is true that religious Zionism has sincere and upright Jews who live a different modus operandi. However, Charedi society has grown and thrived to such an extent because of the prevalence of Kollel life. Only thanks to them did we maintain our cultural and spiritual independence. Moreover, the Kollelim have also benefited religious life across the Israeli board. Religious Zionists could be proud of their cultural identity thanks to Charedi success, and they even adopted the “Kollel startup” for their own Torah students.

Kollel life exacts a high economic and social cost, just as Jewish life in exile took a heavy economic and social toll. Jews in exile did not want to be poor and miserable. They wanted to be Jews, and, broadly speaking, the only life they could live as Jews was one of misery and poverty. They sacrificed comfort, wealth, and honor for Judaism. This is what the Charedim do today. We should admire them for this and not despise them, God forbid.

I agree and sympathize with Rabbi Pfeffer’s words. We need to state unequivocally that we aspire to a situation in which Charedi Judaism can influence a broad range of issues and institutions. We need Charedim in the army, economy, civil service, media, and culture. We aspire to a larger and prouder Judaism. As a society, we must not remain in the position of having to pick up scraps “rescued from the bear and the lion” – the corrupt elite. But these days, when Judaism finds itself under a vicious attack from within, we need to gather together and fight to defend the legitimacy of our way of life.

I end with the eloquent words of Yechezkel Kaufman: “Shall there be power amid the people to achieve a redemption that no other nation has achieved? We hope, and we believe. But faith will not emerge from contempt, and hope will not derive from hatred. Place not the dejection of souls burdened with sin and repenting of iniquity in the hearts of our youth, but rather the audacious pride of the Maapilim. Only by this will the redemptive passion be born.”

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[1] Yossi Klein, “It’s not the ‘Charedim’ who are to blame, the ‘Gedolim’ are to blame” Haaretz, 24.5.23.

[2] Yossi Klein, “Secular Jews versus Charedim: a story of fear, hatred and shame” Haaretz, 21.12.22.

[3] Chaim Levinson, “Galit Gutman stumbles, but don’t believe the hype: not all criticism of Charedim is anti-Semitism,” Haaretz, 5/21/23.

[4] Gideon Levi, “Now the Charedim are to blame for everything, including the poor” Haaretz, 25.5.23.

[5] Republished in Hashiloach issue 12, Kislev 5779, pp. 173-188.