Less than two years have passed since the Meron disaster. Still, for our politicians, business continues as usual. To put it bluntly: handing out jobs to cronies is much more important than public safety and well-being.
Recent weeks have witnessed yet another ritual game of ping-pong between the government ministers and its leader, Benjamin Netanyahu. In this case, the person holding the bat was the Minister of Meron Affairs, the Charedi (Chassdic) veteran politician Meir Porush. As part of a power struggle with Shas, the honorable minister announced his resignation. The ultimatum he gave succeeded in procuring the desired set of powers and authority, predictably leading him to withdraw his resignation.
Despite the catastrophic event, it seems that our politicians have been unable to set aside narrow interests and personal agendas and engage in a sincere, pragmatic, and professional conversation that prioritizes the safety and well-being of worshippers
It is barely two years since the most horrifying national civic disaster the State of Israel has known in its seventy-five years of existence, in which forty-five of the pilgrims to Mount Meron descended in coffins. Despite the catastrophic event, it seems that our politicians have been unable to set aside narrow interests and personal agendas and engage in a sincere, pragmatic, and professional conversation that prioritizes the safety and well-being of worshippers. It appears that our elected representatives are consumed with more pressing matters, such as bickering over power and control, securing their positions, navigating political appointments, curating media coverage, asserting their supposed “historical rights to jobs” and “inherited privileges,” and prioritizing the interests of their inner circle.
It is unthinkable to me that the person responsible for organizing the Meron event two years ago, under whose command the disaster occurred, should remain in his position. What is this, if not a scandal? Yet, he remains in power, orchestrating a pseudo-resignation and throwing a tantrum as part of a political power struggle with Shas.
In the present article, I want to briefly reflect on the state of affairs and consider what could have been and what, perhaps, can still be.
Power without responsibility
Before we discuss our local politics, it is worth gleaning some inspiration from the first and greatest of all Jewish political leaders, Moshe Rabbenu.
Parshas Pekudei presents a detailed inventory of the expenses incurred in constructing the Mishkan and its different vessels. The Midrash Tanchuma explains that Moshe knew the Jewish People were distrustful, and, therefore, he prepared a detailed report of all expenses. Moshe takes a calculator, puts on his reading glasses, and presents the Jewish people with a full report, including quantities of gold, silver, copper, and more. Hashem, the Midrash continues, had absolute trust in Moshe, yet “he heard the scoffers of the generation gossiping about him, so he arose and presented them with a comprehensive report of the Mishkan’s expenses.”
Parashas Pekudei repeatedly emphasizes, no less than sixteen times, that all matters of the Mishkan were carried out precisely “as Hashem instructed Moshe.” This underscores the vital importance of public trust. Even a towering figure such as Moshe Rabbeinu recognized the critical value of public perception.
Faced with the tragedies of victims and their families, we do not need recourse to scriptural sources before shouting ourselves hoarse over the complete absence of public accountability
Reflecting on the Meron tragedy, citing scriptural sources seems unnecessary. The need for accepting responsibility is obvious – not because someone said so or because it is written in our holy scripture, but due to the demands of basic morality and common sense. Faced with the tragedies of victims and their families, we do not need recourse to scriptural sources before shouting ourselves hoarse over the complete absence of public accountability.
The Meron tragedy was not caused by a deliberate attempt to compromise the event’s security. It resulted from creeping irresponsibility, neglect, distorted priorities of those responsible for the event, and preferencing a privileged inner circle over pious visitors.
Mount Meron has been considered a potential disaster zone for years, and the risk increased each year, intensifying under the supervision of Charedi public representatives. The list of “self-proclaimed generals” appointed to oversee the event continued to expand, and the tangled web of political appointments and power grabs grew more complex. Despite the mounting dangers, no one dared to end the festivities. The warnings of safety experts about the steadily deteriorating conditions for visitors at the site were ignored entirely.
Beyond the reckless abandon that led to the Meron disaster, a result of the fact that our politicians are more anxious about their associates’ jobs than the well-being of the public, the failure that broke the camel’s back was the cover-up attempt and the blanket opposition to establishing a commission of inquiry.
Within a day of the disaster striking, politics resumed its disheartening influence with a vengeance. The bloody screams of forty-five victims cry to the heavens above, but may God save us from establishing an inquiry committee. God forbid that the idea should even cross the minds of those involved in the cover-up. Half an hour before the count of bodies began, the same individuals still had time to exchange compliments on how they succeeded in bringing unprecedented numbers to the mountain. When the earth beneath their feet began to shake, they quickly disappeared. “Success has many fathers, but failure is always an orphan.” Indeed.
One of the families who lost their 14-year-old son on that same path of death lives across from my house. The father’s crestfallen face, the face of a man from whom his life’s joy has been snatched, will never fade from my memory. Heaven knows that I have tears streaming down my face even as I write these lines, imagining how on that night he stood there helpless, hoping with a pounding heart that perhaps on the thirtieth attempt his son would answer the phone, while radio broadcasts in the background reported the climbing death toll; how his heart bled when listening to an interview by a politician he voted for giving a convoluted spiel and offering excuses for why an investigation committee should not be established.
True, politics is not a game for gentle souls. In this world of envy and lust, you need a strong coat of armor to survive. We need to credit and appreciate those who enter such a challenging arena: elected officials, community activists, and many others who play indispensable roles. Nonetheless, there are times when their actions become too distorted for us to bear. At such times, it is the entire community’s responsibility to join together and cry out in unison: “Stop!” Forty-five souls will never return. Let us show at least a drop of respect!
How is such a disaster not enough to shake the heart of every human being? If dozens of victims do not make our elected officials act responsibly and put professionalism over petty considerations, how can we hope that anything in our politics will change?
Yet, it seems that our public is entirely indifferent. There is nothing and no one in the world who can make a politician give up his political intrigues for the public’s good. If the cruel death of forty-five people didn’t achieve the end, what can? What else needs to happen, for God’s sake, for someone to take responsibility? How is such a disaster not enough to shake the heart of every human being? If dozens of victims do not make our elected officials act responsibly and put professionalism over petty considerations, how can we hope that anything in our politics will change? The intensity of the shame is unbearable.
Regrettably, shirking responsibility is not exclusive to politicians but is found in all branches of government. Police officers have been caught in disgrace repeatedly, from selective enforcement and operational management failures, through recordings of vulgar arrests and employment of undue force against weaker populations to policemen who lie shamelessly and are protected by the system. Some explanations are more plausible, some less. Did anyone ever admit the mistake and take responsibility? God forbid.
It seems that those in power – the executive, the judiciary (which was also deeply involved; it is no wonder that so many demand judicial reform), and law enforcement – are convinced that it is their Divine right to employ power as they wish, but not their job to accept responsibility for the unfortunate results of their actions.
Responsibility Lies With Us
The depraved phenomenon of abdication of responsibility affects politicians from every corner of the political spectrum. Yet, there is a basic difference between “our politicians,” those in Charedi parties, and those of broader Israel. Regarding the general public, an official who shirks responsibility will find himself disgraced. It will lead to him being expelled from the system. Even if the media don’t ruin his life, he will certainly be punished by his own electorate.
Charedi Knesset Members do not need to worry about criticism. The dogs may bark, but they can rest assured that the convoy will pass.
In contrast, we in Charedi society have no mechanism to remove a Charedi politician from office. Primaries? Don’t dare mention it. Vote for a different party? That’s almost sacrilege. In some communities, it is taught that a corrupt politician fun unzerer (from our community) is better than decent, upstanding religious Jews who say Hallel on Independence Day. Charedi Knesset Members do not need to worry about criticism. The dogs may bark, but they can rest assured that the convoy will pass. Voters for Charedi parties will continue to vote according to the directives of their communities and rabbis even when politicians spit in their faces.
This is a wake-up call for us to examine ourselves. If our public representatives fail to behave responsibly, what does that say about our community? What does this say for our attitude to the Jewish and Torah values we boast about? The public has the power to set limits for its representatives and ensure that if they will be condemned when they cross them. Why were Charedi elected officials unafraid of the public backlash to the attempt to whitewash facts and escape responsibility? It is only because they knew we would continue to give them the power to do so. The responsibility lies first and foremost with us.
The accusations of the victims who silently continue to cry out are directed, in no small measure, to us. We are also being charged with responsibility – responsibility as a community. At what point must we finally confront politicians who abuse their positions and tell them their behavior cannot continue? What more must occur for us to take action against such misconduct?
As Lag Ba’Omer approaches, a day of hope and prayer, I want to express hope that we will return to days when “all those who deal with the needs of the community” will indeed do so “faithfully.” May all those who even today do their work faithfully, as only God can verify, will be blessed: “The Holy One, blessed be He, will reward them, remove from them all sickness and affliction […] and send them every blessing and success in all their works.”
תמונה: נרות נשמה במתחם האסון במירון, קרדיט: 10מטעמים, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Is there something about competence that makes “our” politicians and their departments avoid it like some plague? Israel has a very competent technical sector, so it’s not as if we’re born clueless. I think voting by district could improve accountability to the public. These national slates are nothing but trouble. Yes, some party organizations would lose out by this, but they’ve earned it.
Although I am no longer Chareidi, I enjoy your posts. Well-written. Definitely needed. Courageous.
One more thing…
When community leaders give direct orders to vote for only one party as a condition for remaining in good standing in the community, the blame for that party’s bad results falls on them, too. Those leaders must do their utmost to reorganize such a party to do its proper job in the general interest.
Very well written. Thank you.
There are no charedi political parties in any normal sense. There are rebbes and roshei yeshiva who designate their hand picked vassals to do their bidding. The voters are not making any independent choices. They are doing as they are told by those same rebbes and roshei yeshiva. Hence, for all intents and purposes, they are sheep who blindly follow orders from above. The fact that they actually believe their parties are operating in their own best interests is understandable. By being prevented from getting even a minimal civic education, the masses are rendered politically illiterate and clueless. The wife votes the way totty tells her to vote Totty votes the way the “ministers” tell them to vote The ministers do as they are ordered to by a secretive gerontocracy that knows it all. Under such circumstances any expectation of change is absurd.
Voters and politicians belonging to staunchly anti-chareidi parties are often motivated by similar petty/selfish/irresponsible considerations on their side. They, too, can talk a good line to cover for this.
I’ve thought more about the central fact that rank-and-file voters of all stripes are pushed around by their leaders and have never seen a proper political system up close. I see now that they are the political equivalent of “tinokot shenishbu”. Looking at this system which only can only benefit insiders, I long more than ever for the day Moshiach bangs heads to establish an order that befits our people.