who disengages himself.

i have not been keeping close contact with many of you, so i dont know what your politics are or where you stand or how informed you have been keeping yourself on the following matters… but…

it’s terrible here with the hitnakut (disengagement) and i just wanted to remind people that it is important to pay attention to what is going on, not so we can have a decent argument when we debate or be worldy, but because what is going on will have repercussions for our nation (the jewish one, not our respective diasporas) forever…

watching the news here, which is definitely more thorough than anywhere else, is emotionally tormenting. no matter what your political stance or agenda or preference, what is happening is not a football match or american idol concert; it’s not a matter of wearing a certain colour bracelet; lend it the respect and dignity it deserves, whether for the soldiers, who are torn, or the settlers, who are depressed. i’m meeting people here who are deriving superficial pleasure out of this and it is as pathetic and obnoxious as dancing in the streets in syria after september 11th.

this is physically, psychologically, nationally and emotionally horrific, for all parties. and if you want to take a tel aviv stance about the whole thing and pretend you’re living in a different country so it doesnt affect you, then you really really must reevaluate who you are and what being jewish means to you.

please give some time to learning the news to the best of your ability everyday and if you feel inclined, pray for every party involved. just be a part of it in any way that you can. this mess is not just a ‘crazy settler’ issue or a tzahal issue, or an israeli issue… it’s an unprecedented jew vs. jew issue that has a much better chance of destroying us than healing us.

i hope that noone will take this as preachy… i just know that sometimes i need reminding of what is important so i thought maybe i’d extend the reminder i’ve been given by being here to people who i’m pretty sure, on some level, give a shit.