Jewish Unity is a key to our survival - YJ Draiman

Jewish Unity is a key to our survival

From the dawn of our liberation from Egypt to our current times, unity, mutual responsibility, self-reliability, and accountability have been paramount to our success and survival. Throughout the ages, we have developed scientific and academic skills above and beyond all other nations; which include numerous life-saving inventions and eye-opening discoveries which benefit all nations. We have presented the world with monotheism, humanitarianism, socialism, But while developing these things, we overlooked the one tenet that the world needs most today, and which is altogether absent on our planet: unity.

When I say unity, I do not mean unity based upon any type of bias or to defeat an adversary. This type of alliance has brought us to where we are today; two world wars behind us and possibly en route to a third. The unity I am referring to is unity among all of mankind; unity for the sake of peaceful co-existence, human and worldwide evolution.

Our Jewish people are fractured and divided beyond recognition. If we did not know better, we would probably never assume that Orthodox Jews and the Secular Party Liberals, for example, belong to the same faith; or that Jewish settlers and Ultra liberal left wing party voters share the same origin. Even relations between Israel and the Diaspora are fraught with discord to the point Israel itself is viewed by many as a dividing element among Diaspora Jews, which is not true.

It seems somehow we have forgotten we are all still descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whose legacy of mercy is embodied in the immortal words of Rabbi Akiva: “love your neighbor as yourself.” This tenet, part of the foundation of our faith, is where our strength lies - in unity above and beyond all our differences.

However, let me reiterate, our unity must not be based on the common cause to defeat an adversary.  Rather, our unity must be founded in our faith and understanding in order to overcome our ego-driven singular agendas so as to create a viable, sustainable social fabric; a society where Jews can live side-by-side in peace and harmony among themselves and with their neighbors. Subsequently, our goal must be to share our unity with anyone who is interested in embracing it. Said goal to unify and effort to share our unity in itself, will help dissolve the global campaign to unjustly demonize Israel in the eyes of the world.

                                      

Upon examination of the history of the Jewish people, and Israel itself, one cannot deny the empirical evidence both have somehow overcome and managed to survive obstacles no other singular people have historically survived.  The common factor forming the very foundation of this Jewish survival has been and will always be “faith and unity”.  As such, perhaps our motto, our mission should be: “Unity in Faith - Unity in Mankind”.      

YJ Draiman