Now We're Talkin'!

Zoth Hanukkah 5769

It is just passed the deadline for the submission of party candidate lists for the impending national elections.

The National Union is back, leaving the Jewish Home Party, nicknamed the National Religious Party home, in the dust!

Here are the first five candidates on its list (IsraelNN):

1. Ya'aqov Ka"tz
(Tequmah)
Arutz 7 Co-founder
Beth-El

2. MK Uri Ariel
(Tequmah)
K'far Adumim

3. Aryeh Eldad
(Moledet) - former IDF physician/commander
K'far Adumim

4. Micha'el Ben-Ari
(Eretz Yisrael Shelanu) - Professor, Bar-Ilan University

5. Uri Bank
(Moledet) - Party Chair

All of these candidates are strong on the issue of NO LAND GIVEAWAYS, and the religious candidates understand that the Torah must be involved with all aspects of a Jew's life, including governance, and not just to resolve kashrus shailos. They are also strong on the issue of Torah precedence over the deluded fantasies of mamlakhti (undying state loyalist) candidates such as:

Daniel "There are differing opinions on territorial concessions" Hershkowitz

Zevulun "What have rabbis got to do with governance?" Orlev

Uri "Soldiers can't refuse orders no matter what" Orbach

Oh, I have no doubt that the mamlakhtim will soon start crying "Purveyors of disunity, repent!" or their favorite "this is baseless hatred!" dividing the community up like this. (eyes rolling)

I've got some news for you. There isn't just one community calling itself religious Zionist. There are two, a real one and a fake one. Analyze the data above, and do the math yourself.

Unity is about unifying the Jewish People under strong and faithful leadership, not about mixing the tahor with the tamei. That's not unity; that's very poorly made shampoo.

The National Union and the Marzel/Wolpe Eretz Yisra'el Shelanu (Our Land of Israel) agreed on a compromise, and so have successfully joined forces.

The Jewish Home Party wouldn't have given Marzel or Wolpe a second glance, except to throw around fear-mongering, catch phrases like "extremist" and "fanatic." So, don't lecture ME on unity.

If preferring loyalty to HaShem and His Torah over undying loyalty to the State means you're an "extremist" and "fanatic," then I guess that makes me one, too. I'm in good company.

Anyway, now that I've given the mamlakhtim something to ponder for a while, that is, if it didn't go too far over their heads, let me get back to the Nation Union's list of candidates.

The list does raise some questions:

1. Where is MK Tzvi Hendel's (Tequmah) place on the list?
(Hendel has decided to remove himself from the Jewish Home Party list of candidates.)

2. Will Effie Eitam (Ach"i) come crawling back to the National Union?
(Apparently not,...yet)

3. Is this the last we've seen of Rabbi MK Yitzhaq Levy (Ach"i)?

4. Will the National Religious Party finally die that horribly painful death I have been hoping for?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Stay tuned....

*********

Nation Union Places 9 - 12:

6. Alon Davidi
S'derot Defense Task Force & former director, S'derot Hesder Yeshiva

7. Avi Rath
Journalist & Author

8. Prof. Ron Breiman
(HaTikvah)
former chair, Professors for a Strong Israel

9. Betzalel Smutrich
Movement to Preserve National Lands

10.Lior Kalfa (according to Arutz 7)
Gush Katif Residents Committee

10. Ilan Cohen (according to the HaTikvah Party website)
(HaTikvah)
Modi'in

11. Shabtai Weintraub (according to the HaTikvah Party website)

12. Shmu'el Hermesh (according to the HaTikvah Party website)