כ"ז לחודש האחד עשר תשע"ד
Months, or maybe even years, ago, I had the perfect video clip all ready to commemorate Shulamit Eloni's death.
Please take note that I did NOT use the word "celebrate." Of course, we are not allow to think of such a thing (perish the thought!), for fear of becoming a target of the Israeli Thought Police.
But, then when I heard she had finally left this world, it was not as easy as I thought it would be to "commemorate" her passing.
YNET: Former Minister Shulamit Aloni dies at the age of 85
PM Netanyahu
Israel Prize winner for lifetime achievement was pioneer of civil rights helping expedite legislation of Basic Laws. Netanyahu: I appreciated her contribution, determination
Yaron Druckman, January 24, 2014
Former Education Minister and Meretz Chairwoman Shulamit Aloni, known for her fight for civil rights, passed away Friday at the age of 85.
A statement released by Meretz party reads that she "passed away Friday morning beside her family and lived to a ripe old age."
Aloni will be laid to rest on Sunday at the Kfar Shmaryahu Cemetery...
President Peres
...President Shimon Peres also eulogized Aloni: "She was a fighter for peace and civil rights, and she left a mark in the struggle for women, minorities and those weakened in the society. She was a bold democratic and social fighter. She had a rare combination of sharp intellect, power, individual opinion and social sensitivity...."
...In the eighth Knesset elections she retired from the Labor party and established the Ratz movement, which won three mandates. She served as minister without portfolio in the Yitzhak Rabin administration. In October 1974 she quit following the joining of the National Religious Party into the coalition.
Her fierce statements against her haredi partners in the government infuriated many. Following an ultimatum given by Shas , Aloni was forced to resign from her seat and was moved to serve as minister in charge of the Communications Ministry and the Science and Arts Ministry.Esser Agaroth (2¢):
During this period, disputes among Meretz leadership brought Aloni to retire from politics in 1996 after Yossi Sarid announced he intended to run against her for the leadership of the party.
Aloni was one of the first to deal with and promote the subject of civil rights in Israel. During her political life, Aloni helped construct shelters for battered women, worked against religious coercion and created marriage contracts for couples who could not or did not want to be married by an Orthodox rabbi, and was among the founders of the International Center for Peace in the Middle East.
Israel Prize winner
In 2000 she was given the Israel Prize for lifetime achievement, a choice that had a great deal of opposition, mainly in the religious circles. She published several books and articles and was a columnist for Yedioth Ahronoth and the weekly magazine La' Isha (For Women).
After retiring from politics, Aloni continued to lecture in the academic world on matter of civil rights and political-legislative ties. She was also a known activist against the Israeli control of the West Bank and advocated a territorial compromise.
(Tip: The Torah Revolution)
It seems that Prime Minister Netanyahu has been the most honest about his feelings for Aloni, without being "disrespectful."
President Peres made a very interesting eulogy, filled to the brim with code phrases:
"left a mark in the struggle for women" - radical feminism
"minorities" - Arabs and other non-Jews who really never had any business being here
"those weakened in the society" - society according to what Aloni alone believed it should be
"bold democratic and social fighter" - loyal Hellenist and Western assimilationist.
"social sensitivity...." - to those who agreed with her. True pluralism was the farthest thing from her agenda
Most leftists have expressed feeling "OK" about sitting in a government with the National Religious (Jewish Home) Party,...knowing full well how they are mostly just State lackeys with kippoth. Odd that this was not good enough for Aloni. Yet, the next quote about her reveals why.
She "worked against religious coercion and created marriage contracts for couples who could not or did not want to be married by an Orthodox rabbi." In other words, she was in a constant battle against the Torah.
Is there really anymore to be said about Shulamit Aloni?
Well, actually, yes, there is.
Esser Agaroth (2¢):YNET: Minister Piron: Aloni was ground-breaking, courageous leader
Rabbi Shai Piron
Minister of RE-Education
Expressing his loyalty to the State???
Moran Azulay, Shachar Chai, January 24, 2014
Israel News Education Minister Shai Piron announced he "regrets the death of Israel Prize laureate and former education minister Shulamit Aloni, who worked with courage, honesty and integrity which are a model for a ground-breaking leader, a woman of principle and action with firm ideology. Her legacy will continue to accompany us for years to come."
What's worse, Shulamit Aloni being completely forthcoming regarding her venomous hatred toward everything Jewish, which she was unable to manipulate to her own advantage?
Or a "rabbi" praising her for it?
Anyway, during my deep thoughts as to how to approach Shulamit Aloni's death, I was halted by a conundrum.
Could it be that Shulamit Aloni was simply k'tinoq shenishba, albeit under the most lenient opinion, and knew not the damage to Am Yisra'el and Eretz Yisr'ael she was doing?
And because of this, when she arrives before the Heavenly Court, will she be held culpable for her acts of evil?
And, I know that you are all asking, even if she was a rash'ah (evil woman), who am I to judge?
Shulamit Aloni former Minister of Western Assimilation |
Then who is to blame for the consequences of all of Aloni's perpetration of acts against the Torah, if not herself?
You are.
All those of you mamalakhtim (undying State-loyalists) who got upset at the intolerance and judging against the likes of Shulamit Aloni, those of you rebuked those of us who dared to stand up and declare her acts for what they were: evil!
"But she could always do teshuvah (repent)!" you cried.
But, what did you actually do to assist her in doing teshuvah? Did you give her a hug, and tell her how much you loved her as a sister? She would not even have sat in a government with most of you!
You did nothing! Worse yet
True. Shulamit Aloni will be judged as she will be judged, and there is nothing I suppose we can do about it one way or another, except perhaps pray.
However, what IS in your power, is to do your own heshbon nefesh (inventory), and ask yourself how you not only stood idly by, but made excuses for it, while Shulamit Aloni was raging war against Torah values and sensibilities before your very eyes.
Not about that video clip...
While I was taking the time to ponder Shulamit Aloni's death, Paula Stern sort of beat me to the punch. Even though I had been thinking of how apropos presenting the video clip below would be, ages ago. I suppose that many others thought of it already, as well.
As to whether it is appropriate or not to present such a clip to commemorate the death of Shulamit Aloni, who may or may not, be culpable for the grave damage to the heart and soul of Israel she was behind, I say, "What the hell?!"
I'll embed it here nevertheless.
It is, after all, a classic! (listen closely at time marker 2:00)
"the wicked ol witch at last is dead!" classic....thx for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI'll never forget seeing a picture of her in the paper (the Jerusalem Post, I think), in 1994 or 1995, eating chametz on Pesach.
ReplyDelete