Originally published 5/1/08, 12:57 AM. Link no longer works.
Left-wing firebrand via haredi seminaryBy MATTHEW WAGNER
In the fall of 1968, Tzvia Greenfield, an intense 19-yearold philosophy student, stood on the lawn of the Hebrew University's Givat Ram campus warning her peers that it would be a big mistake to keep the newly conquered territories.
Most, intoxicated by the miraculous victory and dreaming of the fulfillment of ancient biblical promises, resisted Greenfield's passionate arguments, which seemed incongruous with her appearance.
....
When asked by The Jerusalem Post what a "nice Haredi woman" was doing in Meretz, Greenfield said, "For years Meretz has been saying what I believe in. Literally everything on Meretz's platform is in line with my opinions. I believe in the individual's rights. I believe in
citizens' rights. I believe in rights for everyone, including Arabs. I believe in peace. And I also believe in working toward an agreement with the Palestinians. "I believe in the right to protection for both rich and poor. Society has an obligation to all citizens to foster solidarity, to make sure people are not thrown out on the street because they cannot support themselves.
"I am a social democrat," she continued
....
For Further Details see: Jerusalem Post Article
Kol Tuv / Best Regards,Most, intoxicated by the miraculous victory and dreaming of the fulfillment of ancient biblical promises, resisted Greenfield's passionate arguments, which seemed incongruous with her appearance.
....
When asked by The Jerusalem Post what a "nice Haredi woman" was doing in Meretz, Greenfield said, "For years Meretz has been saying what I believe in. Literally everything on Meretz's platform is in line with my opinions. I believe in the individual's rights. I believe in
citizens' rights. I believe in rights for everyone, including Arabs. I believe in peace. And I also believe in working toward an agreement with the Palestinians. "I believe in the right to protection for both rich and poor. Society has an obligation to all citizens to foster solidarity, to make sure people are not thrown out on the street because they cannot support themselves.
"I am a social democrat," she continued
....
For Further Details see: Jerusalem Post Article
RabbiRichWolpoe@Gmail.com
2 comments:
As my father says, idiots come in all shapes, colours and sizes!
Meretz believes that peace with the Arabs is possible. Too bad the Arabs don't.
Meretz believes the word "Jewish" should never be used to describe Israel.
And this woman likes their values?
The real question is what does the word haredi mean? Does it describe simply an adherence to specific rituals or does the word descibe an adherence to a certain theological and/or philosophical outlook? If it is the latter, then even though she may even wear a sheitl not made from real hair - which seems to be a mark of a right wing segment of the haredi world - she is definitely not haredi for haredi theology would never say that one may not listen to the rabbis of our generation. That is even problematic to any form of Orthodoxy (the philosophical difference in what we may term Modern Orthodox is in the choice and process of choosing a rabbi but following Rabbinic authority is fundamental to any form of Orthodoxy). Basically what you have, and she herself may not even know this, is a theological Raform or maybe Conservative Jew who happens to follow the practice of haredi Judaism in many ways. That may still be strange but there are actually many Reform rabbis who are observant of much of Halacha. Why they do so is for many reasons -- but recognize that even as they keep Shabbat, kashrut and even taharat hamishpacha, that they are Reform and their observance of mitzvot cannot be used to teach about ideas in following Torah. Similarly with this woman. There are many Reform Jews who may be supporters of Meretz. Here we have another one who happens to observe many haredi rituals . The question is why does she do the rituals and basically like all the other reform Jews who do mitzvot, they like it or they find it personally meaningful.
Rabbi Ben Hecht
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