MK Yaakov Litzman's bill, according to which a prime minister cannot be appointed as such if he does not hold an academic degree or 'significant' military service, is perhaps perceived as teasing, childish, almost curious.
But she's not like that.
The Haredi MK's proposal contains a sociological statement that comes from a very deep place within him, which should concern us first and foremost, the Haredim who still believe in the combination between the State of Israel and an observant society.
Indeed, what the man is actually saying is that our country, our society, will be run by the secularists forever. We, the Haredim, have no part in it. We, the black-kippah wearers who are often referred to collectively as the "Haredim," are not really responsible for what happens in the country. In the army. In the police. In the law, in education and higher education.
We have our own little, familiar plot of God, and it is up to us to cultivate it well.
Am I making this up? Here are some things Litzman said in an interview with Makor Rishon when asked about the Haredi phenomenon in academia: "In my community, they don't study unequivocally," and later when the interviewers [journalists Grozman and Kam] press him and demand, "What do you think about this trend?" He responds in detail, "I don't know." That said, as a representative of Haredi society, I have no say in the matter as long as 'my community,' meaning the sons and daughters of Gur Hasidism, don't overcrowd the academy.
When interviewers suggest to him the possibility that an ultra-Orthodox prime minister will one day arise, he replies firmly: "That will never happen.".
These statements join his consistent refusal - and that of Gafni and the rest of the members of Torah Judaism - to be appointed minister and thus take responsibility for the important events and decisions that we all share, such as the bloody votes on the release of Gilad Shalit, the issue of disengagement, the question of releasing terrorists, etc. They also join his latest proposal, which may harm Lapid, but will primarily harm the Haredim who lack core studies, degrees, and service from the decision-making centers.
It's just that this entrenched approach is no less dangerous for us, and we may perhaps ask the Honorable Deputy Minister:
Why Litzman, why won't an ultra-Orthodox one day be prime minister? What's the problem, for God's sake? Because we don't have a degree? Why do you refuse to represent us on the most important collective questions at the government table? How can you have no idea about what the ultra-Orthodox [over ten thousand young men and women] are doing in the academic field?
Yair Lapid, a realistic candidate for prime minister, has a broad education, even if not formal, and Litzman's childish law, it must be admitted, will not go beyond the limits of anecdote, but if statements of this kind continue to float without response in the Haredi space, we, at the end of the day, will be left with representatives who reflect so beautifully the sad text: 'His world is narrow, like the world of an ant.'.
Join the Haredim 10 Facebook page >>
Join the X page of Haredim 10 >>
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
