Someone I knew wrote a letter to a particular audience. The letter stated that although the writer is in the chareidi camp and normally does not participate in the Israel Day Parade, this year would be different.
Considering all the horrible anti-Israel hatred, and especially given that Mayor Mamdani chose not to participate, he felt it was incumbent on all Jews to show their solidarity with Israel at this time, and it was important that he, as a chareidi, join the parade. He called on others to join as well.
The writer showed the letter to some of his acquaintances, who extolled the letter but advised him not to publicize it. Too controversial. The kana’im – religious zealots – would find cause to lambaste the writer and make his life miserable. So, indeed, he did not publicize the letter, although he and his daughters did attend the parade.
He even submitted his letter to a well-known chareidi publication and asked if it could be published anonymously. He was turned down by virtue of the fact that it was too controversial for publication.
For the life of me, I do not understand why this is controversial. For some reason, the yeshivah world boycotts the parade. What are they afraid of? Will their boys be dragged into secular Zionism? Is it, in general, a nod to secular Zionism? Who cares? What’s the threat?
It is so important to show support for the beleaguered State of Israel, especially in the face of its increasing unpopularity with today’s generation. And in the face of Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, Megyn Kelly, and others.
Does the yeshivah crowd really look to the demise of Israel? Certainly not. The chareidi newspapers and magazines are always very pro-Israel and even right-wing in their support. I remember how the chareidi papers were steadfast in their disapproval of the Oslo Accords and the Gush Katif disengagement, much more so than the more left-leaning elements in the Orthodox world. They are constantly reporting on the good and bad news Israel faces today, with great sympathy and empathy for the IDF.
We are not talking about Neturei Karta, who have shamelessly thrown in with the enemy. So what is it that bothers the yeshivah world about showing a little support for Israel in its time of need?
Surprisingly, Chabad does not participate in the parade either, aside from showing up to put t’filin on some of the parade observers. Chabad is usually pretty savvy about their public relations.
Now, if the argument would be bitul Torah – taking off time from learning Torah – I could understand that. But the truth is, even baalei-batim – laymen, who long ago left the study halls of the yeshivah – do not participate.
I believe it’s a matter of not appearing to be any less of a chareidi Jew than Satmar that motivates a lot of this feeling. As Rabbi Moshe Sherer z”l once said, it’s the Satmar rebbetzin who controls Yiddishkeit. Because the Reform look to the Conservative, the Conservative look to the Modern Orthodox, the Modern Orthodox look to the Agudah, the Agudah looks to Satmar, and the Satmar Rebbe looks to his rebbetzin.
In any case, it is a shame that such a major element of Orthodox Jewry chooses not to attend.
Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld is the Rabbi Emeritus of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, President of the Coalition for Jewish Values, former President of the Vaad Harabonim of Queens, and the Rabbinic Consultant for the Queens Jewish Link.