Rabbi Warns Israel Must End Internal Divisions to Preserve Its Future

Rebecca Shorak, a communications graduate from Ariel University, warns that Israel faces a critical threat from internal divisions that could ultimately destroy the country. She reflects on the Jewish people's long history of passionate disputes, noting that while disagreements have always existed, the real danger arises when hatred overtakes brotherhood. Shorak cites the destruction of the First Temple due to idolatry and violence, but emphasizes that the Second Temple fell because of "baseless hatred" among Jews despite their religious observance.

She recounts the tragic consequences of such internal strife, including two millennia of exile, persecution, pogroms, and the Holocaust, which culminated in the murder of six million Jews. After this, the Jewish people finally regained a homeland in Israel, a state built on the sacrifices and dreams of generations. Yet today, Shorak argues, Israelis are recklessly undermining their own home through political and social discord, treating the country as if it were guaranteed to endure regardless of internal conflict.

Drawing on the example of the ancient sages Hillel and Shammai, who held deep but respectful disagreements, she stresses that true wisdom lies in listening and understanding opposing views rather than seeking to defeat them. Shorak warns that the current climate of polarization, where dissent is seen as betrayal and debate as war, weakens Israel internally and emboldens external enemies like Hamas. She points to the October 7 attacks as a consequence of this internal fragmentation, which adversaries interpreted as a sign of vulnerability.

Shorak calls for a renewed commitment to unity, not as a mere slogan but as an essential condition for Israel's survival. She reminds readers that Israel is the only home the Jewish people have and that if they continue to "play" with their shared house through hatred and division, one day there will be no home left to argue over.