Jewish Identity for the Jewish State: An Overview

For the two thousand years of exile, our Jewish identity had shrunk to no more than rituals of observance. When we returned to Israel to build a Jewish state, though, we once again experienced the full spectrum of Jewish life. What should our army look like? What constitutes a cultural event? How do we relate to poverty? Jewish identity is much more than observance of the commandments. It is a return to our natural, Jewish state of consciousness -- when our entire being is motivated by our connection to G-d.

The following is an overview of some of the principles that should guide an authentic Jewish state.

The Jewish State is the instrument for establishing the sovereignty of the Jewish People in the Land of Israel -- a tool for realizing the teachings of the prophets -- an example and a model for the entire world.

The Jewish State will express the general culture and accumulated experience of the Jewish People from the time that we became a nation, stressing our most basic and formative experiences -- the foremost of which are the exodus from Egypt, the receiving of the Torah, and the conquering of the Land of Israel -- followed by the Kingdoms of Judea and Israel during the era of the First and Second Temples, the destruction and long exile, and the national revival in our time.

Solidarity toward every Jew, because he is a Jew -- without any differences of opinion, party, community or standing -- will be the banner and basis of Israeli society. Love of the nation is the love of the entire nation: the similar and the different -- the near and the far -- the average and the exceptional -- love of Jews who fear G-d and love of Jews who do not -- love of the Right and love of the Left.

Love of the nation is expressed by awareness of the needs of the poor -- both those poor materially and those poor spiritually -- and by individuals and the general public undertaking to answer their needs, as much as possible. It is enhanced by refraining from gossip and slander -- and this, of course, will mandate a change in the role of the media in public life.

The Torah of Israel is the Law that was given to Moses at Sinai, both written and oral -- including the teachings and the commentaries of our sages in every generation. Love of the Torah is the recognition that it is the reason for our existence as a distinct people, it is the reason for our miraculous survival through the ages, and in it is hidden the positive import of our existence in the future.

The Jewish state will initiate, support and encourage institutions of Torah learning of all kinds, for both the religious and non-religious population -- equally and in accordance with standards of proper government -- with the sole requirement that in these institutions there will not be any anti-Torah efforts.

Love of the Land is the complete faithfulness to the Land of Israel -- the Land that was promised in its Biblical borders to the Fathers of the Nation by the Creator of the world -- and includes the understanding of the positive connection between the Land and the ability of the Nation of Israel to fulfill its earthly goals. Love of the Land involves a deep, positive connection of the Jewish soul to the Land, to Biblical and historical sites, to the scenery as well as the strict conservation of nature, the ecology, and archeological sites.

The supreme covenant binding the Jewish People to the Land of Israel is the Biblical covenant between the nation of Israel and the Creator of the world (Genesis 35:12):

This is the Land which I have given to Abraham and Isaac,
I will give it to you
and I will give the Land to your children after you

Any agreement that contradicts this ancient covenant is invalid and is automatically cancelled and void. He who signs it does so on his own responsibility, without permission and without the authority of all the generations of the Nation of Israel. He will be remembered forever as a disgraceful and despicable individual in the history of Israel.

A law will be passed for the restoration of lands -- the main essence of which will be that all land that is conquered, acquired or held by Jews within the Biblical boundaries of the Land of Israel shall immediately become an indivisible part of the State of Israel. Developed lands will be allocated to any Jew who is interested in building. Loans and mortgages will be given to those who build. Transportation will be improved to every location in the Land of Israel.

The purposes of the Israeli Army is to liberate the Land, to protect the parts of the Land in our hands, and to protect the safety of every Jew. A foreign nation who obstructs these goals will be defined as an enemy. The code of ethics of the Israeli Army and the rules of its conduct will reflect these purposes and Jewish morals. The honor of Israel will be upheld as a primary value. A soldier who allows himself to be debased in the presence of the enemy will be court-martialed. An aggressive military consciousness will be built, and the army prepared to fight to achieve its goals -- which shall serve to deter the enemy.

All women, both religious and secular, will serve in national service units only.

Any foreign power that tries to gain hold in Jerusalem will be banished. Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount, a synagogue and study hall will be fostered according to the guidelines of Jewish law. Laws regulating the arrangements on the Temple Mount will be passed and enforced.

Jewish homes and properties that were seized during the War of Independence will be returned to their Jewish owners or to Jewish hands. Purchase of properties not owned by Jews will be accelerated, and Jews will be encouraged to move to Jerusalem and to remain there. Unlawful building will be halted and demolition orders will be enforced.

The educational curriculum will reflect Israel's values and ethics. Teacher's salaries will be raised significantly to reflect their honored position as educators toward a moral and ethical way of life on both the national and personal level.

The avowed purpose of the state will be to promote Jewish values. Jewish values will be the basis of Israeli democracy. The judiciary system will reflect and enforce these values.

A legal forum will be established to enact laws on fundamental issues concerning the fate of the nation of Israel.

A constitution will be legislated that will preserve Israel as a Jewish country and protect its basic values -- the human rights of all of its faithful residents, and the citizenship rights of its Jews.

Israel is the State of all the Jews! The Jewish state should encourage and assist every Jew to make his home in Israel, and to feel at home in Israel. In the interim, a Jew who ties his fate to the State of Israel according to criteria that will be established will be empowered with representation in national elections.

Israel will not accept financial aid from a foreign country. The national budget will reflect and foster self-sufficiency. Incentives for investment in Israel by Jews currently living in the Diaspora will be granted. Israel wants Jewish money -- not as charity -- but as investment

The governments' economic role will be defined as the balanced implementation of social and national goals and projects, recognized as such by the legislature, and which were approved as part of the budget.

The State will not produce goods and services that can be produced by the private sector including electricity, media and telecommunications.

Jewish labor will be encouraged, and companies hiring Jewish workers will receive incentives and significant tax savings. The employment of foreign workers will be halted. They will be sent back to their countries in a respectful and honorable manner, with financial compensation for those who came to Israel legally.

The laws regarding welfare for the poor, disabled and homeless will be revised to encourage and support them toward self-sufficiency where applicable.

A national Shmitah fund will be established that will enable any worker who wishes to do so to deduct an amount from his salary for 6 years and to learn Jewish subjects in enrichment classes in recognized institutions during the Shmitah year.

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