March 2020, Purim. Location: Jewish head in Tel Aviv. Alongside dozens of revelers, two are dancing together: the chairman of a Jewish mayor in Tel Aviv, Yisrael Zeira, and alongside him the first Hebrew mayor, Ron Huldai, dances indefinitely.
The demonstration against Israel Zeira, who heads the organization "Jewish Head"// Jewish Head
Fast forward for last Tuesday night. In the middle of the night, at the exit from the very same location, an incited, violent and barbaric herd does not allow a rabbi and a religious person, who faithfully represents the needs of the public faith in the city, to go out into the public space without close strict guard by police and security guards, lest he be swallowed up.
Tel Aviv, the city where I have lived for the past two decades, is considered by many – and by itself, and usually rightly so – to be the most pluralistic city in the Middle East. One of the most enabling cities in the world. A city in which freedom of expression, freedom of worship and freedom of occupation are the core values and are essential cornerstones of its concept.
One border crossing too many
All this has cracked dramatically in recent weeks, after extremist zealots, who do not represent the majority of the city's public at all, decided to carry out terrible acts that remind the observants of tradition and the believers living in its territory of particularly dark days in the history of Judaism today and of the days of our forefathers.
Ron Huldai (archive), where was he?, Photo: Gideon Markowitz
Balconies of houses in the Florentin neighborhood of Tel Aviv. The majority is looking for a participatory dialogue, photo: Moshe Shai
In every period of preparation for municipal elections, the extremes are gaining momentum, but there is more than a sense that the attempts to push Judaism out of the public sphere, and the lynching attempt this week outside an institution that frequently hosts secular religious meetings and seeks to bring hearts together, are crossing one boundary too many.
One can disagree – I don't sign every comma in the goals of every organization or person in the city – but a city that can host organizations like B'Tselem and Breaking the Silence, including in its educational institutions.
Where is the famous tolerance? Where is the mayor?
This city, which is tolerant enough to host the Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day ceremony, about which Knesset Member Avigdor Lieberman said, "This is not a memorial ceremony, but a display of bad taste and insensitivity that harms bereaved families," is a city that is unable to respect opinions, positions and perceptions when they contradict its prevailing narrative – it is many things, but pluralistic and a champion of freedom of expression it is not.
Where is the mayor, who spluttered alongside Jewish leaders on Purim? Where is opposition leader Lapid, who knew how to speak out against the vandalism of his colleague Orna Barbivai's ad and put his finger too hastily on certain people after the burning of the Ben-Gurion statue, which was carried out by a street tenant named Mohammed Zeid, but who is unable to condemn even a word the attempted violent lynching of a rabbi and the head of a Jewish institution at the end of a Torah class in the first Hebrew city?
If this happened in any other country, they would surely jump up and shout "Anti-Semitism!" But they are cowards. They are afraid to open their mouths against those extremists who have gotten out of control.
The vast majority wants a participatory dialogue
But the truth, as always, lies in demographics. Two years ago, together with good friends, I had the privilege of establishing the first religious state kindergarten in Florentine in more than 30 years. We started with 18 families, and today the success is dizzying.
The demand for kindergarten among religious Jews, religious religious groups and in general has already exceeded the 50 family threshold, proving that there is room for integration and moderation, and that the vast majority seeks a participatory and unifying discourse – as opposed to extreme groups of barbarians who threaten people and opinions in the public sphere.
You won't be helped by signs saying "We will expel you" and "Return to the settlements." We are here to stay, and Tel Aviv will always remain both Jewish and democratic.
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