Repair in Preparation for Shavuot

We gathered after Shabbat for an evening dedicated this time to setting directions for repairing the fracture we had explored the previous Shabbat.

“Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.” Something of this spirit was present at Mount Sinai, when “Israel encamped there opposite the mountain” - as one person with one heart.
Since then and to this day, disagreements have accompanied us, and the question we asked was - can we create another such moment, in which we all lift our eyes toward a shared goal?

Throughout the evening, we approached this question from several angles:

• In the opening session with Rabbi Farber, we received a meaningful insight: Israel is not 77 years old - but 77 years young. The idea is clear - Israel is not only a young המדינה, but a society in the making, and the responsibility for shaping its future rests in our hands.

• In the session with Eliran Ohayon, we began with a sharp statement: Zionism succeeded in establishing a state, but not in building a society. From there, we dove deeper into questions of identity, role, and purpose of Israeli-Jewish society.

• Noam Meirov offered another, comparative perspective - through a lens on Islam and the Middle East. Through this, we explored ideas of free choice, faith, and the understanding that Jewish existence in the State of Israel is not only physical, but also deeply ideological.

• At the peak of the evening, Yonatan Rotem and Zohar Hoz brought us to a “duel table” - exposing the gaps between us, while also opening an invitation to repair that begins in the most basic and human place - genuine acquaintance.

• We continued with our beloved “card conversation” circles, and concluded with Uri Nevo, who brought a fascinating blend of psychology and politics. He explained why despair has an important place - not as surrender, but as a stage from which hope can grow. Not naive optimism, but a hope that leads to action.

To be honest - we didn’t leave the evening with a clear action plan, but we did take another real step in our shared journey.

What made this evening unique was that it was entirely built on the human capital of our community - young people who believe that their role is to shape the next chapter of Zionism - a chapter of building a society, together.