Zocher HaBrit - brainstorming an alternative to Netanyahu and Likud -Lessons of Parshat Shlach - all comments are welcome. Thanks

bs"d   

The following email will address these points:

1. Why I as an individual, not an elected official, living outside of Israel, dare to even suggest a solution that is way beyond my scope of influence and why you as a reader should even bother reading further.
2. Why Jews and non Jews all over the world (not only in Israel) desperately need an alternative to Netanyahu and Likud?

Answers:

1. Let me be honest. I am not a Knesset Member.  I am not an elected official. I presently live in the Diaspora. I don't have a bank account to speak about. I cannot influence with money.  I am not in a position of authority so I cannot threaten or actually fire anyone. However,  since I am not on a payroll, I cannot be fired. I trust that Hashem will provide for my needs and that I won't starve. This gives me the freedom to therefore think out of a box.  

The advantage of not being a VIP (Very important person) is the freedom to ask the reader or listener to pay attention to what is being said rather than to who is saying it.   If after reading about an alternative to Netanyahu and Likud, this triggers a very negative response  please read again. Perhaps you hear rhetoric that angers you but actually isn't what is being said.  Allow me to clarify things in case you misunderstood.  Feel free to email me.  I am open to dialogue and welcome your perspective.  

2.  Re: Netanyahu and Likud:  Netanyahu's stand regarding Iran is significantly weakened by his support for a 2 State Solution. How can it be that Iran is evil and the Palestinians a peace partner? They share the same anti Israel rhetoric.  Both have not been shy about their desire for Israel's destruction. Netanyahu's blatant disregard for the Bible has very strong repercussions that bring weakness to Israel.  By choosing this path he has seriously compromised our struggle against Iran's nuclear capabilities.This affects Jews and non Jews in Israel and in the Diaspora. It affects us all!

The Settlement Issue has been made a No. 1 concern according to EU's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.  She is the same woman who US President Barack Obama has empowered to lead the West's negotiations with Iran regarding its illicit nuclear weapons program.   The EU falsely considers Jewish settlement in  Judea and Samaria illegal.  

Believers in the Bible are totally confused.  They believe Judea and Samaria is by right part of the Biblical Jewish Homeland and Israel's birthright.   Bible believers have strong representation in Congress and are Israel's greatest advocates.   Yet Netanyahu, by supporting a Palestinian State in the Biblical heartland, has weakened our collective voices SIGNIFICANTLY! Supporters of Israel dare not speak out against the "elected" head of the State of Israel.  

There is another serious matter that must be addressed.  If Netanyahu is disregarding the Torah, how come the Jewish ultra religious MK's of religious parties in Israel, keepers of the Bible, aren't speaking firmly against the destruction of the settlements and in fact voted against the settlements?

Religious Jews have become confused, cynical or ignorant.  Majority of religious Jews in America are totally clueless about the vote of the Regulation Bill of the Settlements since it barely made the religious mainstream news.  The pending destruction of the homes of 30 families in HaUlpana is not on their radar.  It is not on the front page news though it should be. From our phone calls it seems to us that even influential RABBINIC LEADERS in America are ignorant about what is happening in Judea and Samaria.  They are unaware as per the serious ramifications of the failure of this important bill to pass and the news they are getting (or not getting) is heavily filtered by their Gabbaim. Are our emails considered spam and a waste of their time? We have been told as such. 

Perhaps the forces out there do NOT want the public to know that one of their most respected Rabbinic Leaders  of Moetzet Gedolei Hatorah actually instructed the UTJ's MK's to vote against the Setttlement Regulation Bill  thereby setting very dangerous precedents for other communities. Surely this would not resonate well with the majority of religious Jews who were disgusted with the destruction of Jewish Communities in Gush Katif.  Better for people not to know.  This in turn translates to the silence of hundreds of thousands of religious Jews in Israel and in the Diaspora who follow the lead of Moetzet Gedolei Hatorah.  

We want this Torah observant group of hundreds of thousands of Jews to be part of Zocher Habrit and we must not be afraid to challenge the position of religious leaders who discourage the masses from settling the Land of Israel as did the Spies in the desert.  With G-d's help we can avert certain tragedy when we learn to correct terrible mistakes of our past. 

Zocher Habrit 

We are proposing a new party that will represent Jews and Non-Jews.  A Party with a broader vision than Likud.  The name itself is a reminder to us of the Covenant G-d made with Noah and his descendants and the Covenant G-d made with Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaakov our forefathers. 

How is this an improvement over the current Likud party?  Likud is a political party that never intended to represent a broader community of both Jews and Non Jews attracting faith based people using the Torah as its guide. 

Let us not be afraid to try an alternative to Likud.  Feiglin is correct that a new party can not be just another faction representing a minority of religious Zionist Jews.    

Will this new party coerce religion on the people?  

The common denominator of this party is the Torah.  Just like there are 70 faces to Torah there is room for differences and diversity.    However, the people of Israel perhaps are not ready for a gov't based on Torah.  It is a revolutionary idea. Many unknowns.  Therefore, this party would encourage a small prototype gov't in Judea and Samaria to be run according to Torah while the rest of Israel would not have major changes to the way it is run today.  However, it would accept a  fundamental principle that Israel is a Holy Land, a  Promised Land to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob on condition that we must adhere to the principles and precepts of the Bible in the Holy Land.  The Noahides are instructed to adhere to the Seven Noahide laws.  Hebraic Law would be greatly valued,studied and incorporated into the legal system whenever possible.  

Re: the Written and Oral Law:

Our Torah consists of the Written Law and the Oral Law. The Written Law is also referred to as the Five Books of Moses or the Bible. The Bible is a big seller, familiar to both Jew and non Jew alike.  One can find the Bible in every hotel room.  

The Oral Law has been passed down from Moses at Sinai via an oral Tradition and was finally written down.  Both the Written and Oral law are necessary  and neither can operate independently of the other.  There needs to be a true union of the Written and Oral Law for the Torah to be implemented properly. Call it a marriage.    

The Oral Law interprets the Written Law and determines how the Written Law is implemented.  This is called Halacha.  Often there are differences of opinion in the Oral Law.  This is perfectly fine.  The Written Law itself instructs us to go to a Rabbinic court of law of each generation to help solve disputes.  It is important that each community follow their Rabbi and a Rabbinic court, and their Rabbinic decisions are consistent with the Written Law. (The Five Books of Moses). Noahides as well are commanded to set up courts and abide by the 7 Noahide laws. 

Robin Ticker

Activist emails sent to my list  are L'Ilui Nishmat Yisrael ben David Aryeh ob"m (Izzy - Kaplan)  a great activist and lover of Eretz Yisroel, Am Yisroel and the Torah. Yehi Zichrono Baruch.

Most of these emails are posted on Shemittahrediscovered.blogspot.com 

Personal emails to individuals will not be posted to my blog