Yehoda Vald responds to Rabbi Benny Lau: Yesterday (Tuesday) an evening of conversation was held in the sukkah of Knesset member Michal Waldiger from religious Zionism, in which Rabbi Benny Lau, Knesset member Hili Tropper, and former Knesset member Ayelet Nahmias-Verbin participated.
At a certain point, with the entrance of Rabbi Yitzhak Waserlauf from Otzma Yehudit to the Sukkah, Rabbi Benny Lau abandoned the place.
Now Yehoda Vald, CEO of the Religious Zionist Party, is reacting to Rabbi Lau's abandonment. "Yesterday there was a conversation evening in the Sukkah. And there was a moment that hurt me a lot. Rabbi Bnei Lau is able to sit down and talk wholeheartedly with Shikma Bressler and her friends who called us Nazis, to embrace people who encourage refusals and shatter the IDF, to listen with emotion to those who desecrate Yom Kippur prayers, but when the minister Wasserlauf arrived - he got up and left. With him, he is unable to hold a conversation and listen."
"I found an upside-down world. Love for brothers in arms - hatred for the Torah cores, embracement for reform rabbis - attacking the rabbis of religious Zionism, embrace for the blasphemers of tradition - spitting at worshipers. So hurtful and sad. Hatred for your closest brothers. Hatred".
"We have a lot more to talk about"
MK Waldiger, whose event was held in her Sukkah, also responded to Rabbi Lau. "Thank you, Rabbi Benny Lau, for honoring us with your presence," wrote Waldiger. Honorable Rabbi, we have disagreements, probably quite a few, which I believe are more about the way than about the substance."
"I was pained that you chose to leave the sukkah when a minister in the State of Israel entered it, whatever his party, especially when you write about the journey you made with Ayelet, "a journey to the equal valley". Especially when you go on to write - "out of trust, that in the encounter, something happens, after which there is a chance of union".
"And here you choose to ignore, or perhaps more extreme than that, to leave the Sukkah when a minister from a party you do not agree with arrives. So maybe your journey was not on the entire Israeli continuum, but only to the places that you think are suitable, and the ones that are far away are skipped? Also, the words of your rabbi that were said last night and you mention them also in a post about that minister in my party."
"I don't know what this is about, but I do say that a minister's job is to serve the entire population and there is no dispute about that. I am sure that the minister you are referring to also thinks, believes, and acts like this. He is still who he is and his beliefs remain as they are. This is how it has always been and is expected to be. After all, elected officials are elected on the basis of their platform, on the basis of their opinions and beliefs, among other things, how they think the state should be run, distribute its resources, and more."
"Are you suggesting that elected officials declare one thing and actually do the opposite? Of course, the job requires listening and serving the general public, but it does not require changing ideologies and beliefs. I believe that there were ideological disputes and probably always will be and it is not true that a discourse of love, respect, and unity would depend on renouncing them. The meeting last night did not come to change opinions, but to try and change discourse and style. I assume, Your Honor, that we have a lot more to talk about and I hope we will do so."