They gathered once again in their usual meeting spot - a gleaming high-rise in central Israel. Unlike the many who merely claim to understand strategy, these people were the real deal. The words "Fortune Favors the Bold" dominated the whiteboard, a fitting motto for a group that always thought several moves ahead.
The younger members of the team often struggled to keep pace with Ehud's analytical mind (not his real name, of course).
"We need to keep pushing the ultra-Orthodox draft issue," Ehud said, settling back in his chair with satisfaction. "It's working perfectly."
"But Ehud," interrupted Danny, a former pilot now with 'Pilots for Democratic Israel,' "what if they actually enlist? The last thing we need is the military suddenly accommodating their requirements."
Ehud waved away the concern. "Everything's under control. It won't happen. The top brass are terrified of negative coverage in Haaretz or legal challenges from our NGOs about how it might affect women's service."
"It's remarkable how much influence we have in these institutions," mused Yoni, a tech sector activist who split his time between the Kaplan protests and 'Damage Coalition.' "Whoever conceived this strategy after the '77 political shift was brilliant."
Ehud leaned back with a knowing smirk. The room fell silent, sensing something bigger was coming.
"You're missing the bigger picture," he began. "What's happening here goes far deeper than you realize. But this doesn't leave the room." Right on cue, his assistant entered with non-disclosure agreements for everyone to sign.
The group admired his impeccable timing - a skill honed during his special forces days. His reputation preceded him: a master strategist who could raise endless resources, with the creativity of a genius and the daring of a young warrior.
Clearing his throat, Ehud continued: "The ultra-Orthodox draft campaign? That's just misdirection. A smokescreen for something much bigger."
"The government's collapse?" someone ventured.
"Even that's small-scale compared to our real objective. This started back with Oslo, pushing for a fundamentally different kind of state. As someone from the kibbutz movement, from the old guard that built this country, I can tell you - we're orchestrating something massive."
"Our real target is Religious Zionism's morale. In the kibbutz movement, where most of us came from, the breaking point came when people started asking, 'Why are we the only ones sacrificing everything?' Once that doubt crept in, once we stopped being single-minded pioneers - and believe me, that's brutally hard - some of us knew that crack would eventually bring down the whole wall."
"That's what'll happen to Religious Zionism within twenty years. The pressure on them is already immense, but our real victory will come when someone finally asks: 'Why do mothers in Bnei Brak sleep peacefully while mothers in the settlements lie awake?' When we hear that, we'll know we've succeeded. It won't happen overnight, but we're patient visionaries."
The room sat stunned. While they were playing checkers, Ehud was playing chess, seeing patterns before they even emerged.
As he reached the door, he turned back with a cynical smile. "Know why this will work? Because no one in Religious Zionism will dare voice what we've discussed here. Their own community would silence them for being insensitive."
The room erupted in laughter as he left. But they'd overlooked one crucial detail: the Almighty has plans of His own.
Fittingly, that Shabbat's Torah reading would tell of Abraham's test of faith and how self-sacrifice became embedded in the nation's DNA. As Mordechai reminds us: "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows if you were chosen as queen especially for this moment?"
*Originally written by Udi ben Hamo and published by 'Paving the Way. Republished here with permission.*
