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David Schonberg's avatar

Who is this person?

All of us, depending on age, have perceptions on Israel, and many experiences, since 1967.

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Isha Yiras Hashem's avatar

Hoping his son is okay.

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Naomi Lopkin's avatar

This article should be required reading for everyone who cares about Israel. Your sincere honesty is tremendously appreciated. Praying for Yaki’s safety along with all the Chayalim.

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Daniel Saunders's avatar

Thank you for being so honest. I wish more people would grow up too. I have rarely gone to rallies and marches and find them uncomfortable even while I believe in what I'm protesting for. Some of that is my autism and social anxiety, but some is the fear of being caught up in the emotions of thee crowd, of finding myself saying things that I know to be simplistic or half-truths.

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Dov Kaiser's avatar

Your description of the crowd-induced excitement reminds me of Eliyahu Levi's description of the similar ecstasy experienced at Meron on Lag B'Omer: https://iyun.org.il/en/sedersheni/the-meron-tragedy-and-haredi-idolatry/. We shouldn't mistake this ecstasy for true spirituality.

I'm proud that my son was marching yesterday in Jerusalem, and yet when I read descriptions of youths (yes, only a minority) intimidating Arab shop owners, I am disgusted. The line between joyful gratitude and chauvinistic triumphalism is a thin one. A lot of what Mr Levi writes about self-absorbed haredi tribalism at Meron could be applied to Religious-Zionist tribalism at the Yom Yerushalayim march, and that's a shame. Nuance is a precious commodity nowadays.

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David Harold Chester's avatar

The developing and greater power of Iran and its proxies means that we all need to grow up and be ready to face their style of warfare, with properly prepared troops who are more than good talmudists.

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YL's avatar

Wait, who's this guy?!

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YL's avatar

JK. But I wish you would go further and explain more of your vision for the country and what decisions we should make now.

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