03/17/2023
In Israel over the past weeks we have seen a scene sadly familiar to us in the US: a huge divide in the country over an important issue affecting its identity as a democracy, with the sides squaring off in the streets and in the legislature and apocalyptic rhetoric soaring. One important difference emerged this week. The President of Israel, who usually occupies a ceremonial role, offered up a substantive plan to avoid what he called the "abyss" facing the country that centered on a process that has become a distant memory in the US: compromise. Although the issues are still not resolved, the offer of a compromise draws on the core teachings of rabbinic tradition. The rabbis teach that when values and opinions conflict, as they so often do, the way forward is not to overwhelm the other side with the strength of our argument. Instead, resolution of conflict relies on recognizing the values behind each side's arguments and finding a way to balance those values -- which may be equally important and valid -- in choosing a path toward resolution. Of course, this is not an easy or quick solution, and each side may feel like they have given something up in the process. But instead of annointing winners and losers or suffering through unending conflict, this process of balancing values holds the promise to construct a livable future in which issues can be resolved and we can move forward. May we see this working in Israel and in the US, speedily in our times.
