For
some reason, Tisha B'Av has managed to break out of the walls of religion
and knock on the door of Israeli culture. Something about this day 'clicks'
with many Israelis.
What is that something?
A search for identity?
Sorely lacking unity?
Lost solidarity?
Fear of baseless hatred?
And perhaps – the Beit Hamikdash (Holy Temple)?
All of the above are correct and there are probably a few more correct answers, as well. But I would like to propose an answer that is out of the ordinary:
Tisha B'Av is more relevant to non-observant than to observant Jews. In truth, the religious Jews do not want the Beit Hamikdash, while the non-observant do. Or more precisely, there is something about the Beit Hamikdash that is more natural to the non-observant than to the observant.
Sounds preposterous? Here are some statistics:
Three years ago, just before Tisha B'Av, Israel's leading Ynet website, along with the Gesher NGO, publicized a poll of 516 Israelis taken by the Panels polling company. The headline on Ynet read: 64% of Israelis want the Beit Mikdash.
When the participants were asked if they would like the Beit Hamikdash to be rebuilt, 64% answered in the affirmative. Of them, 33% said they wanted the Beit Hamikdash very much and 31% fairly want the Beit Hamikdash. 36% of the participants answered in the negative. Of them, 31% do not want the Beit Hamikdash very much and 5% do not want it at all. Analysis of the religious orientation of the participants reveals that not only the ultra-orthodox and religious anticipate the Beit Hamikdash, 100% and 97% respectively. 91% of the traditional and 47% of those who define themselves as secular also answered that they want the Beit Mikdash.
Two years ago, the Knesset Channel asked the same question in a much less professional manner. 49% of those who responded to their internet poll said that they would be interested in the Beit Hamikdash.
Clearly, the answers to these polls are coming from a place detached from daily fears. If the participants had been asked if they would like the Beit Hamikdash to be built now, the answers would probably have been quite different.
Nevertheless, I am meeting more and more completely non-observant Israelis who simply say: "I want the Beit Hamikdash." Considering the fact that there is almost nothing that has been used to frighten the Israeli public and turned into an object of loathing more than the Beit Hamikdash, there is definitely something in these surprising figures that points to a very strong, essential connection between a broad spectrum of non-observant Israelis and the Temple Mount and Beit Hamikdash.
Read More:
http://www.jewishisrael.org/eng_contents/articles/72/article7281.html
What is that something?
A search for identity?
Sorely lacking unity?
Lost solidarity?
Fear of baseless hatred?
And perhaps – the Beit Hamikdash (Holy Temple)?
All of the above are correct and there are probably a few more correct answers, as well. But I would like to propose an answer that is out of the ordinary:
Tisha B'Av is more relevant to non-observant than to observant Jews. In truth, the religious Jews do not want the Beit Hamikdash, while the non-observant do. Or more precisely, there is something about the Beit Hamikdash that is more natural to the non-observant than to the observant.
Sounds preposterous? Here are some statistics:
Three years ago, just before Tisha B'Av, Israel's leading Ynet website, along with the Gesher NGO, publicized a poll of 516 Israelis taken by the Panels polling company. The headline on Ynet read: 64% of Israelis want the Beit Mikdash.
When the participants were asked if they would like the Beit Hamikdash to be rebuilt, 64% answered in the affirmative. Of them, 33% said they wanted the Beit Hamikdash very much and 31% fairly want the Beit Hamikdash. 36% of the participants answered in the negative. Of them, 31% do not want the Beit Hamikdash very much and 5% do not want it at all. Analysis of the religious orientation of the participants reveals that not only the ultra-orthodox and religious anticipate the Beit Hamikdash, 100% and 97% respectively. 91% of the traditional and 47% of those who define themselves as secular also answered that they want the Beit Mikdash.
Two years ago, the Knesset Channel asked the same question in a much less professional manner. 49% of those who responded to their internet poll said that they would be interested in the Beit Hamikdash.
Clearly, the answers to these polls are coming from a place detached from daily fears. If the participants had been asked if they would like the Beit Hamikdash to be built now, the answers would probably have been quite different.
Nevertheless, I am meeting more and more completely non-observant Israelis who simply say: "I want the Beit Hamikdash." Considering the fact that there is almost nothing that has been used to frighten the Israeli public and turned into an object of loathing more than the Beit Hamikdash, there is definitely something in these surprising figures that points to a very strong, essential connection between a broad spectrum of non-observant Israelis and the Temple Mount and Beit Hamikdash.
Read More:
http://www.jewishisrael.org/eng_contents/articles/72/article7281.html
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