At first glance, the Israeli vote shows a deadlocked society, divided between right-wing and left-wing constituencies.  This is certainly what the media would like us to focus on.  However, in reality, one has to understand the Jewish mentality, its history and its soul to effectively appreciate the Talmudic situation in which we find ourselves.

On the surface, election results point to two political parties – Likud and Kadima – that are diametrically opposed on all major issues and incapable of working with each other. To many, this appears to be an unsolvable situation. In reality and upon closer examination, the dynamics point to a very different unfolding scenario.

The national vote reflects the inner struggle of the Jewish soul.  It is an attempt to reconcile essential survival and security issues with that of peace.  Thus, we have the two basic fundamental concepts locked in unison, survival and peace. These two all too often competing tensions form the crux of our Jewish dialectic.   On the one hand, the Israeli public wants instant gratification, and it wants it now. The organization Peace Now perhaps best embodies this school of thought. Its name, by definition, emphasizes peace now, and all the wonderful things peace will bring: the cessation of rockets raining down on Israeli town, the ability to go about one’s daily life without fear, and to be accepted as a fellow human being in the society of nations.

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