When the Jewish people return to their Creator, the Lord, the world begins to change. That is the crux of this powerful video by Yishai Fleisher. This short clip elaborates on the intricate connection between religion and State in the State of Israel. As opposed to Western democracies that are largely based on separation of Church and State, in Israel it is quite the opposite. There is nearly no aspect of life in the State of Israel, no matter how secular the country may be, that can be divorced from religion.
One of the more fascinating aspects of the State of Israel is the fact that most of the leaders of the original State of Israel that was founded in 1948, were secular. In truth, most of them were largely anti-religious. They had clear plans to create a “new” Jew. Many of the founders ran away or were running away from their religious upbringing. A small minority of the 1st Knesset in the newly formed State of Israel were religious Jews. But despite their efforts, the State of Israel is becoming more and more religious by the day.
The most misunderstood aspect of this historical reality is that the secular and non-religious Zionist founders of the State of Israel were inspired to return to the State of Israel due to a deep connection to the very religious aspect of connection to the Land of the Jewish people. The Jewish connection to the Land of Israel is one of the most long-lasting aspects of life of religious Jews. Even the anti-religious Zionists held onto this ancient religious aspect of Judaism. It is surprising that it was non-religious Jews who were the ones that took the trickle of Jews returning to the State of Israel and led the organizations that turned into a mass movement of Jews returning from the exile.
As the Jewish people gradually become more and more committed religiously, it is wholly natural that more and more Jews yearn to see the rebuilding of the 3rd Temple in Jerusalem. As more and more Jews pray at the Western Wall of what used to be the outer wall of the 2nd Jewish Temple and more and more Jews ascend the Temple Mount and prostrate themselves to the Lord, the Arabs begin to fear. They know that the Jewish people mean business when they begin to take their religion more seriously.
To the Western mind, this may seem curiously interesting, but it is much more important than that. There is a sea change happening in the State of Israel, though it is happening under the radar of most people. The Jewish people in the State of Israel are becoming more and more committed. The Jewish people are returning to their roots, religiously and literally. The two are intertwined and when that occurs, watch out world. There is a national powerhouse of a country that is forming – quickly. Anyone fortunate enough to take part in it will reap the benefits of being part of one of the most miraculous stories in the history of the modern world.