Nevertheless, we at the Institute for Zionist Strategy have assumed the challenge of being a platform for thought and deed based on two elements, for people shaped by more than one identity: for those imbued by powerful sense of patriotism and identification with the Jewish People and the Land of Israel, but are simultaneously committed to respecting the human rights of the non-Jews living in this land; both for those who have chosen to deal with the issues of religion and state from the perspective of Torah and its commandments and those who have not; and those for whom the Jewish character of the State of Israel is paramount but who are no less aware of the imperative of it being democratic as well.
More than 40 years have elapsed since the establishment of the State of Israel and in the interim it has absorbed waves of
aliyah, comprising hundreds of thousands of Jews. By the very act of emigration, the
olim abandoned a familiar environment, making a journey into the unknown. They were compelled to put down new roots and forge their own new identity. The conditions are not always conducive to an identity discourse predicated on being "both".
By now, our generation has already struck its roots. We are privileged to be able to deal with identity related issues and are capable of committing to an identity that is complex, pluralistic and not monolithic and of living in peace with our seemingly conflicting identities. Coming from a place of a complex identity we seek to create a platform for action that is meaningful and critical to the continuation and the flourishing of our life here, as a nation and society in the State of Israel.
The discourse of identities influences all the areas of life, including the political system. The unsuccessful attempts of the pundits to predict voting patterns in the recent elections, more than anything else, reflect the complex identity issues inhering in every one of us, as well as the inability to predict the voting pattern of those whose identity consists of "both this and that". The election campaigns of the past few years have shown the difficulty of predicting which identity is stronger on the election day - the one which pushes the scale in favor of one candidate or the other.
Three months ago I took up my position as the CEO of the Institute for Zionist Strategy, with the ambition of promoting the complex national - liberal dialogue and identity, and the aim of using it as a catalyst for meaningful action. In the Institute we seek to contribute to the flourishing of the Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people, while fortifying its values as a Jewish and democratic state. I will be most appreciative of your assistance in any form you find proper. Feel free to
write to me.
