At the sold-out International Conservative Conference in Tel Aviv last night, The Daily Wire’s editor emeritus Ben Shapiro explained why he has not moved to Israel. After being asked the question by journalist Amit Segal, Shapiro told the more than 2,500 attendees that living in the United States is a “point of morality” for him.
“Because the fundamental principles [of the United States] are good, eternally good, and worth upholding, and my fight to do that as Jew is deeply important not just to people who are not Jewish but particularly to Jews,” he said. “So, in other words, my Jewish mission does not conflict with my presence in the United States or my citizenship in the United States or my loyalty to the United States.”
When Segal pushed Shapiro, asking if all Jews should live in the State of Israel, the American Jewish conservative political commentator and columnist said he believed that he is doing good in the United States with his large audience.
“Jews should live where they can be a light to the nations, and for me, as a person with millions and millions of followers in the United States promoting what I think are values that are eternally good, living in the United States is a point of morality for me.”
The event was co-hosted by the U.S.-based Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Tel Aviv International Salon, Shibolet Press and Sella Meir Publishing.
Besides Shapiro, who was the headliner, speakers included Knesset member Amir Ohana; former Ambassador to Germany Rick Grenell; former Ambassador to Morocco David Fischer; former U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Jon Rakolta; former Acting U.S. Attorney General Matt Whitaker; chairman of CPAC Matt Schlapp; Mercedes Schlapp, senior fellow at the CPAC Foundation and former senior adviser to President Donald Trump; CPAC vice president Dan Schnieder; CEO of Sella Meir Publishing Rotem Sella; and Amiad Cohen, CEO of the Tikvah Fund. JNS
Why not call a spade a spade? In the USA All Jews have freedom of religion even chareidi ones. In Israel, charedim are 2nd class citizens like blacks during apartheid. If an American politician would say Orthodox Jews belong on the dung heap he would have to resign. But here in Israel we are so used to it, no one bats an eyelash. 🙁
This is true, but keep in mind that the demographics of Israel are different, and the_US has entities like YU and the OU which have different השקפות than many דתים in Israel.
Politicians say those things in Israel and get away with it
because inside the larger public expects more of you.
Take it instead as a Challenge
You’re right, of course. But that doesn’t answer the “Religious Zionist”‘s question. In their faith, part of the worship of the Zionist idol is to live in the Zionist paradise. Of course, a bigger part of that idolatry is to CH”V accept the Zionist shmad to convert from Judaism to Zionism. That’s why they have no problem with chareidim being “second-class” as you wrote.
“He would have to resign” – yes, for the time being…
His speech was an amazing eye opener for those that never understood the problems here and for us that know the problems here but had a hard time putting it into words. I made aliya 19 yrs ago and I realized what a mistake the official Aliya was; those that are living here as tourists for 30 yrs are much smarter. The amount of taxes, the amount of control the gvt has on me is literally closet to communism. The thing I didnt like to hear that he said and he sometimes does that to play balance with his listeners was that he doesnt believe in supporting yeshivas and shuls when they dont go to the army. If he would look into it he would also see that the same control the govt has on other issues they impose on yeshivos and the staying jewish point he made is the olam hayeshivos jewish by not joining the army… you can see he’s a real zionist but otherwise his speech was fantastic and informative.
2 political speakers at the supposed conservative event that are L**#
One Israeli and one American
Is this some sort of sick joke. Is it that hopeless. Should file chapter 11
Zionism is a shmad. The Zionist state is a shmad force like none other. That itself is reason why most, if not all, Jews should not live in areas of E”Y that are controlled by the Zionists and their Zionist “State”.
Another reason is that E”Y is Hashem’s palace, and you need to be on your best behavior there. So, for tzaddikim, E”Y is a great enhancement to their avodas Hashem. But for those who aren’t yet that, then being in E”Y magnifies their spiritual shortcomings.
But, of course, the questioner is a “Religious Zionist”, so his question was from the perspective of that idolatry.
What are you talking about? I went to Israel a few times and I didn’t see any idolatry in religious Zionism. I think that you just have an issue that you think that you are the definition of perfection in Hashems eyes and anyone who does anything different than you is wrong. It is not your fault that you are like this. You probably had terrible parents and teachers who brainwashed you into thinking this. I’ve heard many adults engraining this in their kids heads. Realize that there are many derachim that are mostly good and have a few shortcomings. None are perfect. Everyone is given different challenges by Hashem. That is why he created us. So they do a few things you view as wrong. I’m sure you do a few they think are wrong as well. Your job in life is to overcome the challenges Hashem gave to you. Some communities cheat on taxes, others block traffic, stone cars, wear short skirts, wear long sheitels, don’t have weekly shiurim for shul members, have shul politics, speak lashon Hara,… and the list goes on and on. These things are performed by communities ranging from the frummest black hatters to the most modern orthodox. Yet Hashem loves each one and gave each one their own specific challenges. Unfortunately your role models taught you to look at the bad in others so that you feel that you are a better eved Hashem. Change your outlook and realize that Hashem gives us all challenges and yours are different than theirs. You are just as good/bad as them. Just in a different way. Your job is to work on your own challenges as opposed to focusing on others to make you feel like your perfect and don’t need to work on yourself.
I agree with some of your saying. But american disconnection to the love of Eretz Yisroel and the overload of Gashmius and shallowness can also be called shmad. No matter what kind of yid you are; even the satmar rebbe writes this. It is a great mitzva to live in Eretz Yisroel.
Zionism is diametrically opposed to Judaism.
As astute readers , we smell the lies and out- of -context propaganda by the haters of Zion. B’H for our Medina. Hodu LaShem for the miracles. We simply disregard the rubbish / garbage that’s old , stinky and wormy already.
The “Conservatives” of 2022 although of course better than the alternative, have completely caved in on the toeva issue and therefore they are not the same conservatives that used to share some of our values. They are not the party of Hashem as Rav Avigdor Miller called them 40 years ago. This is because the “religion” of the Nochrim bends with the wind and has no backbone. Like all Sheker it stands on one foot and easy falls over to suit the times. We are the only ones truly left standing and to stand with the conservatiives is not what it used to be…. its quite sad if you think about it. One of our “Orthodox” magazines caved recently with a call to wear he/him pronouns at a business conference. That is a total Chillul Hashem. Lets hope that was an isoloated eidtorial error. We have to stay strong and never give in to any social or political pressure.