The Jewish people are referred to in the Bible as “stiff-necked”. We are a people that do not take things for granted; we ask questions, we debate and we defy. A culture of scepticism has expanded our thinking throughout the generations and is also one that has helped us find truth and direction as a people.
Rivalry and strife are almost an integral part of our history in ancient and modern times. Not long ago, at the dawn of the 20th Century, the Uganda Scheme tore the Zionist movement apart. The Jewish people stood on the brink of another historic division, but our unity was stronger, and we were able to make monumental decisions.
Every time we argued amongst ourselves, but maintained our basic common ground, we managed to grow and develop out of dispute. However, when we crossed the lines of debate; where we boycotted and ostracised each other, and lost our core common grounds, we paid heavy and historical prices. The heaviest was the exile; the loss of our sovereignty in the Land of Israel.
The deep understanding that unity is the most significant element in our standing as a people, against the challenges that threaten us from the outside, is perhaps the most important historical lesson for the Jewish people.
