TEL AVIV, Israel - Tzvia Greenfield is a woman of many contradictions - a political liberal firmly rooted in traditional Judaism, an ultra-Orthodox mother of five who observes religious convention by concealing her hair under a wig but then flouts it by running for parliament.
In a country where the religious and secular are engaged in a hostile culture war, Greenfield is a unique figure: an ultra-Orthodox Jew campaigning for the liberal, secular Meretz Party in next Tuesday's election. Meretz' platform includes gay rights, separation of religion and state and dismantling Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
The 58-year-old doctor of philosophy acknowledges that many Israelis see a conflict between her strict religious observance and liberal politics. But she reconciles the two with a view that Jewish tradition is life-affirming and connects the individual to “the sublime,” while politics also can be used to stand up for human dignity.
“My politics do conflict with traditional religion and with the way most people conceive of religious commitment,” she said. “I realize that. My answer, when people ask me about this, is that my personal commitments are not something that I can or want to enforce on other people.”
Religious parties are influential in Israeli politics, and oppose virtually everything Greenfield and Meretz stand for. They oppose territorial concessions to the Palestinians and want to enshrine religion's dominant role in everyday life, including rabbinical control over marriage and a ban on public transportation during the Sabbath.
“How does one balance all these things? For the time being, I'm part of a tradition I'm not totally in agreement with,” she said.
Greenfield continues to wear her wig, a traditional sign of modesty, while also describing it as a symbol of subjugation.
“So why do I wear it? Because I'm a part of tradition,” she said. “Maintaining cultural values as part of the Jewish people is extremely important to me.”
Born in Jerusalem and raised in an ultra-Orthodox community, Greenfield attributes much of her political development to the 11 years she lived in the United States, first in Massachusetts, where her American husband finished his medical degree at Harvard, then in New York and Los Angeles.
While raising her five children, she followed American politics very closely throughout the 1970s. “I discovered that applying pressure on government is something that Americans are very good at,” she said in effortless English.
She and her family returned to Israel in the early 1980s. The war in Lebanon motivated her to get involved in political activism, and she spent the next 20 years lobbying for peace, social justice and animal welfare. She also earned a doctorate in political philosophy from Hebrew University.
In 1993, she established Mifneh, or “turning point” in Hebrew, an institution that educates ultra-Orthodox youth about peace, tolerance, and democracy.
Greenfield later wrote a book, “They Are Afraid,” which criticized the influence of ultra-religious parties on Israel's government. Religious leaders and publications condemned her, and she received hate mail and threatening phone calls from angry ultra-Orthodox Israelis.
A longtime Meretz voter, Greenfield became more active in the party several years ago. “Meretz is considered an alienated, elitist party. It's not well understood in Israeli society. I wanted to help make the party more viable to a wider Israeli audience,” she said.
So when Meretz party leader Yossi Beilin asked her to run for Knesset seat this year, she said, “OK, I'll be a contender. Let's see if I can make it.”
Israel elects its leaders by voting for party lists, so Greenfield's chances of entering parliament depend on how many votes are cast for Meretz, rather than for her as an individual. At No. 6 on the party list, her prospects are uncertain, so Greenfield is campaigning hard.
Last week, she spoke to more than 70 prospective voters at a hall in Tel Aviv about what Jewish identity means within a secular, liberal party like Meretz. Later that night, she met with undecided voters in a private home in Tel Aviv, where she discussed the party platform and Jewish values.
Most of the attendees described themselves as nonreligious voters who are still undecided about the elections, though they found Greenfield “very interesting” to listen to. Tel Aviv resident Rifka Ganor said the discussion overturned her previous ideas about Meretz. A religious Jew who emigrated from Morocco more than 40 years ago, Ganor said that Greenfield convinced her that a vote for Meretz is compatible with a religious Jewish identity.
Not all religious Israelis are so sanguine.
Although her Orthodox husband shares her liberal politics and supports her work, most of Israel's ultra-Orthodox are expected to vote for the conservative parties that promote traditional religious interests in government and, indeed, prohibit women from running for office.
Whatever the results of her campaign, Greenfield's faith in Jewish values remains steadfast.
“Jewish tradition has managed to connect the sublime, that spiritual drive, that craving for something great and noble in life, to the value of every single human being,” she said.
The 58-year-old doctor of philosophy acknowledges that many Israelis see a conflict between her strict religious observance and liberal politics. But she reconciles the two with a view that Jewish tradition is life-affirming and connects the individual to “the sublime,” while politics also can be used to stand up for human dignity.
“My politics do conflict with traditional religion and with the way most people conceive of religious commitment,” she said. “I realize that. My answer, when people ask me about this, is that my personal commitments are not something that I can or want to enforce on other people.”
Religious parties are influential in Israeli politics, and oppose virtually everything Greenfield and Meretz stand for. They oppose territorial concessions to the Palestinians and want to enshrine religion's dominant role in everyday life, including rabbinical control over marriage and a ban on public transportation during the Sabbath.
“How does one balance all these things? For the time being, I'm part of a tradition I'm not totally in agreement with,” she said.
Greenfield continues to wear her wig, a traditional sign of modesty, while also describing it as a symbol of subjugation.
“So why do I wear it? Because I'm a part of tradition,” she said. “Maintaining cultural values as part of the Jewish people is extremely important to me.”
Born in Jerusalem and raised in an ultra-Orthodox community, Greenfield attributes much of her political development to the 11 years she lived in the United States, first in Massachusetts, where her American husband finished his medical degree at Harvard, then in New York and Los Angeles.
While raising her five children, she followed American politics very closely throughout the 1970s. “I discovered that applying pressure on government is something that Americans are very good at,” she said in effortless English.
She and her family returned to Israel in the early 1980s. The war in Lebanon motivated her to get involved in political activism, and she spent the next 20 years lobbying for peace, social justice and animal welfare. She also earned a doctorate in political philosophy from Hebrew University.
In 1993, she established Mifneh, or “turning point” in Hebrew, an institution that educates ultra-Orthodox youth about peace, tolerance, and democracy.
Greenfield later wrote a book, “They Are Afraid,” which criticized the influence of ultra-religious parties on Israel's government. Religious leaders and publications condemned her, and she received hate mail and threatening phone calls from angry ultra-Orthodox Israelis.
A longtime Meretz voter, Greenfield became more active in the party several years ago. “Meretz is considered an alienated, elitist party. It's not well understood in Israeli society. I wanted to help make the party more viable to a wider Israeli audience,” she said.
So when Meretz party leader Yossi Beilin asked her to run for Knesset seat this year, she said, “OK, I'll be a contender. Let's see if I can make it.”
Israel elects its leaders by voting for party lists, so Greenfield's chances of entering parliament depend on how many votes are cast for Meretz, rather than for her as an individual. At No. 6 on the party list, her prospects are uncertain, so Greenfield is campaigning hard.
Last week, she spoke to more than 70 prospective voters at a hall in Tel Aviv about what Jewish identity means within a secular, liberal party like Meretz. Later that night, she met with undecided voters in a private home in Tel Aviv, where she discussed the party platform and Jewish values.
Most of the attendees described themselves as nonreligious voters who are still undecided about the elections, though they found Greenfield “very interesting” to listen to. Tel Aviv resident Rifka Ganor said the discussion overturned her previous ideas about Meretz. A religious Jew who emigrated from Morocco more than 40 years ago, Ganor said that Greenfield convinced her that a vote for Meretz is compatible with a religious Jewish identity.
Not all religious Israelis are so sanguine.
Although her Orthodox husband shares her liberal politics and supports her work, most of Israel's ultra-Orthodox are expected to vote for the conservative parties that promote traditional religious interests in government and, indeed, prohibit women from running for office.
Whatever the results of her campaign, Greenfield's faith in Jewish values remains steadfast.
“Jewish tradition has managed to connect the sublime, that spiritual drive, that craving for something great and noble in life, to the value of every single human being,” she said.
The Citizens' Say
There are No comments posted.