I took a week to think about the Masa campaign and all the noise that came after it. And after a week, the bottom line was, that I thought the whole thing was great. So much talk about the core Jewish issues, values, what we are all about – and without having anybody killed – that’s a real achievement. I’m sure that anybody who is trying to push Jewish awareness into this very undefined crowd of Jews, Wanna-be Jews and Jew not wanna-be’s, understands the magnitude of such a feet – even though I’m quite sure that wasn’t Masas’ goal – still, Kol Hakavod, well done.

As we all know western society is all for being different (‘you are special, she is special, we are all special’), the hell you can even be better (as long as you keep the competition ‘fair’) – But ‘WE’ is just unacceptable.

The second point is the waves that were created in the pool were mainly from the secular/liberal side of the community. Everything from new Borg-like “let’s assimilate groups” on FB, to the more traditional “I’m shocked, that they dare…” reactions all over the media. As the liberal side enjoys a clear-cut case, with a strong sense of politically correctness consensus: All people are equal > Race (origin/ethnic belonging) is not our thing > saying don’t marry a Shicksa, is saying that we are better than them = you are racist. Racist, BTW, is the new “shovinist pig” with the pig built in. All is clear.

The other side, the conservatives, didn’t really do any work to pump their message through the media. Why? Because they are still afraid to say it out loud: we are different, not better, not worse – but different. And although you wouldn’t expect it, I claim the operative/problematic word isn’t ‘different’ but rather the “We”. As we all know western society is all for being different (‘you are special, she is special, we are all special’), the hell you can even be better (as long as you keep the competition ‘fair’) – But ‘WE’ is just unacceptable. It implies that the competition is rigged - and that not everybody starts at the same point in life – a truth that rattles some societies to the point where they are not willing to except it.

I’d like to challenge this and state the obvious, saying that there is a ‘WE’, no point denying it. This ‘WE’ is maybe defined by different groups differently, form within or by outsiders’– but it’s there, and if it’s there we really should ask ourselves what’s it all about and not just rub it away...as it won’t go.

Thanks Masa,

Next time: Thoughts about what the ‘WE’ is all about.