Shabbat Shalom ~ Parashat Lech-Lecha 2026

Shalom WJC Family,

In synagogue this Shabbat we will read parshat Lech Lecha. In it, some 3500 years ago, God came to the first Jews, Abraham and Sarah, and told them to “Go forth…to the land that I will show you.” We now know that land as Israel and it has been part of the meaning of being Jewish ever since. Throughout the thousands-year history of the Jewish people, the exact meaning of that connection has shifted and changed depending on the location and circumstances of the Jewish people, who have been sovereign in the land, and the ebbs and flows of theological ideas and trends. And still, despite all those factors, in one way or another connection to Israel has always been a central Jewish value.

We live in a rare moment in Jewish history when the Jewish people are sovereign in the land. This is an incredible privilege, and as the last several years have illustrated, also brings many challenges. As many are probably aware, there is an election for the Israeli Knesset (the governing body of Israel, similar to parliament) this Tuesday. Due to the centrality of Israel to Jews everywhere and the impact of its policies and actions on Jews around the world, including us here in New York, I know we will be watching closely, and so will many others. To start, I thought a reminder of how Israeli governments are formed might be a good idea.

Israeli elections are complicated and, unlike US elections, Israel is a parliamentary republic. People vote for parties rather than individual candidates for Prime Minister. There are 37 parties on the ballot Tuesday. Usually, the leader of the party that gets the most votes is given the opportunity to form a governing coalition of at least 61 of the 120 Members of the Knesset (MKs). The President of Israel (a mostly ceremonial position currently held by Isaac Herzog) formally tasks the candidate to create a government. That candidate then has 29 days to form a government. 

That time is spent in negotiations with potential coalition partner parties, offering policy promises and cabinet-level minister posts until a coalition is formed. If the candidate is unsuccessful, and if it was a close election, another candidate might have an opportunity to build a coalition. In the case that no party is able to form a coalition, a new election is scheduled and the current government remains in power until then, and the whole process starts over again.

This election is expected to be close. In other words, it is very hard to predict who will become the Prime Minister and it could be weeks or even months before we have that answer. Furthermore, the talks with potential coalition partners will also dictate a lot about how that person will govern, and that too will be unknown for quite some time. So, while there will likely be plenty of people making passionate and strongly worded claims about the election come Wednesday, and we may have some pretty intense feelings ourselves, the wisest course is to be patient, see how the process plays out, and draw conclusions only at the end of the process and over time.

I would also remind us all that this is a complicated time to be Jewish anywhere, even in Israel. There are a wide range of issues facing Israelis right now, ranging from security to housing costs and everything in between. With all that is swirling around due to the election and other strains on Jews right now, allow me to quote from my Rosh HaShanah sermon:

All free nations have debates over challenging issues of governance – you may have noticed a few here in the United States – and Israel has the regular issues and many more serious and existential challenges on top of that. Citizens of the State of Israel itself, Jews all over the world, and those of us right here in this room have a wide range of opinions and ideas about modern day Israel – and that is a good thing, and to be expected. Healthy communities disagree about important things. 

Yet even as we disagree, it is important to remember that Israel is more than a government or one act or one moment, no matter how big. It is the people. It is up to us to employ the principle of ‘Shema,’ our first foundational guidepost, our resilient, loving listening, so that our differences around this charged topic lead to a mahloket L’Shem Shamayim, an argument for the sake of Heaven. And I know it’s challenging because the topic is so crucially important to us…

We don’t have the answers to the many difficult issues confronting Israel and the Jewish people. Creating a safe space to disagree and learn from one another, so it can also be a place to celebrate the joys and sacredness of what it is to be Jewish, takes all of us. Let’s disagree in a way that strengthens us with love and the unity of caring. Let us not mistake someone who disagrees with us for an enemy.

In the meantime, we will continue to hold our Jewish values close, to celebrate the faith, culture, history, and homeland that unites us as Ahm Yisrael. I hope you will join us for another beautiful Shabbat at WJC to find meaning, purpose, and joy together.

See you in shul,

RJA