I would really like to see Moshe Feiglin's new Zehut party really offer some solutions for Jewish Identity in Israel. But, what I've seen so far is very disappointing. Regarding foreign influence in the Jewish State...
ARABS
Principle 2 from the Four Principles e-book
Arab residents of Judea and Samaria will have three options: voluntary emigration, permanent residency status or citizenship for those who will tie their fate with the State of Israel, as exemplified by the Druze population.
Besides the fact that none of these options is allowed under Torah law, I wondered why not take this as an opportunity to begin to move people in the right direction. As I put forth on the Zehut Facebook page...
Jewish Identity - That would be an excellent way to push things in a great direction for the ultimate good of all if it concentrated on establishing that Israeli citizenship and land ownership must be for JEWS ONLY and while others may live here in the meantime with their civil rights protected, they cannot be citizens or vote in elections unless they also want to become a Jew. The same way that American citizenship is reserved for Americans (and foreigners who become Americans in accordance with American laws), citizenship in the Jewish State is reserved for Jews (and any foreigner who becomes a Jew in accordance with Jewish law). If you did nothing more than pound this idea home day after day after day, eventually it might sink in, which would be a tremendous step in the right direction. Especially in doing away with the erroneous idea that we are a religion rather than a nation. The Torah is not a religious book, it is our nation's constitution. It is instructions for how to build a properly functioning society which becomes the light to the nations.REFUGEES
On this subject Zehut gets an A+. See Moshe Feiglin: Israel Must Not Open Gates to Syrian Refugees. He said similar things about "refugees" from Darfur and Sudan, etc. in 2009. I'd like to know how Zehut envisions solving the problem of the illegal occupation of South Tel Aviv.
CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES
In the past, Moshe Feiglin came out on the right side of Glen Beck's intrusion and more recently, his number one, Shmuel Sackett, came out similarly against Mike Huckabee. However, the fact that at least one announced candidate on his list has close ties to a major missionary organization in Israel is problematic.
Also, the designation of "Lovers of Israel", as in the following announcement, is worrisome. We all know what that is code for.
...ZEHUT International is about one thing: Becoming part of the game and not just a fan from the sidelines.That comes straight off their mailing.
...ZEHUT International is making YOU part of Israel's democratic process.
You will have the opportunity to make recommendations for members of Zehut's Knesset list. You will essentially become their constituents, from wherever you are in the world!
PS - Membership in ZEHUT International is open to all lovers of Israel. Voting rights are reserved for members of the Jewish nation. See here.
NON-JEWS WHO THINK THEY ARE JEWS
It's all well and good to talk about "only members of the Jewish nation" having actual voting rights, but it's another thing to do it in practice. It's one thing to guarantee that only citizens vote since they carry a voting card verifying their right to vote. But, how will they ever be able to guarantee the Jewish identity of those claiming to be Jews in the Diaspora?
Besides the problem of non-halachic converts and children of Jewish men without Jewish mothers, how many Xian "Messianic Jews" and "lost Israelites" will sign up to vote as Jews? How many "Ephraimites" like the Wallers and their volunteers who are still Xians, but lay claim to our land and heritage, will use it as a way to exert even greater influence here because of their financial contributions to the party. (Membership is $10 a month. Multiply that by a few million deluded people). How long until their dream of Xian aliyah is realized through this influence?
So much for Jewish Identity.
