One of us? Haftarah Hukkat

Judges 11:1-33

It is always difficult to find a hook in the haftarot that come from the historical books of the prophets. Though there are many ideas and narratives, somehow the theology in Isaiah or the visions in Ezekiel lend themselves to more interpretation.

Such appears to be the case here, with the story of Yiftach (Jephtah) the Gileadite who leads the Israelites to victory over the Ammonites. There are elements here about negotiations and treaties between nations, but this week, the most intriguing element comes at the beginning of the Haftarah.

Yiftach is the son of a prostitute. His father’s other children, those born to the father’s wife, drive out Yiftach taunting him, saying: “You shall have no share in our father’s property, for you are the son of an outsider.”

Yiftach, who helps bring God back into the community of Israel and helps them to conquer the land of the Ammonites is ostracized because of his lineage and where he comes from.

Prostitution notwithstanding, this kind of bigotry continues to this day in the land of Israel and by its rabbinical authorities no less. The current conversation and debate over the conversion bill making the rounds in the Kenesset in various iterations deal with exactly these questions.

Who is a Jew?

Who gets to be a part of the community of Israel?

Who gets to decide?

The conversion bill proposes that the Chief Rabbinate consolidate its control over conversions, moving it away from special conversion courts. Thus, according to the IRAC, this bill can prevent the acceptance of non-Orthodox conversions both inside and outside of Israel. Since non-Orthodox Judaism is not recognized in Israel to begin with, the Israel Supreme Court has had to intervene to allow converts from outside of Israel to gain rights as citizens of Israel under citizenship laws and laws of the Right of Return.

At the heart of this bill is the question of how we treat Jews-by-Choice and how much importance we place on birth. When Yiftach is shunned from his half-brothers, they were concerned about his birth. To them, his foreign birth makes him an outsider. His apparent love for his people notwithstanding, Yiftach is sent away, until he is needed.

‘Come back and be a chieftain among us!’ His “family” calls to him.

“You are the very people who rejected me! … How can you come to me now when you are in trouble?” (11:7)

If Israel is not careful, and continues to reject parts of the Jewish world from their heritage and birthright, she will lose them. They will not all be as comfortable as Yiftach coming back to save the day.

Israel already assumes that she has the support of American Jews, a majority of whom are Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist Jews. When events like the Gaza flotilla happen, Israel anticipates the support of the American Jewish community. What will happen when the American Jewish community doesn’t feel welcome by Israel any more? Will we stand alongside our “family” those who rejected us and our Judaism?

One might criticize and say that this argument conflates the religion of Israel and its politics. But, Israel has been doing that since its inception. There is a fine line between religion and politics in Israel, and it grows fainter every time measures like this conversion bill are proposed and taken seriously. Are we supposed to accept and approve Israel’s politics blindly and also turn a blind eye to its religious dicta which deny rights to the non-orthodox?

Israel asks us all to be Yiftach on a regular basis. For now, it seems to be working, but it won’t be long before Israel does something truly unpleasing to the eyes of the diaspora Jews and what will happen then?

We should move away from being so concerned about birthplace and building fences around the Torah and around the religious establishment in order to solidify its power and influence. We should tear these fences down and uncover the heart of the Torah and its message. It is a message of acceptance without question of those desiring to be welcomed into the community. Its message is love and justice, goodness and hope. Freedom is its gift to all who cherish it. Freedom to worship as Jews. Freedom to live as Jews in the homeland for the Jews.

Shabbat Shalom