European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 9, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Religious Power struggle in Israel by Thomas a Friedman now York time 5 until six months ago Shimon Tsimbe  newsstand business in Beni Brak before the bombing. Now he ekes Oul living Selling Fet Afel  used to sell lots of newspapers lots Tsimbe said nervously looking Over his shoulder. But there were threats Tupy Lold me Al would be belief in i did t sell newspapers he added. The said in would be belief ill sold  Down the Street in Beni Brak. A Tel Aviv suburb Ihal is a Center lot the deeply religious jews generally referred to in Israel As he Ultra Olno Dox Leaf and David Green s newspaper Kiosk also did a brisk business Selling newspapers before the bombing. Now they still sell secular papers but quietly through Ibe Back door with the Seal la Ihal a Small town american drugstore might use to sell Playboy or Penl nouse. Shim he and the greens who Are All zionist religious jews had their shops damaged by a group of orthodox jews who reject the modern � a a of Israel from its army to its newspapers. They have either bombed or intimidated virtually every news seller in Beni beak into removing All daily israeli papers from their shelves. Beni Brak new paper War is symptomatic of a National religious Power struggle under Way in Israel. At stake is who will determine the jewish religious character of Israel will h be the non zionist Ultra orthodox who make up about 5 percent of the population they do not see in the inborn state an event o major religious significance and they believe instead that a jewish stare will be we la celebrating Only alter the Messiah comes and the Rule of jewish Law is local. O will it be the zionist orthodox jews who make up about 15 percent of the population they see in Israel s creation an important religious even and believe thai Judaism Whan reinterpreted or the 20th Century can flourish in a modern state. 11 recent trends Are any indication religious and political Power among Israel s strictly observant jews is gravitating to the non zionist minority while the zionists Are increasingly on the Delon Sive. It this trend continues it will have a major Impact on israeli society and on Israel s relations with jews m the rest of the world. American jews who have often been concerned Page 18 the stars and stripes about rising Christian or moslem fundamentalism must recognize that a serious jewish fundamentalist revival is gaining strength is Israel As  said Daniel j. Elazar an expert on religious politics the nonreligious israeli majority represented largely by the labor parly and the liked bloc is standing by and Wal chm wailing to make political deals with whatever religious parties emerge strongest and most Able to deliver votes in Exchange for concessions on religious issues. Although Here has been a Strong Ultra orthodox Community in the land since before she zionists immigrated Icse people who Are known in hebrew As Hare dim or those who Are god fearing always lived quite secluded from the Resl of the society. Until recently they made Lille attempt to integrate or dominate. But m the last Lew years according to Menachem Friedman a hebrew University expert on Hare i society the Hare dim have begun to eel confident enough to present themselves As a real alternative Model 1o the evil1 modern society of  Tho vast  of Hare dim in Israel who include hasidic sects related Tollise in the United sales. Do not engage in the kind of violence Ihal has taken place in 6nei a raft. Rather their newfound Active Idle is channelled through peaceful Means. One of the most symbolic efforts has been a recent All empt by Hare i yeshivas. Or religious schools to convert israeli fighter pilots who Are widely considered to be the elite of the israeli military and society. Into giving up their wings and taking up a life of torah study. Nearly a dozen pilots Are reported to have quil the air Force under Thesa conditions and their photographs have quickly been put up on posters in religious neighbourhood As signs of Success. What distinguish the Hare dim from other israeli jews is not Only their dark Black coals Long sideburns and Black fur hats which icy Wear just As their ancestors did in 17lh-Century Eastern Europe but also their conviction that the zionist revolution has not constituted any important change m jewish life. That me they fee is really practice today in ils orthodox form just As it was 100 or 1.000 years ago. They do nol Cerebra to Israel s Independence Day. For them Independence Day is passover which Marks the jewish liberation from Egypt 3,000 years ago. The Hare dim believe that it was loyalty to the torah and its religious code for living not nationalism that Kepi the jews alive through the Ages and gave meaning to jewish communal life. They see zionism sunday August 9,19b7 with ils avowed aim of making the jews a nation like All other nations As destroying the singular religious identity of 1he jewish people. While nonreligious israelis May teen their ways of life threatened by Hare i demands to close movie houses remove pictures of Bikini Clad woman from bus Stop advertisement or ban soccer games on the Sabbath Iho Hare dim see things quite differently. Many have family tools in Israel Shal Date Long before the first zionists arrived when the Only jews who lived in Israel were religious. In their View it is their Way of life that has been besieged by modern israeli society said rabbi Menachem Porush a 72-year-old Leader of me Hare i parly Aguda Israel. When Israel was founded 39 years ago the secular zionist majority was ready to accept the Hare i groups because they reminded them of their grandfathers and because the zionists Felt certain Ihal these people speaking yiddish and dressed in Eastern european attire would Wither away in a generation. According to the Jerusalem Institute for Public affairs the average number of children in Hardi families is 8, compared with 3.5 for religious zionists and 2.2 for secular zionists the vast majority of new immigrants today Are orthodox jews from North America and Western Europe. In the 1977 elections me zionist National religious party won 12 seals in the Knesset Israel s parliament today in has Lour and in the next election could hold even fewer. The Ultra orthodox party. Shas which did nol exist in 1977, has four Seata today and Gudat Israel has  the Hare dim now dominate the religious bloc and because the religious bloc in the Knesset holds the balance Between labor and liked it is lha Hare dim whom the secular politicians Are increasingly trying to placate. Legislators in july however in close Voles rejected two Bills that would have limited the definition of who is a jew threatening relations Between israelis and jews around the world by lightening citizenship requirements. The Issue is Likely to be raised again in the next Knesset session in october. The Hare i parties want the parliament to reactivate a pre-1948 la governing changes in religious status. It would empower the Rabbinate to determine the religious status of any convert to Judaism who in Migiakes to Israel sine the Hare i parties do not recognize american style Reform or conservative Judaism anyone converted by a Reform or conservative rabbi would nol be considered jewish or eligible Lor automatic israeli citizenship