I belong to what some would call the right wing yeshivish world. My kids go to single-sex schools that do not celebrate Yom HaAtzmaut, much less march in the parade. And I am very pleased with the how my kids are taught about Yiddishkeit and to love it.
That being said, I grew up in the MO world where twice a year the Jewish world got together to support a unified cause. The Salute to Israel Day Parade, and Solidarity Sunday, when we rallied in support of Soviet Jewry. I was a marshall every year, collecting signatures, getting people to donate, or write telegrams of support. They were both amazing days that really showed a level of achdus among all stripes of Jews.
It’s very nice to talk about the achdus of the Asifa, but the truht is that the only people represented at the Asifa were people on the far right of the spectrum, both Chassidish and Litvish. And while it was very nice to see achdus in the sense of people getting together on an issue that affects us (regardless of your position), it was not a showing of achdus or love among different types of Jews.
Most of the kids in these right wing schools have little if any exposure to Jews who are less frum than themselves. And while I understand the fears of parents who do not want their children influenced – fears I share – I feel that it is very imprtant for my kids to know that there are all sorts of Jews out there who love and support Israel and are in fact our brothers and sisters.
Yes, there are issues with Medinat Yisrael, as opposed to Eretz Yisroel. But that should not prevent us from joining our fellow Jews and showing our support for the Jewish homeland.
Anyone and everyone is yelling about kiruv and reaching out to unaffiliated Jews. What could be a better way and place to show that we are not so different and that we actually agree on some things? Where is there a better opportunity to make a kiddush Hashem? You don’t like the group marching or what they stand for? Don’t clap for them. Engage their supporters in a respectful diolague. But failure to show up is a missed opportunity, both for ourselves and our children.