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The settler and the activist: Isaiahnic outlook

03/11/2013 17:16 By YONATAN SHEFA

Rabbi Froman rendered the us-and-them - the “peaceful” activists vs. “violent” settlers divide –irrelevant.

Photo by: Marc Israel Sellem

One thing, above all, that I appreciate about the life and work of Rabbi Menachem Froman is the fact that he was complicated. Rabbi Froman defied stereotypes: founding member of Gush Emunim, close ties to leadership in the PLO and Hamas, deeply religious Jew, worked tirelessly for peace between Israelis and Palestinians, rabbi of Tekoa settlement in the West Bank. Many would assume that some elements of this equation simply cannot fit together. But they did, in him.

Rabbi Froman claimed that, given a two-state solution, he would choose to remain in Tekoa under a Palestinian government. He had a profound and abiding connection to this land, deeply rooted in the prophetic vision of the Bible, while simultaneously demonstrating a sincere yearning for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. His answer to the question of “whose land is this?” was clear, consistent and challenging: the land belongs to God. With this answer, Rabbi Froman rendered considerations of belonging and entitlement not along lines of national identity, but in terms of a rootedness in a consciousness that respects all people, strives for peace, and sees divinity in everyone.

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The settler and the activist: Isaiahnic outlook

Rabbi Froman rendered the us-and-them - the “peaceful” activists vs. “violent” settlers divide –irrelevant.

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