                                                           " 
                      A Voice from Hebron
by Gary M. Cooperberg           
            Where is the Voice of Jewish Conscience?
                Seven Years after the Murder of
                  Rabbi Meir Kahane, z"tl, H"yd
                        November 3, 1997

     On the 18th of Cheshvan, which falls on November 18th this year, is the yahrzeit of Rabbi
Meir Kahane, z"tl, H"yd. It is absolutely amazing to consider how much has changed since he was
murdered seven years ago.  Perhaps it is also easier for us to consider why he was taken from us, on
many levels.  First of all, the Rabbi was spared from witnessing the humiliating Gulf War where the
mighty Lion of Judah cringed like a kitten as it failed to retaliate to attacks from our enemies.  He was
spared the further humiliation of watching our government resurrect a moribund Arafat, turn him into
a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, and begin a process of surrender to the PLO.  And he was spared
witnessing the declaration of Kach as a "terrorist" organization, even as the PLO became a "peace
partner".

     Rabbi Kahane was the only voice calling for the removal of our Arab enemies. Despite efforts
on the part of the government to quash him, political elements feared that his growing popularity
would threaten their absolute control.  With his removal from the scene that threat entirely
disappeared.  Today there is NO opposition to Oslo or Arafat, much less to the growing hostile Arab
population in our midst.  Not only is no one calling for the removal of our enemies, rather unified
efforts on the part of all political elements are actually aiding in the development of their ability to
destroy us!!

     Just as Peres seems to have had the most to gain by the removal of Rabin, it is clear that Likud
seemed to have had the most to gain by the removal of Rabbi Kahane.  He was the only rational
Zionist leader on the political scene who was unafraid to speak as a proud Jew.  Today, even with the
defeat of Labor and the return of Likud to power, headed by the youthful, allegedly right wing,
Netanyahu, we see no political strategy to enforce the Zionist concept.  All the new Likud coalition
government succeeded in doing was to make Oslo appear as unanimously accepted by right and left
alike. 

     Back in 1988 Rabbi Kahane warned us from the Knesset podium that we had only two
choices.  We could either choose Kach, or we would be choosing the PLO.  While, at the time it
sounded like an outrageous statement, it turned out to be an accurate prediction.  Even at this late date,
with all of the violations of agreements and the clear threat posed to us by the PLO, David Levy, the
great friend of the settlement movement, is talking with the PLO under the watchful eye of Madeline
Albright, in Washington, for the purpose of making even more far reaching concessions to our
enemies.  Who would have dreamed that these people would as much as consider a "time out" in
building the Jewish homeland?  Yet the concept is on the table for discussion.

     The grassroots Israeli's who still possess Jewish self-respect are now in a quandary.  They took
the to streets, got arrested, hosed and clubbed in order to see Netanyahu elected.  Now the recipient of
their acts of genuine self sacrifice has proved to be no better than was Labor.  While his lip service
may still sound impressive, the facts speak far louder than the sugar coated words.  Netanyahu spoke
proudly of Hebron before he was elected.  He declared that there would always be a strong Jewish
community there.  Yet it was his government which placed that community in the most dangerous
situation since 1929 by inviting the PLO to take over 80% of the city. Hebron today is a bigger hotbed
of hatred of the Jewish State than it ever was under Rabin. It is an obligation of any self-respecting
Jewish government to take back all of our holy city and remove all of our enemies from it. 

     When seeking a method of democratic expression of dissent, there is no address to approach. 
Why should people take to the streets to topple Netanyahu only to get Barak?  Yet to do nothing will
still see us continue to sink into the muck.  Obviously if doing nothing will yield the same results as
self-sacrificing protests, it makes no sense to protest.  But we must do something.  The problem is that
nobody seems to know what to do.

     Unless we have a viable alternative to the emptiness which claims to be leading this country, it
makes no sense to campaign for another brand of emptiness.  What we can, and must do, however, is
to continue to pressure our government to stop the insanity.  It really makes no difference who the
leadership is, as they are all equally incompetent.  The best we can hope to accomplish on a political
level is to let our leaders know that we do not approve of their behavior, nor will we accept it.

     Our rabbis have told us, many generations ago, that the redemption will be upon us when we
no longer have any hope in our leaders.  Clearly the redemption is already underway.  All of our hopes
and expectations now must be directed toward our Father in Heaven.   Let each and every Jew realize
that our time has come.  

     Rabbi Kahane told us, many times over, that redemption is in our hands. It can come in one of
two ways:  If we merit it by our behavior, we will hasten the redemption and witness glorious miracles
even greater than those witnessed at our redemption from slavery in Egypt.  And, even if we don't
merit it by our actions, it will still come, but only in its pre ordained time.  If we get such a redemption
it will not be obvious to all.  The miracles will be hidden and accompanied by fear, strife and
suffering.  This seems to be already happening.  But until the redemption is completed, we still have
the option to hasten it.

     We have it in our power to bring immediate redemption merely by living up to our personal
obligations to our Creator.  Let us strive to improve our lives by perfecting our observance of His
commandments, and let every Jew still living in the Exile seriously begin to make plans to come home. 
This is the only peace plan which will succeed.  Let us heed the words of Rabbi Kahane, of blessed
memory, and hasten the redemption which has already begun while there is still time.