Israel Diary
Jonny Lipczer, a former mazkir of Bnei Akiva and Director of Mizrachi, made aliyah in 2006. He lives in Jerusalem
A double hechsher
Don’t you find that Christmas comes earlier each year? Here, the same seems to be true with Yom Ha’atzmaut. Pesach has barely finished, and the country is already decked out with Israeli flags.
In schools, the display boards are covered in blue and white, and even the supermarkets are selling discount barbecues in honour of Independence Day!
It is evident that Israel is a country proud of its rich history – and rightfully so – but it takes its role as the Jewish State seriously too.
Here, it couldn’t be easier to keep kosher. On a stroll down the picturesque Emek Refa’im Street in my neighbourhood, you can see that almost every restaurant, bakery and delicatessen has a kashrut supervision certificate.
But those of us who are equally concerned about our Jewish responsibility for those around us can now look for another certificate too.
A certificate known as the “Social Seal” is issued by a newly-formed movement established by young religious Zionist activists. Ma’aglei Tzedek – or Circles of Justice – advocates the social justice ideals found in Orthodox Judaism, and wants to ensure that the ethical voice of Jewish tradition is an integral part of the Jewish identity of the State of Israel.
This certificate is given free of charge to businesses that commit to basic social criteria: they must be accessible to disabled people, and they must pay their employees fairly and on time.
Ma’aglei Tzedek wants Israelis to know that Judaism has something to say about the rights of the disabled and the needy, and not just that you can’t eat milk with meat.
Next month, when we’re dancing and singing in celebration of the establishment of the State, we should be full of pride that initiatives like this have helped to create the Jewish country that we have today.
Through acts of kindness, we have the potential to change the world. Ma’aglei Tzedek had taken a big step in this direction, and is an example to us all.
Shabbat Shalom.
