Recently I came across a post on someone’s Facebook page that read:

“I believe in peace and unity, and I am happy that such a movement has been established. I am proud that my partner is one of the founders. Great success to you and us. The launch of the movement – ​​ONE. What hope!”

It moved me very much, and I wanted to know more. I started searching Google for information concerning the movement. In my innocence, I searched under the name “Echad” (one in Hebrew). And to my surprise, I discovered that there is a movement called “One,” and there is a movement called “Echad.”

I tried to do cross-references to understand whether this was the same group. And slowly I realized that these are two different groups. And I felt my heart sink. Even from a movement called One, two were created! Both seem to be organizations with good values, ​​with wonderful ideas and a good will to spread love in the world. But there is a big difference in their essence.

I will say in advance that this idea is very blessed in my eyes. For quite some time now I have realized that Israeli society is really sick with a malicious disease. “Free exchange of ideas” and conversation between people have become aggressive, impatient, judgmental, and without listening.

Before I continue talking about the organizations, here is a small and true story from my life.

A few days ago I was in the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem, and I bought meat. Believe me, I don’t know how the conversation suddenly turned to politics, because I am very careful not to talk politics with almost anyone. It was Aviel and I and a few other people in the store. And the owner of the butcher shop suddenly started shouting while waving his knife back and forth. And in great anger he claimed that the head of the Shin Bet should be taken and hung in the center of the city with a hanging hook like an animal. I asked him carefully why? And he continued to ramble, saying that the head of the Shin Bet knew about the failure on Oct. 7. If he had wanted to, he could have sent help, but he supposedly decided to save only those he knew. (This is a well-known rumor that is now circulating in the media).

“And what about the Prime Minister?” I asked him carefully. “Why doesn’t he take responsibility for what happened?” And he was already in a kind of frenzy, screaming that the Prime Minister didn’t know anything; and therefore there’s nothing to blame him for, etc., etc., etc. At that moment, I really wanted to walk away.

While I paying him for the meat, I asked him what would have happened if he hadn’t been in the store, and I had bought meat from one of his employees, and I had discovered at home that the meat was spoiled. “Who should I have turned to,” I asked, “to you or your employee? Which of you would have taken responsibility?”

“Of course I would,” he replied. Then he also understood where I was headed. I have to admit that as a regular customer of his, I’m really considering stopping buying there. The situation was alarming. It was out of proportion; and if I hadn’t paid and left, he would have continued to go wild. And there are quite a few cases of this kind – impatient and alarming discourse that often degenerates into violence. Discourse that doesn’t lead to a healthy path.

So when I saw these groups, it did me good; and I’m even considering joining. And then the big question really comes down to which one to join? The movement Echad (in Hebrew) is for creating unity in the Jewish people in Israel among all existing sectors – religious secularists, women and men, right-wingers and left-wingers, Sephardim and Ashkenazi, and more…  And the movement called ONE is for creating unity among all people regardless of religion, race and gender, living in the State of Israel.

Both movements have a sense of a deep mission to strengthen unity. They were established in light of the great pain that has arisen in the nation in recent years. The founders of the Echad movement decided to stop whining about “living room conversations” and turn them into action. And to establish a movement that will foster unity within Israel. They train “ambassadors” for this purpose. And anyone who wants to become an ambassador learns and receives training and tools on how to conduct a dialogue in a close and respectful manner. They have four basic principles on which agreement is required in order to create unity:

1. Everyone is free to adopt a worldview and lifestyle within the framework of Jewish identity.
2. The commandments of Judaism are a matter between a person and their Creator, and no one can impose their opinion on another person.
3. The people of Israel are obligated to each other and to every person in the nation of Israel. In addition to personal responsibility, there is responsibility at the collective level.
4. The strength of the people is precisely that we are not the same. The spiritual and cultural wealth of the people stems from the diversity and dialogue between its different approaches and views. This is a source of strength.

The organization’s aspiration is that every person in the people of Israel will be part of the One movement. And through this, we will become one united people. The way this works is by bringing people together. They learn to put aside all the things that separate them, such as religion, fashion style, personal choices, and more. And instead, they learn to speak with joy and love and without judgment. They believe that this is the way to narrow the gaps that have opened up. This is indeed a very lofty idea. They say that they are trying and learning to put it into practice.

At the One movement, which convened for the first time recently, a microcosm of Israeli society was present in the hall. People gathered together in a common space, to dream, to hope, to believe.

“In the midst of pain, bereavement, loss, as violence rises around us, and values ​​are trampled, we decided to stand up, say enough! and act.”

They founded a moral, spiritual movement, which places humanity, brotherhood, and unity at its center. A movement that promotes the joining of forces. “We are all human,” they say. “And each one is unique and special, incomparable.” The organization has three leading values:

1. Humanity – Compassion
2. Brotherhood – Love for your neighbor as yourself
3. Unity – Shared Development

The movement will operate according to six principles:

Three Yes’s:

1. Yes to equal rights
2. Yes to equal responsibility
3. Yes to equal opportunities

Three No’s:

1. No to violence
2. No to coercion
3. No to discrimination

The movement has five goals:

1. Promoting equality
2. Reducing violence
3. Promoting education
4. Reducing economic and social gaps
5. Promoting peace

And currently three bodies have been founded:

1. An association – to spread the ideas
2. An economic company – to create welfare and abundance
3. A party – to change rules and advance legislation

They plan to establish working groups, build a communication channel, and work with full vigor, joy, and brotherhood for the common development of all of us, for the future of our children. Content will be published soon, and a platform will be established through which everyone can take part in the activity. On their Facebook page, they wrote:

“For anyone who thinks this is naivety, or utopia – we remember that Herzl sat in Vienna, in 1896, and dreamed of a state for the Jews. He dreamed and acted. And when they accused him of being a utopian dreamer, he said that if enough people believe and act for the dream, it can be made a reality.”

Their vision is – a model state, a light to the world. To work for the healing of the trauma, and the divided society, and the wounds, in order to grow and rise from the present condition, and move forward together towards a new future.

Within the spiritual and professional world in which I have been involved for many years, there is a central idea that I believe must be embraced before we can move forward. The idea is that in order to change and fix something in the world, I first need to look within and examine myself, and change and fix in myself what is required to continue a good life. One of the rabbis said it much more beautifully and precisely:

“I wanted to change the world and I failed. I changed myself and the whole world changed.”

From this place, I believe that in order for these beautiful ideas to be able to seep in, we must first look and fix ourselves. Then our small family, then our broader family, then the people, and the nation.

The more we fix ourselves, the wider the circles will be. And the change will resonate and create bigger ripples. Therefore, I personally do not believe that I or anyone else can fix the world. This is a pretension that has no proof of success. Therefore, my heart tends to go with the organization that first tries to make a fix within the house. In small and limited circles and at a slower pace. I am sure that if they succeed, the fix and change will be expanded and will also spread to other peoples and religions.

And finally, I wish all the organizations created for unity blessings and success. I am happy to know that this is a challenge that engages quite a few people today.

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