Reply To: Hakaras Hatov for Israeli Soldiers (IDF)

Hakatan and others-

This statement was recorded in Hapardes, a rabbinic journal, in 1937 regarding the debate amongst gedolim about whether or not it would be muttar to make a jewish state or not. (Hapardes volume 11, Issue 7, October 1937), 75 years ago, reprinted in Mishpacha Issue 179, 6 Cheshvan 5768, October 17,2007 Page 26)

“On Sunday, 16 Elul, the great Torah leaders discussed the question of a Jewish State, and reached the greatly anticipated decision of the congress. It was a stormy assembly, attended by the Rebbes of Gur, Ghorkov, Boyan, Sadigura, and the great Torah scholars members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah (Rabbinical Council). A great battle took place, over seven hours, with struggles about every minute detail of the decision.

“Rabbi Wasserman, Rabbi Kotler, Rabbi Rottenberg of Antwerp, and rabbis from Czechoslovakia and Hungary were unanimous in rejecting any proposal for a Jewish State on either side of the Jordan River EVEN if it were established as a religious state, because such a regime would be a form of heresy in our faith in the belief in the coming of the Mashiach and especially since this little Jewish State would be built on heresy and desecration of the Name of G-d.

“Arguing against them were the Rebbes of Boyan and Sadigura. Rabbi Tzirelson, the president of the congress, Rabbi [Aharon] Lewin of Reisha [the head of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah] and Rabbi Sorotzkin, [who said that] it is possible to agree, according to the laws of the Torah, to the establishment of a Jewish State in a portion of the Eretz Yisael without denying the belief in the coming of redeemer.

Those in favor won the vote!

So you see – there were many gedolim who held it would be ok according to the torah–but we should try to make it frum- which we still do today, for all tinok shenishba jews we try and promote kiruv- and eventually whether they choose to or not- we will be majority(BIRTH RATE STATS) and it will be a frum state elected democratically from an officially neutral democratic state that reflects the will of the majority

A pic of knessia can be found here herhttp://meashearim.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/image014.png