The Great Depression or the "New Deal"?

The Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself

Rav Hagai Lundin

About a hundred years ago, a huge economic crisis, "the Great Depression", affected the world. In the United States at the time, two candidates competed in the elections: the first was the incumbent president, Herbert Hoover, a brilliant, experienced and gloomy economist; challenging him was a candidate named Franklin Roosevelt, a man of average skills, partially paralyzed, but with excellent interpersonal skills. Hoover waged a campaign of intimidation about the terrible fate that awaited the United States if they did not follow his path, while Roosevelt campaigned optimistically for a "New Deal" (a new economic program) for the American people, which indeed happened. In his victory speech, Roosevelt—who later led the Allied victory in World War II—uttered the immortal words: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself".

I was reminded of this by the fact that that Israel's credit rating has remained constant despite the campaign of intimidation by left-wing economists. The money-laden protesters have tons of advertising people who are sure they are some kind of Machiavelli (in their internal correspondence they like to call themselves "the best minds") – and lack a basic understanding of the human psyche. Intimidation, hatred, and negativity have a short-term effect and turn out to be a lie in the long term. In the words of the Sages: "The measure of good is greater than the degree of calamity". Any road blockade; violent and clenched-fist slogan ('resist'); arrogant threat from a doctor, pilot or shareholder; a virulent article in the media; separation fantasy on social media; screams of "shame" by the various Shikma Bresslers; talkbackers hate and rant – only alienate them from the public mainstream.

That is why they win polls and lose elections time and time again; that is why even if the reform dissolves, the demographic and cultural processes in the State of Israel will only accelerate. That is why there are shift changes in the army, economy and academia; that is why Channel 12 ynet is now laying off employees (yes, yes); that is why the Left's scare tactics explode time and time again. The protest leaders, angry old people, probably won't realize it until their last day – but they will never be in control again; not them nor their cultural descendants. The future belongs to the young people who are searching for hope, meaning and connection to tradition. Those who respect all the strengths in this nation – both those who build the material world and those who build the spiritual world. The month of Elul is the time for these connections – "I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine"; the belief that even if we have fallen, we can improve; that human beings are fundamentally good; that hope is stronger than fear.

 

"The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?" (Tehillim 27,1)

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