In the days following the October 7 massacre and the war that followed, many Israelis felt that something fundamental had changed. As the nation came together—”as one person with one heart”—to defend the country against the barbaric assault, a common refrain emerged: We cannot go back to October 6.

Despite our many disagreements, it seemed that we had rediscovered something essential: the shared foundation that binds us together. Never again, we hoped, would internal divisions bring Israeli society to the edge of the abyss. Poll after poll has since confirmed what many sensed instinctively. Israelis are exhausted by the bitter polarization that has torn at the fabric of our society. They have had enough of the contempt, venom, and dehumanizing rhetoric that have come to dominate our public discourse.

The tragedy is that many of those who shape that discourse appear not to have heard the message.

From the prime minister to the leaders of the opposition, from members of Knesset to protest organizers, television commentators, cultural figures, and, sadly, far too many rabbis, the old habits have........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)