Sidetracked by all sorts of self-inflicted wounds, President Trump seems unable to currently fulfill his three major campaign promises – the control of immigration, a new healthcare system and a major overhaul of the tax laws of the country – in a speedy and efficient legislative manner. If this be the case, it bodes ill for the remainder of his presidency.

 

In the United Kingdom, Teresa May gambled on increasing the majority of her party in Parliament by calling for an early election. Her pollsters assured her of victory in that election. Well, things did not quite turn out that way, as she lost her party’s sole control of Parliament and government.

 

France has elected a complete unknown and relatively inexperienced person who represents none of the major political parties in the country as its new president. He has hastily formed a political party to back him, though at this writing it is unclear whether that party will prove to be successful in the parliamentary elections that are looming. 

 

Germany, until now apparently the most stable and prosperous country in Europe, also faces a general election that is becoming increasingly important and unpredictable. Looking around therefore, it is very simple and easy to come to the conclusion that, at least as far as the West is concerned, the world is a mess.

 

We here in Israel are not being spared the uncertainties that national life brings upon us. Prime Minister Netanyahu is the subject of numerous police investigations regarding breach of trust and other innuendos of corruption. These investigations have been going on for months and no one knows if there is any end in sight.

 

His minister of the interior, apparently having learned little from his previous convictions and jail sentences, is again being investigated for possible corrupt practices. Israel’s coalition government has lasted for about two years. The average coalition government in Israel starts to waiver and eventually falls after two and a half to three years in power.

 

General elections in Israel really only reshuffle the deck but do not influence material changes in policy or in the everyday life of the citizenry of the country. Though the economy remains stable and the status quo militarily and diplomatically is holding steady,with the dollar so strong you are currently at a disadvantage if you are living on an American pension in Israel. This is not an ideal situation but given what other nations face,especially in ourarea ofthe world, Israelis should consider themselves fortunate indeed. 

 

The mess that we find ourselves in is an old and known one so we have become accustomed and even immunized regarding its constant presence in our society. We are convinced that life is messy and that it will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.

 

Human beings hate prolonged uncertainty.  We plan and map out our personal and national futures. Yet rarely is reality able to really implement those plans or create that future. Life always intervenes and mocks our pretensions of omniscience and omnipotence. We are always doomed to live in a messy and very uncertain world. That is why faith is such an important ingredient in Jewish life.

 

It is faith that can anchor our lives on a solid and righteous basis no matter what the social temperature outside may be. And unfortunately our generation exhibits a severe shortage of this inspirational commodity.  But simply by living here in Israel and ignoring the tempting but illusory blandishments of emigration, Israelis exhibit an inner faith, which has always sustained Jewish people over the long centuries of our dispersion and exile.

 

There are no easy answers to the challenges that our messy world poses for us. Political upheavals and tension and violence-laden disputes are the norm in human society. We should not give in to false prophets and rosy predictions about the future. The world will probably remain fairly messy for the foreseeable future.

 

We should restock our arsenal of faith and remain determined to ride out the messy waves of instability and uncertainty that lap up on the shores of our existence. I know that this is not a very happy assessment of our present world, but it is a realistic one and that alone can be of benefit to all concerned.

 

Shabbat shalom

 

Berel Wein