The Downside to Divisiveness - I

There are countless difficulties that arise from the fact that Jews live in a state of division. There are disparate groups with glass walls separating between them that shatter the feeling of unity that should permeate within the Jewish brotherhood. These walls cause us to distance ourselves from those who are not part of our stream of Judaism. This leads to endless difficulties stemming from this approach to life and this is not the place to get into all of them. But there is one fundamental point that is worthwhile for every reader to contemplate:

Besides for the overall issues that arise from this polarization, and the fact that all dialogue is confrontational in which each party just fortifies its own position and a spirit of unity is conspicuously lacking, there is also the fact that each stream has its own internal issues. Even though it is usually inappropriate to discuss the shortcomings of the Jewish Nation, and we love all Jews to the extent that we desire for this love to cover up all wrongdoing, still, in order for us to discuss the cure, we must first discuss some of the issues that require rectification.

There is no Jewish group that can claim that the lives of its members are perfect and need no improvement. Every aspect of life has its challenges. One stream suffers from too much freedom and permissiveness which results in the loss of appreciation for certain values. Another stream lacks free will and choice and builds numerous external pressures rather than encouraging people to develop their own initiative. This create many difficulties. Another stream is attempting to balance two worlds and ends up blurring the line between the holy and the secular, between what is primary and what is secondary.