Clip explaining why Israel’s secular are so angry and fearful goes viral

Well-known and respected Israeli journalist, Ben Caspit, who is a senior reporter for Maariv HaShavua and Al-Monitor, an Arab-American news site, sent out a clip via X which quickly went viral. 

The speaker, Dani Buller, is an educator who works in a Herzliya high school and has his own TikTok program called, “Ask Dani.” His meticulous step-by-step explanation of what happened on Yom Kippur, when the religious and the secular fought over a planned public prayer event, not only touched home but brought so much clarity to what we have all been facing here in Israel. Perhaps that is the reason it went viral, because everyone could relate to his very insightful analysis.

דני הענק מסביר את זה הכי טוב (גם למי שחושב שההפגנה מול המתפללים בכיפור היתה טעות, כמוני). 6 דקות מעולות, מחכימות, עמוסות מידע, שעושות סדר. pic.twitter.com/fHjhzwnqcK

— Ben Caspit בן כספית (@BenCaspit) September 29, 2023

He begins by presenting the shocking visual of two groups fighting on the holiest day of the year and asking the question, “How did we get to this point?” Rejecting the thought that either side could be justified, no matter what the circumstances (in this case the secular trying to prevent a gender-separated prayer event from taking place after the religious were warned by the High Court and municipality not to erect partitions), he, an avowed atheist says that what happened was unacceptable.

From there, however, he goes on to state that the shocking visual images, to which we were exposed on the news, purposely lacked all context and background, because the media prefers it that way. But he says it’s really worthwhile for us to do, what he calls, a “Zoom Out.”

He starts by asking, “Who organized the meeting and was it spontaneous?” He says it was spearheaded by a group called “Rosh Yehudi,” which has a very targeted agenda to “missionize” Tel Aviv’s secular population, especially all the young people. Dani says that the secular are looked upon by this group, as “the enemy,” and they have made it very clear that they are “coming after their children.” 

He asks the question, “Wouldn’t you feel threatened if someone expressed those sentiments?” In this case, he says, the prayer event, which they sought to conduct, was in opposition to what is permitted by the municipality, as well as the court, given Tel Aviv sensitivities that are not in keeping with an Orthodox style that observes gender separation.

He says, “Put yourself in the shoes of the secular. There are 500 synagogues in the city, but this group, which hates the secular, has to conduct a prayer event, in their style, on the public streets of a city that does not accept gender separation restrictions. Why is it that we are asked to respect Jerusalem's sensitivities, but they can come to Tel Aviv and insist on imposing their style of prayer? Those who did it deliberately ignored the residents, as well as the law.”

He reminds everyone what happened when certain individuals recently wanted to pray in Jerusalem and the Orthodox angrily arrived at their location to spit on them, curse them and forcibly remove them. Why is that accepted in Jerusalem but not in Tel Aviv, he asks?

It is at this point that Dani asks why have the secular become so angry – and not just angry, but fearful! He explains that it’s because they’ve already been told by their prime minister that they have forgotten what it means to be Jewish and that they (the secular) have been protesting against “the people,” meaning that they are not part of the people of Israel. 

That is their understanding while being referred to as “the left” in a very derogatory way. Of course, the protesters, Dani says, are made up of many types of individuals from every sector. Yet, the government does not see them as Jews.

Dani goes on to say, “You know who is a righteous Jew to them? It is Amiram Ben Uliel, the extremist ultra-Orthodox settler who is presently in prison for the murder of a 19-year-old Arab whose house was firebombed while he slept. Because he is so righteous, they are recruiting donations for him to make his imprisonment more comfortable.”

Dani says that extremists of his ilk, who were once looked upon as the fringe element, are now embraced even by the more moderate Likud party. And since this has now become the norm, it is responsible for the fear that is being felt by the secular who are being told that they are broken and need to be fixed.

But Dani reminds us that, even though they are being told that they are not really part of the Jewish people, they, nonetheless, are financing all of these ultra-religious who spend their days studying on our shekel. He says that we have paid hundreds of millions for their institutions and whatever it is for which they claim they need funds, whether it’s for food vouchers or to fight against being recruited into the military.

So, Dani says, “Even though you’re being told that you are not part of the Jewish people, you are paying for these ultra-religious faithful. You are contributing and contributing to them, and they continue to look at you as the enemy. And if you reject whatever they want to impose in public venues, you’re the ones who are not being respectful. Your feelings are overrated.”

He ends by saying that he can understand liberal Israelis who, after being told time and time again that they’re not good enough or righteous enough while, at the same time, more and more limitations are attempting to be imposed upon them, say, “That’s it.  I’m not taking any more! When you back someone into a corner and press them enough, they will explode and say no more.”

It was this clip, which succinctly expressed the frustration and lack of mutual respect, which made its way around the country in record time. Hardly no one missed it and the personal identification with most anyone who isn’t Orthodox, is so right on the money, because there is a reason that everything has come to a head and Jewish citizens are deeply split.

Similar to a marriage, both partners must feel equally regarded and respected even if they don’t always agree or feel the same way. Dani Buller has hit on something crucial. One party in this marriage, the Israeli people, doesn’t feel respected, but they should, given the fact that they are financing the side that is now disrespecting them.

The bottom line is that we may never agree, but that’s okay. What must happen, though, is that there must be a willingness by both sides to allow each other the freedom to disagree and yet respect one another enough to also not impose their values, sentiments and will upon the other.

If this is not done, Israel will be headed for more rough days ahead because, clearly, the marriage is on very shaky ground!