Rabbi David Stav calls for unity in Israel ahead of elections — Jerusalem Post

In Israel, Rabbi David Stav, head of the Tzohar rabbinical organization and chief rabbi of Shoham, called on society to seek unity ahead of the elections. In a column for The Jerusalem Post, he used the symbols of the Sukkot holiday to explain the combination of personal spirituality and shared responsibility.

The personal and the collective in Sukkot

Stav recalled two commandments of Sukkot: dwelling in a sukkah and using the four species of plants — the lulav, etrog, myrtle and willow. According to his explanation, on the first day of the holiday, if it does not fall on Shabbat, a person must own their own set of these plants to fulfill the commandment. At the same time, a sukkah can be used together with other people.

The rabbi linked this distinction to the individual nature of religious life. He noted that spirituality and religiosity are personal values, and that different paths to them are part of the diversity of the Jewish people. In his view, the sukkah simultaneously symbolizes shared institutions and a space that different social groups must share.

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Unity ahead of elections

Stav warned against creating separate “sukkahs” for each group with its own interests. He wrote that society cannot create separate armies, political parties, law enforcement agencies or medical services for every community and worldview.

The author also pointed out that election campaigns can reinforce internal barriers and form opposing camps. In his assessment, political and media forces may exaggerate the scale of social differences.

As a path toward a more cohesive society, Stav named awareness of commonality, abandoning the fear that one group seeks to destroy another, and searching for shared values while preserving differences. He stressed that unity should not be based solely on the need for physical survival or protection from external threats, and called for building a shared future on acceptance of others and a willingness to live together despite differences.