The Ashkenazi Revolution

202is, however, this: What is preferable for the Sephardim? Do they choosethe demolition of their “house”, and the rescue of its inhabitants, or perhapsthey prefer to die an ignoble death within the crumbling and leaking houseas long as they preserve the illusion that their troubles are not the fault ofthe house, but various external factors, among them the Ashkenazim? Thisis the problem. The Sephardim should see the situation as it is. The greattime-ship of Judeo-Arabic culture, which arose in Spain, is quickly sinking.At the bottom of this time-ship, which has floated upon the waves of timefor a thousand years or more, there is a gaping hole. The water is risingquickly and is washing over the decks. The time of the Sephardim isdying; the ship dwellers are fleeing toward other time-ships, that is to say,to other civilizations, mainly the French one and the Latin American ones.The million Sephardim in the State of Israel must decide what to do in thissituation. This is not a question for Sephardic ministers, or office-holders,that is posed today, but a greater and more fateful question. Whichcivilization will the Sephardim choose to replace their own civilization,which is sinking before their eyes? Time is short and the answer needs tobe given without delay.The answer “Israeli culture” is not sufficient. There was a ridiculousattempt to mix these two cultures, the Ashkenazi and the Sephardi, togetherin the Land of Israel. Those who laid the foundations of this culture weretoo optimistic regarding the abilities, and values, of the Sephardim. Theynever considered that the values of these people could be so poor, and thatthe masses that subscribed to these values could be so lowly. The downfallof the Sephardic Judeo-Arabic culture, which takes place before our veryeyes, puts a question mark also under the Sephardic components that wereincluded within Israeli culture, that is to say, the Ashkenazi-Sephardi mix.Within part of the Ashkenazi intelligentsia, we note a tendency for dramaticrevision of this culture, a revision whose goal is to strengthen theAshkenazi portion, and to diminish the Sephardic values therein. What isthe opinion of the Sephardim on this matter? This does not only pertain tous, but also to them. They must make a great assessment betweenthemselves and the culture of the “golden age”, and this great, and abstract,