The Ashkenazi Revolution

212that of their descendants. The children of the couple belong, at the sametime, to two Jewish peoples. If they decide to join the larger people, thenthey are advancing the integration. But if they join the smaller people, thenthey are aiding the opposite process. The decision, in matters of theintegration of exiles, which is the most important of all internal decisions inthe nation, is determined in a most democratic way through a process that issimilar to an ongoing referendum. The influence of political parties, uponthe process, is much smaller than what they think, and only their habit ofcontrolling everything motivates them to accept responsibility in thissphere.3Because the process of mixed marriage is tied to continuous democraticdecision-making, which takes place within families and in smallincrements, it is subject, by its very nature, to many variables and weshould not make predictions as to its speed. Nevertheless, it is clear thatthere is a good chance that the Ladino nation will be absorbed completelyinto the Ashkenazi nation. Ladino Jews constitute the dividing linebetween Ashkenaz and Mizrahi Jewry. They are the connecting linkbetween the two blocs and they are the natural candidates for the elite classthat stands at the forefront of the Mizrahi people’s struggle against theAshkenazim. Because of the fact that Ladino Jewry refused to accept, uponitself, this role, it has announced, in an unequivocal manner, that it wishesto mix with the Ashkenazi People. This decision is a valuableaccomplishment for us. The Ladino nation is a wonderful nation.Everywhere we meet these Jews we find them excelling at their tasks.They were among the best warriors in the Underground. They wereexceptional in founding villages. They excel as businessmen and craftsmenwho are skilled and trustworthy. Over and over again, they produce menwho are noteworthy in their capabilities. The crowning jewel of the Ladinonation’s creations, in the State of Israel, is the great, and multi-branched,concern of Discount Bank, which brought to our banking a strong trend inhelpfulness and business flexibility. But all these accomplishmentsactually testify that the Ladino nation is a mediocre nation with limited