In his ninth decade Shimon Peres has finally found redemption. Israel’s perennial political loser has blossomed, ironically enough, in the politically neutral position of President of Israel into the effective political leader he always sought to become. Peres represents all Israelis, serving as a unifying force. Peres represents the Jews of the Diaspora with his dignity and ever so finely honed political smarts. And now, Peres represents Judaism itself, cancelling his participation in the 2012 Olympic Games in London after failing to find a way to attend the opening ceremony without desecrating Shabbos.
Reports JTA: The opening ceremony begins on a Friday, July 27, before Shabbat starts, but will end well after the onset of the holy day. There’s no hotel nearby for Peres to walk to. Though Peres is not religiously observant, he does not publicly desecrate Shabbat — because he represents the entirety of the Jewish people.
Oh, while we’re on the subject of Shimon Peres, just this “footnote”: Political success or no, it was Peres who, in the 1950s, secured from France Israel’s nuclear weaponry. When you hear of Israel neither confirming nor denying its nuclear capacity — its ultimate deterrent power — you can thank Shimon Peres. His is perhaps the single most important contribution to Israel’s security ever.
Copyright © 2012 by the Intermountain Jewish News
