“No Sex In This City”. How big of a victory?

Israel makes the news every single day. However, sometimes, its not only for security reasons. Today, Israel made the news for the fact that Jerusalem banned the use of banners for the new movie of “Sex in the City”. The frum religious community became incredibly happy of the decision and claimed it as a victory. Yet, while I am incredibly happy with the preservation of holiness in the town of Jerusalem, I ask myself, how big of a victory is this really? I mean, as one of our fellow bloggers, Avital Stern, mentioned on an ABC News Report on the issue: “There are provocative pictures in the clothing ads where girls are dressed provocatively in different positions with guys.”

We know the routine. Secular Jews want to sell Hametz on Passover, Religious Jews fight to stop them. Secular Jews want to open a store on shabbat. Huge rallies are organized by religious jews to stop this.

Sometimes, religious Jews, Thank God, win battles. Other times, unfortunately, they loose the battles. However, I don't identify with this battle-to-battle approach with what is probably THE MOST IMPORTANT issue in Israel's society today – the building of a holy nation on the holy land. I think a different approach is possible.

Why don't we take a different approach? Why not, instead of divisive battle-to-battle politics, engage most our energy in the inspiration of Israeli society so that soon there won't even be a “hava aminah” (the initial thought) of selling Hametz, opening stores on shabbat or having un-Tzniout ads. I'm not saying the battles are not important. They sometimes accomplish very positive things. Yet, I feel they are not enough. Even more, sometimes, the divisiveness created by using ONLY this method of activism leads to a backlash from the secular community which does not want to be coherced into religion.

Yes, the secular jews do not want to be coherced into religion. To be honest, I understand them. I would not want to be coherced into something I do not believe. Yes, shocking, but true. However, most secular israelis that I know really want to be inspired by religion. Not only are they not opposed to inspiration, they ask for it. What they hate is cohersion.

Again, I'm not saying we should take away the laws of Hametz. I don't believe those laws are cohersion since I believe most Israelis want them there. What I am questioning is the approach we take to such problems.

What do you think? Am I just too idealistic to see what the reality demands or is my approach a good one?