Posted on July 2, 2023

In early May 2023, I was invited to participate in a first-of-its-kind conference in Israel by a civilian grassroots movement named The Fourth Quarter. Unfamiliar with the group, I jumped online seeking information, and the more I discovered the more curious I became: Could this be history in the making? Are we reaching new times in Israel? Times of hope, vision, and responsible deliberation led by citizens from all sides of the spectrum?

Stepping Forward

The Fourth Quarter was established two years ago following the increasing tension between the different Israeli groups, which has resulted in the impotence of the government to build a stable coalition or pass laws in the last five years or so. Due to demographic changes in the population throughout the years, there are currently four major “tribes” in Israel: the secular, the religious-national, the Arab, and the ultra-Orthodox, which are fundamentally different from one another and growing equally in size. Each group sees the other as a threat: on the one hand a danger to secular-liberal life, and on the other a threat to the Zionist enterprise. One way this fear is expressed is by having segregated cities and education systems that teach different values and narratives, which increases the tension and division regarding national identity. The lack of integration among groups makes it easy to see the “other” as the enemy and seeds hate and fear between them. This presents a tremendous challenge for Israel, as citizens fear this separation is paving the way to civil war.

The Fourth Quarter movement was founded to find a better solution to resolve this separation and lack of unity. They are suggesting that citizens drop the notion of waiting for our leaders to save and unite us and instead join, lead bottom-up, and be part of the solution.

It seemed this movement was attempting the impossible in a country full of tribes and conflicts as old as its history. This grassroot movement is calling on all Israeli citizens to build a strong united base that consists of all—Arabs, Jews, religious, seculars, and more. The purpose is to gain enough power to impact the way we do politics and renew the lost trust between the citizens and the country’s institutions. Sound impossible? I would remind you that women having the ability to vote was also thought impossible at one time.

One of the biggest challenges societies face when calling on people’s involvement is the faith and belief factors. In my opinion, as a society we have become cynical and pessimistic about a better future. We believe that we have no power to change the system or organize as a group to achieve big goals, even if history tells us otherwise. We excel at writing posts on social media and admiring those who led major changes that once seemed impossible, like Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, but we have zero belief or faith that a change as big as that can happen again. Ha!

So, I signed up with a mind full of questions and a heart full of hope. How could I not?

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