Best case Jews.

Scene one: "Do you really want to tell me those are Jews? With crosses tattooed into their foreheads?" – My mother about Ethiopians.

"What can I possibly have in common with a walking tent?" – my daughter is outraged when I tell her that the ladies in Rama B, clad in 7 layers of cloth, are Jewish.

Scene two: two boys are talking in our garden. A is about 9, D, with red hair, blue eyes and a knitted kippa,  is about 7, and they're speaking English.

A – are you Chareidi?

D – no…

A – So who? Mizrochnikim?

D – What's that?

A – Are you right or left?

D – Duh! Of course we're right wing!

A – Ok. Are you chassidish? Chabad, Breslev?

D – Of course not!

A – Oh, I know! You're Sfardi!

D – I'll ask my Aba..

A – So what kind are you?

D – We're just Jewish.

A – You talk shtuyot! (Nonsense). There is no such a thing, just Jewish! Are you bichlal religious?

Scene three:

I'm standing in front of a class.

-          Teacher, are you religious? And then – Are you American?

I say, I'm Russian. And yes. Religious.

-          But you don't look like that!

This scene repeats itself time after time, anywhere I teach. I give in and answer, because, I guess, they cannot perceive me without classifying me. People without a "box" just don't exist, to paraphrase Chechov's genius and still so timely "Man in a case" story.  I shatter their notions a bit, by being Russian and religious, and that's uncomfortable, ties their brains into a knot.

So here's the paradox. Starting from kindergarten we divide, by all possible attributes. We're boys and girls, religious and not, black and white, and xenophobia is a universal human phenomenon, from before dawn of Civilization. Xenos- a foreigner – looms large and scary. But within OUR OWN NATION?

But the worst rift of all slices our society into Right and Left. British notion about politics discussions being rude would not survive here for very long. Everybody argues – Land for Peace or Peace for Peace? Peace for War and War for Peace. Peace as a whole and Peace in pieces. Really, one's head could explode, if you permit me a pun over here. I see bus drivers forget the wheel and wave their arms around frantically to prove a point. Old ladies at the market greet each other not with "How are the grandchildren?" but with "Did you hear what the putz said?" Whoever the culprit may be. Couples divorce not over who is to take out the garbage, but over what they think of the Prime Minsiter. Even the kids are politicized. And the opponent here is not just wrong – he's crazy! Traitor! Idiot! Tfu, spit over your left shoulder.

Why is it so?

Firstly, because our very lives depend on those decisions the politicians make.

But there is more than that.

I think, a Jew is naturally a believer. Take away the Torah, and he'll attach to any "–ism" left lying around, to global warming, to Greenpeace, he'll save the whales and run for charity. A Jew needs a cause, at the very least.

So with the Right Wing it's all very simple – this is how we/they see the Torah rules, applied to today's reality. From burning the wigs and iPhones to building concrete boxes on the tippity-top of another hill, to have it demolished by the Army on the morrow. We believe. We are ready to listen and obey, each to his own.

But think about it – the Left is also a belief! A religion, if I may. Based on some understanding of Judaism and its special role in the world.

How would you define a religion?

I reckon it has to have the following attributes: a faith in some ideal; sacrifices, a necessity to give of yourself, the dearly beloved; prophets of one's own or borrowed; rituals; holy places; a hope for a better future; rejecting things or people that contradict the religion, a desire to annihilate/humiliate/ convince/subdue them – fill in the blank.

The Left believe not just in peace, but a Peace. It needs no proof; Of course our enemies also want Peace! Who wouldn't?! Faith is by definition irrational. So, the worse, the better. The worse for our country, the sooner it can be convinced into the glorious future. Love your enemy, dress him, educate him, give him money/water/electricity – and you shall be loved back. Blessed is he who beleiveth.

Sacrifices are the "sacrifices on the altar of Peace'. They do actually say that. They're unavoidable, and only prove how determined we are to reach… that's right. Peace!

The martyred prophet's name glorifies every city, town and village. There is a memorial day, ceremonies, songs and poetry. No more resurrections, please, though. One was enough.

Rituals take place on the square where the martyrdom took place. "Those who did not yet… we all, as one…. To defend… to declare…." Covering my head with a volume or Orwell, I instinctively fix my pioneer tie/hat/chador/turban/cross – fill in the blank – and crawl to the safe room.

I will not dwell on the hatred part – we all read the news plenty. And it's sad. Settlers are the enemies, occupants, who do not believe in the great god of Peace. Believing  in it must give a fantastic boost of confidence, of feeling yourself to be the real Jew, the truly chosen, light onto the nations, sweet and fluffy. We all think we're the only right kind of a Jew, don't we?

So, what's to be done? Divide, as my dear Bet Shemesh is about to divide? But the whole country?

Firstly, we must realize that there is no use arguing with a believer. This is his vision. Could you persuade a Christian that there was no virgin birth? Good luck to you. In the best case scenario, you'll get slightly bruised.

Accusations and hatred will only get us deeper into exile. The only hope we have is to find common points, things which make us One Nation, despite it all. Stop seeing a Jew as a xenos. Stop seeing them as idiots. If they believe, there must be a grain of truth in it, one of the 70 faces of the Torah, or some rational spark. And our job is to see it. Our job is to stop being "case men" and see people as people, not as labels. We are all reflected in each other, as in a crooked mirror. Not one of us is completely right or righteous, as much as we wish that was the case. That is not to say we should have our own faith dissolved – on the contrary! Faith could only mature when it crawls out of its comfy case. If we make the only true peace possible – with each other – our enemies will fall in multitude to our left side, as well as on our right side, as the Torah says. And if not – at least we won't have the additional pain of being tormented by our own brothers. And that's why we cannot tolerate foreign beliefs in our midst – because we are brothers. That is why we are ready to strangle each other on the bus and in a  café. Because deep down, we care. Let's recognize that, at least.