Prof. Yasha Grobman speaks at the Hadera protest 15.2.25

Photo credit: Photography: Ilan Sutskever.

Good evening Hadera,

Like all of you, I am here to express solidarity with the release of the hostages: Sasha Tropanov, Sagi Dekel-Chen, and Yair Horn.

Welcome back. We all tremble with excitement every time a hostage return. You've seen how bad they look after 498 days. You've heard what they say about the captivity. We don't have time. We can't stop now. We can't let messianic politicians stop the deal - we want to bring everyone back.

ALL OF THEM!

After they return, we will be questioned. After they return, we will learn from the mistakes. After they return, we will be held accountable for those who harmed them and also for those who let it happen. We will not forget or forgive. And we will not allow any politician to evade responsibility. Take responsibility now!!!

Hadera, I want to offer a broader perspective on our situation, looking beyond the immediate challenges. My goal is to offer a hopeful path forward, a way to reset and restore our country’s pride, hope, and prosperity.

My name is Yasha Grovman. I was born in Moscow, in the Soviet Union. I was exiled from there in 1971 because we were Zionists. I'm a reserve Lieutenant Colonel. I completed flight training and served in the Air Force as a combat navigator. I flew regularly and in reserve for about 20 years in fighter jets throughout the Middle East. I’m an architect and, until recently, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning at the Technion.

Speaking for a broad public, deeply committed to the values of the Declaration of Independence, I say that Israelis – Zionists, secular citizens, working families, and those serving our country, from across the political spectrum – must now unite behind those same values."

The poet David Avidan said:

What makes the deep sadness and heavy grief bearable,

is the simple truth: we have no other home.

We, the vast majority of the public in Israel, are not going anywhere. We, the Zionist, educated, productive, and serving public, will continue to build a Jewish-democratic state here in the spirit of the Declaration of Independence, founded on the foundations of freedom, justice, equality, and peace.

Hadera, I hold a Bible in my hand. I swore an oath on this book at the end of my pilot course. I am proud of my Bible. But the Messianic Jews tell us that it is not ours. That we have forgotten what it is to be Jewish, and I tell them -

This Bible is ours!!!

We won't let them take it away from us!!!

I refuse to let Smotritz and Ben Gvir dictate what I can and can't read. My library is filled with literary giants like Meir Shalev, Amos Oz, Shai Agnon, and the Bible – what about theirs?

We won't be intimidated by a vocal few trying to hijack our heritage and culture. They may claim to be more Jewish, more devoted to Israel, even suggesting they should pray for us. But we say, enough. We don’t need their prayers or protection – we embody the Judaism of the Declaration of Independence.

We embrace our Jewish heritage, passing down the wisdom of the Bible and the history of our people. We celebrate traditions like Hanukkah and Passover, and find meaning in synagogue visits and prayer, on our own terms. We are proudly Jewish – the Judaism of the Declaration of Independence.

I stand here on behalf of a public that believes in the values of the Declaration of Independence. We, the vast majority of Israelis – the Zionist, secular, productive, and serving public – from the right and the left – must understand that the time has come to unite under the values of the Declaration of Independence.

This is a call to action for all Israelis who cherish democracy, the flag, equality, and the Torah. This is a call to action for all those who are worried about the future. Join us in rejecting extremism and embracing reason, Zionism, and democracy.

The path I'm proposing to you tonight is the path of "Gush Megilat HaAtzmaut" (The Declaration of Independence Bloc). We, the vast majority of the public in Israel – the Zionist, secular, productive, and serving public – from the right and the left – must understand that the time has come to unite under the values of the Declaration of Independence.

Only this understanding will lead to unity, healing wounds, and a profound change in society and politics in the country. Each and every one of you must stand up against extremism. and say to them and to themselves: “I am a proud Jew of the Declaration of Independence.”

Each of us must stand proudly against the messianic, extremist, and racist groups, who abandon Hostages, discriminate against women, glorify lynch mobs and revenge, and steal our money through political bribery.

In our Judaism, there is no place for political corruption. There is no place for the exploitation of the public treasury, and there is no place for hatred machines. Our Judaism will not let any hostage remain behind. We will bring them all back.

All who believe in democracy, the flag, equality, and the Torah, and are concerned about the future, are invited to search for “We are the Jews of the Declaration of Independence” online and join the change we are leading.

Because WE are Judaism of the Declaration of Independence.

Professor Yasha Grovman, Reserve Lieutenant Colonel Combat Navigator, and former Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning at the Technion."