True leaders serve the people they lead. Sacks contrasted hierarchical, pyramid-like power structures with service-oriented leadership that lifts others. Toward that end, he pointed out that a great leader encourages leadership in others.<\/p>\n
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. (credit: BLAKE EZRA PHOTOGRAPHY)<\/p>\n
As an example, Moses himself modeled this by involving the entire community in building a shared vision, shifting people from argument as a first response to informed cooperation.<\/p>\n
In addition, leadership requires offering a compelling, shared vision of the future that inspires trust and overcomes despair.<\/p>\n
Sadly, in today\u2019s world, it is a real challenge to identify anyone who embodies all of the qualities Rabbi Sacks described. For sure, some autocratic leaders have a vision but, sadly, don\u2019t see themselves as serving anyone but themselves.<\/p>\n
In other cases, there are democratic leaders who, rather than encourage leadership in others, do all they can to undercut those with leadership potential. And as for morality, that ceased to be a requirement of leadership some years ago as well.<\/p>\n
Add to these challenges the sad decline of societal norms, which have exacerbated the negative aspects of substandard leadership. We see that the age-old conflict between truth and power has returned anew, replaced by the noise of social media. The resultant erosion of mutual trust resulting from the undermining of truth by power simply adds fuel to the fire.<\/p>\n
In addition, the rampant intolerance for opposing points of view and an almost complete breakdown in civil discourse destroys the very foundations of government by consent. Even the universities<\/a>, which were always seen as safe spaces for ideological cross-fertilization, now seem to be intent on morally bankrupting their students.<\/p>\n How, then, do we emerge from this virtual swamp and reclaim our lost values? In the years before his untimely passing, Rabbi Sacks suggested that the most productive pathway out of the morass is to pursue \u201ccovenantal politics.\u201d<\/p>\n He opined that cultures governed by self-interest, as so many are today, tend to be contractual. Getting to a \u201cwe-centered\u201d culture requires a revision of identity, and for this, Sacks maintained, the paradigm of covenant may well be crucial.<\/p>\n According to Sacks, \u201cA contract is a transaction. A covenant is a relationship. A contract is about interests. A covenant is about identity. That\u2019s why contracts benefit, but covenants transform. A covenant creates a moral community.\u201d<\/p>\n At a crossroads<\/p>\n Israel, in its early days, was centered more around a covenantal community given its development as a socialist society. The kibbutz was certainly a prime example, while the entire population received many of the benefits inherent in the kibbutz social structure even though the country was struggling economically.<\/p>\n