The climax came when she announced that in all schools, the theories of Charles Darwin would replace the Biblical creation story. That was just too much. The religious demanded that Rabin remove Shula from the education ministry. Rabin was occupied with the Oslo peace process and needed the religious parties. Shula was removed from the ministry.
AT HER funeral, one of her two sons, in a brilliant eulogy, hinted darkly at the "treachery" which was the hardest moment of her life. All those present understood what he meant, though he did not elaborate.
When Rabin dismissed Shula from her beloved job as Education Minister, her party colleagues did not come to her aid. Among themselves they accused her of acting foolishly. She should have known that joining a coalition with the religious parties would demand a price. If she was not ready to shut her mouth, she should not have joined in the first place.
Meretz was the creation of Shula. Party founders are generally strong personalities, with whom it is not easy to cooperate. Shula's party colleagues conspired against her, and eventually she was replaced as party leader by Yossi Sarid, a sharp-tongued Labor Party politician who had lately joined Meretz. In the next election, Meretz crashed from 12 seats to 3.
During the last few years, she was rarely in the public eye. I never saw her at demonstrations in the occupied territories, but she lectured incessantly to anyone, anywhere, when invited.
IN ONE of his frequent outbursts of vulgarity, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef of the Shas party said: "When Shulamit Aloni dies, there will be a feast!"
There was no feast this week. Even the Right acknowledges her contribution to Israel. The Meretz party, now with six members in the Knesset, is doing well in the polls.
The sixth chapter of the Song of Songs ends with the call: "Return, return oh Shulamite, return, return!" No chance of that. Not much chance of another Shulamit Aloni, either. They don't make them like that anymore.
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