If you take
out a map and look at the size of Israel compared to other countries, even
those surrounding it, it seems rather miniscule in size. If you compare the population of Israel which
is 8 million to the world population 7, 125,000,000 it is a mere drop in the
bucket. If you look at the percentage of
Jews in the world, it is .2%...or in other words, 2 out of every 1,000
individuals. So if these figures are
indicative of the smallness of our Jewish world, why is it that so much time
and energy is spent by hate groups advocating for the isolation or even the
outright destruction of Israel? Where
would we as Jews be without a State of Israel, where would the world be without
a Jewish state?
Since 1975,
I’ve had the opportunity to visit Israel at least 25 times spending many weeks
living in Israel with my family, touring, attending learning sessions, and
meeting with new and old olim. I’ve had
the opportunity to attend lectures given by the prime minister, head of the
Jewish Agency, and news commentators.
I’ve ridden in cabs, trains, and buses in various cities and between
cities. I’ve seen the medical care
provided by Hadassah hospital when Charlie got sick. I’ve visited various gan and public school
programs. I’ve gone to an array of
different synagogues, visited controversial sites across the green line, and spent
time in historical sites.
I can tell
you without any hesitation, that Israel is not an apartheid state. Israeli
Moslems, Jews, and Christians can pray openly in their places of worship within
Israel and live anywhere and vote. Anyone who qualifies, can go on to the
university, regardless of background. In
2015, 35% of the medical students at the Technion were Arab students. 14% of students in the country pursuing a BA
degree were Arab students. Even Omar
Barghouti the founder of the BDS Movement who openly says he opposes a Jewish
state in any part of Palestine, attends Tel Aviv University as a Ph.d.
candidate student. Signs are in Hebrew and Arabic and English for
the most part. In some places signs are
in French and Russian as well. When
you’re on the streets, you hear all of the languages just mentioned plus
Amharic, Phillipino, Thai, and many more.
People of all races, nationalities, and gender identities are part of
Israeli society. Israel recognizes the
legal rights of LGBTQ individuals and is the only place in the Middle East
where it is not illegal to express one’s gender identity if it does not fit
into a binary system. In terms of the justice system in Israel, one Arab
justice serves on the supreme court of the country and 52 of the 672 judges in
the country are Arab judges. When you think about medical care in Israel it is
important to note that hospitals in Israel treat individuals who are in need of
medical care without worrying about their backgrounds. Individuals from the West Bank and Gaza,
Israel proper, and even Syria receive the same high standard of care from
doctors in Israeli hospitals and field hospitals. Even terrorists who are wounded are
treated! As I see it, the boycott,
divestment, and sanctions movements against Israel are basically just a new
form of anti-Semitism. At its
heart, BDS does not aim to affect positive political change or improve the
situation for Palestinians. BDS’ objective is to delegitimize Israel and
undermine its right to exist. • BDS dishonestly equates former apartheid South
Africa with present-day Israel in order to enlist people of conscience in a
global campaign of economic and social pressure. • BDS does not seek Israeli-Palestinian
peace. Instead, many of its proponents seek to destroy Israel. Without Israel sharing its knowledge
and products with the rest of the world, many in our world would suffer. Israel
shares its knowledge about desalinization of ocean water with countries facing
water crises. It shares its medical
advancements to help people worldwide in need of treatments for cancer, heart
disease, and neurological diseases. It
shares its teams of experts to help communities who have suffered from
earthquakes and provides expertise to countries trying to figure out how to
fight terrorism. If that movement gains
speed, it will also endanger 36,000 Palestinian jobs in the west bank that pay
three times the average Palestinian wage.
Is Israel
perfect in all ways? NO! Is there room for improved relationships with
her surrounding neighbors? Absolutely. Do we look forward to a cessation of
violence and the incitement to violence so that Israelis and Palestinians will
return to direct negotiations toward co-existence and peace. Yes! However,
from my conversations while in Israel, I sense among older Israelis that they
feel they’ll never see peace in their lifetime. Their hope is that peace will
be a reality for their children. They don’t want to see a world where their
country no longer exists.
I cannot
imagine a world without Israel. Such a
world would scare me. I’ve seen too many
Jews from Europe and the Middle East who have come there in search of a life
that allows them to freely walk down the streets as a Jew. I’ve seen too many children who are proud to
express their Jewish identities and too many individuals from all over the
world who have found a place where they can go to learn about their heritage.
Being proud
of Israel’s history and accomplishments is not something that one gets by just
reading a text book or a newspaper. Having
a feeling of attachment to Israel is not something which we can take for
granted by Jews living in America anymore.
The best way to learn about Israel is to experience it first-hand. The best way to develop a love for this small
but amazing country is to walk through it.
With that thought in mind, plans are underway for Tifereth Israel’s very
first ever Congregational Tour of Israel in Commemoration of 50 years of the
Reunification of Jerusalem. It will be
held from June 6-14 and is being designed by daily themes. We will spend time in the Old City and New
City of Jerusalem. We will ascend to
Shabbat from the Dead Sea to Jerusalem, have an amazing Shabbat in Jerusalem
including studying with a Pardes teacher. We will recreate the Past in Neot
Kedumim, a biblical nature preserve, visit a greenhouse and coexistence
laboratory run by Jewish and Arab youths, explore mysticism in Sfat and take an
atv tour of the Golan heights. We will
stay in a kibbutz guest house, take a
night cruise on the Kineret, and learn about the establishment of the
modern state of Israel as we investigate Zichron Yaakkov and Tel Aviv. We will meet with representatives of the
Ethiopian National Project and a senior advisor to the Mayor of Tel Aviv. The trip includes housing, breakfasts,
transportation, a tour guide, and all entrance fees. It will be an opportunity
for our members to connect with one another and to reconnect with former
members who will join us as well. It will be a time to bask in the glory of
Israel, to learn what it means to appreciate this small but complex country and
to personally fulfill the dream of thousands of years of returning to HaAretz
and being able to call it home! Be on
the look-out for our promotional materials about this opportunity to join us on
a trip of a lifetime! This is something
you will remember for the rest of your life.
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