Sunday, June 30, 2013

Israel and the Diaspora

I am a Diaspora Jew who has no intention of moving to Israel. Yet, I consider myself a Zionist. So what does that mean? It means I support the idea of Theodore Herzl and the Zionists who promoted the idea of a Jewish country back in the 1880s which can be a refuge from anti-Semitism. I am fortunate to live in the USA where anti-Semitism is not common. I see Israel as a nation consisting mostly (but not completely) of ethnic Jews (although many Israeli Jews do not practice the Jewish religion). For me there is an unwritten contract between the Jews of Israel and the Jews of the Diaspora. For the Diaspora side of the contract, we in the Diaspora support Israel financially and morally. We Jews on this planet at present are divided into approximately 3 thirds, 1/3 in Israel, 1/3 in North America, and 1/3 scattered over everywhere else. Having the support of a population twice its size makes the Israeli people less isolated. For the Israeli side of the contract, Israel provides a place to which Jews can flee when the need arises. To support Israel is like investing in an insurance policy. It is part of the idea of "Kol Yisroel Achim" (literally all of Israel are brothers or in other words, "we have each other's backs").
On the Diaspora side, supporting Israel does not mean we have to always agree with everything the Israeli government says or does. We are people with many different opinions. But we must never abandon Israel. We should speak our minds, but to use things like divestment to express our opinions is absolutely wrong.
On the Israeli side, Israel must remain strong to keep its population safe. Of course maintaining a strong military is essential. But beyond that, Israel must do everything it can to make peace with its neighbors. The reality is that 20% of the population of the State of Israel is not Jewish and mostly Arab. And the West bank and Gaza Strip which make up the rest of Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel or in other words the Land of Palestine) is inhabited by a majority of Arabs who now call themselves Palestinians. An accommodation which works reasonably for everyone is essential for peace and the security of Israel. Creating such an accommodation is not an easy task. But making a workable peace is essential for the safety of the Israeli people, to fulfill the Zionist dream, and for Israel to keep up its side of the contract. To maximize Israel's strength it should be as inclusive as possible. The definition of who is a Jew should be liberal and not left up to some Orthodox rabbis with a narrow view who is Jewish. The children of migrant workers who do not fit the Orthodox definition of who is a Jew but who speak Hebrew and have grown up as Israelis should be allowed to remain in Israel. The Israeli Arabs are equal before the law, but inequalities still exist. There should be an active program to correct those remaining inequities. Israeli Arabs should be encouraged to learn Hebrew and should be given the same government support as Jewish Israelis. There should be a government program in the schools to encourage an attitude of equality, belonging, and friendship on the part of all the people. There should be additions to the national anthem to include non-Jews as well as Jews. The Jewish religion is strong. It survived 2,000 years of persecution. It certainly does not need to be artificially propped up to survive in Israel. Also, Jewish denominations other than Orthodox should be encouraged and have equal standing with Orthodoxy.
The law of return for Jews must remain. That is Israel's part of the contract and the reason it was created in the first place. That is the one inequity that the Israeli Arabs will have to accept. But in return they will be living in the most stable advanced nation in the Middle East. Peace has much to offer everyone in the area, if only they can do it.