We Must Still Will It, or It Will Be No Dream

Celebrating 75 Years of the Modern State of Israel

In Israel, as the sun sets tonight, Yom haZikaron will transition into Yom haAtzma'ut.  In Israel, Memorial Day (Yom haZikaron) is marked the day before Independence Day (Yom haAtzma'ut), so that we remember those who gave their lives so that the modern state of Israel could come into being and survive.

According to the Hebrew calendar, tonight marks the 75th anniversary of the declaration of the modern state of Israel - the return of sovereignty to the place where our people began, thousands of years ago; where we returned after the Exodus from Egypt, the exile in Babylon, and where we direct our prayers when we gather together to pray.

That ideal Israel, for which our ancestors prayed for almost two millennia, has become a real place - with real currency, real stamps, real taxes, and real problems.  Conflicting ideas of a Jewish state have warred with each other for decades, but have come to a head in recent months.  Those who believe the state must be founded solely along religious lines war with those who want to create a modern secular state.  Those who believe that Jews and Arabs can live together as fellow citizens war with those who think that a Jewish state should be solely that. Protests have filled the streets of Israel - as Shabbat ends each Saturday, and as Israelis gather to celebrate this momentous anniversary.

What is the relationship between Jews who have chosen not to live in Israel, and those who do?  Is the Jewish state a state for all Jews?  

We are Jews - traditionally we argue the most ferociously among ourselves, but we can agree on this:

The modern miracle of a Jewish state is celebrating 75 years, despite all the forces arrayed against it.  We may have differences with the current Israeli government; with the opinion of many Israelis; but we acknowledge that the ties our ancient homeland unite us in ways deep and meaningful.

In Altneuland, Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, said, אם תרצו, אין זו אגדה  (Although he said it in German, as Hebrew was not yet the language of Zionism.) - If you will it, it will be no dream.  75 years later, the words are still true - we must move from dream to reality; we must work to make the state of Israel into the idea.

(If you want to read my reflection on my most recent trip to Israel, you can find my Temple Topics column here.)