Sam from Israel

I said goodbye to my daughter Liat at Ramah High School in the Chava in Jerusalem.  Tears welled up in my eyes as I came to the realization that I would be apart from my daughter and far away once again.  I am also so joyful that she has such become such a Zionist.  She loves Israel and she loves being Jewish.  CSS did that for her, but now after these four moths it is much engrained in her. She has had a very good experience living and studying in Jerusalem.  She has seen so much and met so many interesting people.  I highly recommend the program.

While in Israel, I was fortunate to be able to spend Yom Hazikaron with my close friends the Singers.  My good friends, Benjy, Saul and Daniel had another brother Alex Singer, who I grew up with in Washington D.C.  Alex was killed while serving in the IDF. he died while in a fierce battle in Southern Lebanon in 1987, the first Lebanon war.  Alex was an inspirational person, who made officer in short time in the Paratroopers.  His story can be found at www.alexsinger.org

While standing next to the grave site at Har Herzl in Jerusalem, I was unaware that the Israeli army sends a soldier to each grave site on Yom Hazikaron and they send a whole minyan on the yeirtzeit day.  The officers salute the grave site during the entire two minute siren that goes off at 11:00 am.  

Afterward we went to the Singers apartment in Jerusalem.  The parents were very upset as the Hezbollah fighter that killed Alex and two other soldiers that day, was just released from jail after serving just 15 years.  He was released in a prisoner exchange where 200 prisoners were released in exchange for one Israel.  Many of the Arabs that get released from Israeli prisons, get bachelors and masters degrees while they are in there, courteously of the Israeli government.  Meanwhile Gilad Shalit probably never can even see the light of day.

 The entire country stops and stands at attention on the street during these two minutes of the siren.  The same siren is blasted on Yom Hashoah.  I have not been in Israel on Yom a Hashoah or Yom Hazikaron since I was in High School. It was so intense!  

Also amazing is the way that the country transitions from Yom Hazikaron to Yom Haazmaut. The solemn day is a hard one for many Israelis, almost everyone in the country knows or has lost a love one or friend to Israel’s many wars.  But Yom Haazmaut turns the tears of sorrow into those of joy.  

There is tremendous pride in Israel.  Israel’s Memorial Day has such deep and somber meaning and Independence Day is a true celebration of democracy, freedom and tolerance but also one of great thanks that Israel exists. Seeing so many different religions while in Israel reminds me that Israel is a place of tolerance and that it is always hoping for peace.  Israelis love the landscape and they all are outside on Yom Hatzmuot, the beaches and parks are full!

What is unfortunate is the sense of futility regarding the peace process.  Most people feel like there is no true partner for peace, especially with Hamas and Fatah now joining together.  They have been unhappy that Barak Obama has yet to visit Israel. Still everyone knows that the US and Canada are Israel’s closest friends.  The anti Israeli and anti-Semitism that is now being seen in Europe are scary.  French Jews have immigrated to Israel recently in record numbers.  It is very sad, as the Israeli people and Jews want and need to live in Peace and no matter how hard they try to respect their enemies, the world is generally against them. Most Israel Arabs that you meet are so thankful that they live in Israel and not Palestine or another Arab country where they would have less rights and more oppression. This fact highlighted for me that the criticism against Israel’s army, that is simply trying to defend its citizens and create a better life for the Jews and Arabs alike in Israel is pure hatred of Jews.  Anyone that says that the Palestinians should have the right of return may not realize that that would mean the end of the Jewish majority in Israel and perhaps the end of Israel as a safe haven for Jews.  We need Israel, without Israel all Jews in the world have nowhere to go toy when the anti Semitism gets intolerable for them in their country, without Israel all Jews would be in great danger.

I am on the plane and I return to the states invigorated with renewed purpose for my job.  Camp Solomon Schechter is in an important and unique position to change the world.  The camp staff has a very important job to do. The Jews of the northwest are so very far from our homeland that we serve as starlight and an outpost for Israel and the Jewish people.  We must educate our youth and our regional communities about Israel. Israel, while you may not agree with everything it does, has a very humanistic army and government.  Israel respect people, their beliefs, culture and heritage like no other.  Their moral code is impeccable.  The criticism against her is a double standard and an attempt to delegitimize her.  Local anti Israel sentiment is pure and simple anti Semitism.  Schechter has a big job to do.  We must try and be a part of giving our youth the tools necessary to combat this anti Semitism on their college campuses.  Israel is surrounded by enemies and is vulnerable and so all Jews must stand by her side.

On a positive note, Shabbat in Israel is so amazing!  Secular and/or religious, no one works on Shabbat.  Shabbat is a day of true rest and fun.  The country runs and works hard Sunday through Thursday.  Friday is a fun day that includes Shabbat preparations and Shabbat is quiet and joyful.  On Shabbat the whole Jewish country rests, making the Sabbath feel holy, rather than worthless. In Jerusalem, you hear Jews singing and clapping and experiencing real joy at being Jewish and of the existence of G-d. At home in America, except for at camp, you cannot replicate this intense feeling of rest and stoppage.  Jews in Israel, religious or not experience Judaism through a way of life, just like at camp. American Jewish Communities need the synagogues and temples to define their Judaism.  In Israel, the whole country feels like a synagogue. 

I am a big pacifist, a vegan and very concerned about social justice.  On Israel, the critics in the Pacific Northwest have it wrong.  The small Jewish country is the underdog, and the Arab worlds are the bullies and the majority.  Israel is the smaller country, the smaller people; the more disliked for no reason, yet the more humanistic and the greater contributor to society.  We Jews have to have our strong country since the world could so easily turn against us.  Stay true to the Jewish People, stay true to Israel, we must all be advocates to combat the dangerous misinformation out there that will lead to greater strife for the Jews.  It has only been 65 years since the Holocaust, be vigilant, be proud to be Jewish, visit Israel be proud of all that she is and all that she has accomplished and given the world in its short history. Do not join forces with anti Israel groups, as a Jew among them is a great setback to explaining to the world the reality about Jews.  We want peace and tranquility for all of G-d creatures.  We are so lucky to have Israel, please don’t forget it.

Sam with Benji Singer