Levi Brackman’s Website

Israel often makes Diaspora Jews feel excluded from the Jewish enterprise which is Israel

As a British citizen living in the USA and married to an Israeli I have a complex relationship with Yom Haatzmaut (Israeli Independence Day). Yom Hazikaron (Israeli Remembrance Day) is easier to connect with. On Yom Hazikaron in our house we watch Israeli news on the Internet and the special reporting abut the soldiers who were killed while defending Israel and the civilians killed in terror attacks.

 

It is easy to feel empathy for the families of the fallen and to admire the courage of the soldiers who protect the lives of our Jewish brothers and sisters in the Holy Land. In fact, in Judaism dying while defending others is a tremendous honor and each Israeli Defense Force soldier carries out a holy mission defending the Jewish people and the Divine Presence walks with them. There are few, if any, greater privileges.
 
However Yom Haatzmaut is different. I do not connect with this holiday in the same way. This does not mean I do not celebrate it—each year our family goes to Yom Haatzmaut celebrations and we enjoy them. However the personal connection is missing. Clearly the reason for this is because I am not Israeli.

Jews part of the Land of Israel
 
Jews all around the world celebrate Passover although they never personally left Egypt and they feel it is their holiday. The same applies for post biblical Holidays such as Hanukkah and Purim. It is strange then that holidays that represent Jewish victories of thousands of year ago are celebrated universally throughout the Jewish world but a contemporary Jewish victory does not command the same loyalty.

The reason for this is two-fold: First the packaging of the holiday and second the attitude of Israelis. Yom Haatzmaut is portrayed as an Israeli cultural holiday when in fact it should be presented as a Jewish holiday. The difference is that many Jews do not live in Israel and therefore are not as connected to Israeli culture. They are however connected to the Land of Israel which was given to the Jewish people by God. As such each Jew inherits a part in the Land of Israel whether they live there or not.

In addition to the biblical and religious aspects of this in the declaration of Israeli independence it talks about the “reestablishing in Eretz-Israel the Jewish State, which would open the gates of the homeland wide to every Jew.” This was the noble ideal—a country all Jews, no matter where in the world they live, can feel a part of.

Diaspora Jews feel excluded
 
In reality, however, Israel has become more Israeli then Jewish. And although most Israelis are Jewish not all Jews are Israeli. Jews who do not live in Israel and who have never served in its armed forces are told by many Israelis that they do not have a right give an opinion about Israel. Diaspora Jews are expected by many Israelis to just give their money and keep their mouths shut.

Israel, therefore, often makes Diaspora Jews feel excluded from the Jewish enterprise which is Israel. Ultimately it is not an Israeli claim to the land of Israel. It is a Jewish claim that comprises all Jews including those not living in Israel and that the facts on the ground also concur with this is something all Jews should celebrate.

Clearly therefore Israeli Independence Day must cease being just an Israeli holiday and should become a universal Jewish Holiday with a Jewish character. But for this to occur Israelis must be prepared to share.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."