My Last Israel Entry.... for now

"If there's a place in the world that can make you cry, isn't that where you ought to be?" Rabbi Daniel Gordis on Israel.

I've spent two months in Israel. I'm back and so happy to see friends and family. But I feel like I left something there. I always feel like that. And I don't quite know how to describe it so I will borrow from a book by Gil Troy, there is a feeling "of belonging, of connectedness, of community, of self respect that comes from a sense of ownership. I feel like Israel is mine, that I belong to Israel and Israel belongs to me." It is not something I feel in Canada (and trust me I am not lacking in my CDN patriotism). For the first time I understand why Jews should mourn being exiled into the Galut (diaspora), as much as I become Canadian, I will never truly belong in the same way I feel I belong in Israel. When I was sitting at the ruins of the Second Temple during Tisha B'av (the day we mourn the destruction of the Second Temple) this was never more apparent to me.

One among many things I've learned....
Again I am going to borrow from Gil Troy to explain the dangers of anti-Zionism. First one must understand that to attack Zionism, rather then Israeli policies or the Israeli government is to repudiate the State of Israel and the idea of a Jewish state. Zionism at its simplest is Jewish nationalism, the understanding that Jews are a people, that Judaism is not just a religion and that Israel is the Jewish homeland. To feel a kinship with a certain community is natural, not racist. Certainly Jews are not the first community in Canada to balance an connection to their respective ethnic heritages with an ardent love for their land. There are a plethora of European nations, who are ironically quick to condemn Israel, which make their own very strict distinctions as to who can become a citizen (try to become a citizen of France, not as easy as you'd think). Every nation state reserves the right to make its own rules regarding citizenship. Anti-Zionism at its core attacks the very right of the Jews to their homeland.

I opened this entry with a quote by Rabbi Gordis. You may ask if a place makes me cry why the hell would i want to live there? I cry when I think of the settlers who were forced out of their homes for Disengagement, I cried when I saw images of soldiers crying and hugging settlers as they escorted them out of Gush Katif when the world expected all out civil war with Jew killing Jew Israeli reacted with no violent protest, I cried on Tisha B'av when I sat by the destructions of the Temple and I cry when innocent Israeli citizens are killed by terrorists, I cry tears of frustration when I see the lies and unwillingness to accept Israel by anti-Zionists and I cry when I saw the Israeli flag flying at our Solidarity with Israel concert last November, I get choked up every time I sing Hatikvah (The Hope), Israel's national anthem, thinking of the meaning of the words, I swell with pride when I read about Israel's many achievements and I cry everytime I leave the country. With so many emotions in me for one country, for one people- how could I think of living anywhere else.