Dear Friends,
Seventy years may seem like a long time, but for the Jewish People, it’s but a blink of an eye. We -- that is, the Jewish People -- arose over three thousand years ago in the Near East. We came into our own in the land that came to bear our name, the Land of Israel, under our own rule, with our own kings, prophets and priests -- our own political, spiritual and religious leaders.
We were conquered and brutally dispersed from that land, not once but twice. And in the intervening millenia, we have endured prolonged exile, oppression, persecution and repeated, determined efforts to annihilate us.
Yet we have survived. Not only have we survived in the diaspora communities in which we have long lived, but in the last century we have returned to our land to reclaim it, to build it and to be built up (
livnot u’l’hibanot
) in the process.
Seventy years ago this week, the State of Israel was born.
Since then, the State has flourished. Think about it: In 1948, there were just 806,000 people in Israel; today, its population stands at 8,842,000, of whom just about three quarters (6,589,000) are Jewish. In 1948, there were only three Israeli cities that had populations greater than 100,000. Today, there are 15 cities of at least that size. And the future looks bright. Israel’s Jewish population will soon equal that of all diaspora Jewish communities combined.
Of course, the price that Israel has paid -- and continues to pay -- for its independence has been steep. It has not known a day when it hasn’t had to invest enormous human, material and financial resources in furtherance of its defense. Even as the peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan remain in force, relations along the borders with Syria and Lebanon remain volatile. The presence of Iranian military assets in Syria, able to coordinate efforts with Hezbollah in Lebanon, pose an immediate and grave threat to Israel’s security. And the conflict with the Palestinians, whether in Gaza, the West Bank, or in Israel proper, continues unresolved.
And yet, as Israel’s 70th birthday approaches, it’s time to celebrate.
For as Jews, we not only
grieve
together, we
celebrate
together. As Isaiah wrote (66:10):
“Rejoice with Jerusalem and celebrate with her, all of you who love her. Join in her jubilation, all of you who have mourned over her.”
We may be beyond the age of miracles, but the fact that the State was able to come into being, and has continued to exist -- and even to flourish -- since then, is worthy of true thanksgiving and celebration.
To appreciate the value of celebrating together, I invite you to watch the latest Koolulam video, produced just this week in honor of Israel’s 70th birthday.
Koolulam brought together 12,000 people (yes, that’s not a misprint) and, in the presence of President Reuven Rivlin and famed musician Shlomi Shabat, produced an affecting rendition of Naomi Shemer’s
“Al Kol Elah”
(“For Everything”).
Also known as
“Al HaDvash v’Al Ha-Oketz,”
or “The Bitter and The Sweet,” this song captures the mixture of smiles and tears that might come upon us when we think about the vibrancy of the old-new State of Israel, and, at the same time, the pain and sadness that often lie not too far submerged beneath the surface.
We might not have been able to travel to Israel this year for Yom HaAtzmaut, but let’s watch this video -- and let’s try singing along:
