60 Years of Statehood
Kol Nidre 5768
Rabbi Joseph R. Black
Congregation Albert - Albuquerque, NM
My Dear Friends,
Some of you know that, over the course of the summer, I embarked on a program of diet and exercise at the JCC. One of the first things I had to do at the beginning of this process was to take a "before" picture of myself in order to measure my progress towards my goal. I have to say that not only was that "before" picture highly motivational (to say the least) it also was not very pretty. I'll spare you the gory details, but suffice it to say, I have it hidden in a very safe place where no one will ever see it.
Many of us have a tendency to close our eyes to the parts of ourselves and our lives that make us uncomfortable. Sometimes that means that we hide embarrassing photographs, or suck in our gut when we look in the mirror. Similarly, when we evaluate our major life-choices, avoidance and denial can be powerful impulses.
While there are many aspects of most of our lives that we would like to deny, change or abandon, tonight, on Kol Nidre, we face our true selves - head on - confronting our weaknesses, flaws and misdeeds as, our tradition teaches, we stand in judgment before God. For the next 24 hours, as individuals and as a community, we acknowledge the ways in which we have missed the mark over the past year. This is a time for both honest appraisal and earnest atonement. All pretense is stripped away as we confess our sins and commit to changing our behaviors and attitudes for the year to come.
At least, that's the way that it's supposed to work, isn't it? Unfortunately, it isn't always easy to look at ourselves as we really are. This is as relevant in our personal Teshuvah as it is in the arena of communal understanding.
Tonight, I want to talk about one particular area of Jewish life that sometimes makes us uncomfortable: our relationship with Zionism and the State of Israel.
Over the course of this year, Jews around the world will have commemorated two very significant events that overlap one another: the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Jewish Statehood and the 40th anniversary of the 6 Day War. Both of these events were major turning points in modern History. They have defined Jewish identity and signified major watersheds in the way that we perceived ourselves - for better or for worse.
60 years ago, the world was a very different place than it is today. Things were much more concrete. The world had confronted an evil that was unprecedented in its scope. Nations were reeling from the devastation of World War II. Six Million Jewish souls had been murdered in the first systematic use of modern technology for the purpose of organized extermination. The Shoah both decimated and defined the generation that created the State of Israel. Jews in every corner of the world were united in their understanding of the vital necessity of establishing a Jewish homeland - the culmination of 2000 years of hope, determination and faith. The Chalutzim - the pioneers who built the foundations of the State of Israel - were not only draining swamps and building settlements, they were actively changing the way that Jews were perceived around the world - and, perhaps more importantly, how we saw ourselves.
On Rosh Hashanah I spoke of how the ancient Rabbis took the word, Avodah and transformed it from the concept of Temple Sacrifice to that of modern prayer. The Chalutzim - these very secular Zionist pioneers - the builders of the State of Israel - also took the word Avodah and transformed it yet again. For these early Zionists, Avodah meant the infusion of the sacred into the work of building a Jewish state. For the many of the Chalutzim, digging ditches and pouring concrete had the same meaning as putting on tallit and tefillin and saying daily prayers.
With the establishment of the State of Israel, the vision and the visage of the strong Jew - the worker, the fighter and the farmer - became a touchstone of Jewish identity. This image was reinforced yet again in 1967 - 40 years ago - when on the eve of the 6-day war, the world collectively held its breath as the enemies of the Jewish State attempted to annihilate those brave pioneers who built a modern democracy in a very "unmodern" part of the world. Miraculously, against all odds, we prevailed against our enemies, with a victory so complete that it wiped out any vestige remains of the perception of the Jew as the powerlessness victim. As I look around the sanctuary this evening - I see many of you who are old enough to vividly remember those 6 days in 1967. Although I was only 8 years old at the time and didn't fully understand what was happening, I do remember seeing the fear in the faces of my parents as the war unfolded - and reveling in the absolute joy of Israel's victory.
While there is no doubt that the establishment of the State of Israel and the victories in 1967 defined Jewish identity and solidified a connection with the State of Israel that lasted through the end of the 20th century, things are changing. There is a very real generation gap in the Jewish community when it comes to the importance of Israel. In a recent study, American Jewish sociologists Steven M. Cohen and Ari Kelman discovered that there is a significant difference in the perception of Israel among each generation of American Jews. For those Jews aged 65 and older, 80% of those surveyed said that caring about Israel was an important part of being Jewish. These numbers decreased significantly with each generation. According to their study, less than 40% of Jews under the age of 35 felt that attachment to Israel was important.(1) I don't know about you, but to me, this is very alarming. As someone who has always included the State of Israel as a central part of my Jewish identity, the idea that Jews could not have fostered an attachment to Israel is unthinkable. Why has this shift taken place? What has caused young Jews to move away from a connection to the Jewish state?
Perhaps it was the very nature of that connection in the first place.
A story is told about a woman who called the police to report that her husband was missing. When an officer came to her home to file a missing person's report he asked her: "Can you describe your husband to us?"
"Of course," she replied. "He's 6' 3" tall, blond, about 200 pounds."
After the officer left, her sister, who was staying with her said: "Your husband isn't anything like what you described. He's 5' 2", fat and bald!"
"Yes, you're right," she said. "But who wants HIM back?"
The truth is, in recent years, the Jewish community has on and off suffered from what can only be described as "Israel Fatigue." The Jewish state has not received a lot of good press. In the eyes of many: Jews and non-Jews alike - some of Israel's policies have not always embraced the highest ideals of Jewish tradition. Whether it is the persecution of Progressive Judaism, the corruption of the Chief Rabbinate, countless financial scandals amongst the political elite, the second class citizenship of Israeli Arabs and Illegal Settlements, there is a lot to complain about in the Holy Land. It gets tiring to keep hearing bad news. But let us not forget that, despite all of her problems, Israel is still a country that, unlike her neighbors, is willing to admit her flaws, air them publicly and work to fix them. But Israel's critics will never acknowledge the good.
The perception of Israel on the world stage has changed as well. The fact that Israel now is a powerful country - willing and able to defend herself against enemies from within and without - means that it is easier for those who wish to demonize her to gain some successes. By utilizing selective images of separation barriers and grueling checkpoints - by painting a one-sided picture of the conflicts between Israel and her neighbors, by calling attention to corrupt politicians, increasing crime and unemployment, Israel's enemies have plenty of opportunities to paint a picture of a rogue state. The amount of anti-Zionist propaganda that exists today is mind-boggling. And unfortunately, much of what we see looks convincing - on the surface. Former president Jimmy Carter's book that compares Israel's settlement policies to South African Apartheid opened a doorway of acceptability to those who desire to paint Israel as a Pariah state. It makes little difference that his book is filled with revisionist history and documented falsehoods and misstatements- the damage has been done. The recently discredited book by John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt entitled The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy further opens the door to charges of dual loyalty and the canard of a Jewish plot to control the media and the Government. Israel Bashing is a growth industry, my friends. It is becoming increasingly more uncomfortable to state with pride the words: "I am a Zionist!" in public.
And Israel's enemies are no longer on the political fringe. I recently signed onto an e-mail listserv here in Albuquerque that calls itself the "Middle East Peace and Justice Alliance." This is a group that was formally known as the "Arab-Jewish Peace Alliance." I signed up to receive their information because I wanted to know what people were saying about Israel outside the insulated confines of the mainstream Jewish Community. When I signed up for this mailing list, I expected to read critiques of Israel. I expected to find these critiques coming from those on the far left of the political spectrum and from non-Jews as well. I'm used to that. What I was unprepared to find, however, was the degree of vitriolic anti-Israel and anti-Zionist venom that was being spewed by some religious leaders of the mainline Christian Community with whom I had previously worked on issues of social justice such as equal access to birth control and abortion rights, opposition to the death penalty, environmental equality and many other issues. Bashing Israel and the so-called "Jewish Lobby" has become de-rigueur in many circles. The Palestinians have become the next cause celeb of the far left and their propaganda is eagerly accepted, digested and disseminated without any attempt to apply serious critical analysis. We need to work hard to engage these leaders of the mainstream churches to consider the possibility that there are other points of view that deserve to be heard.
And when we look to the other side of the religious and political spectrum, to the far Right, we see something entirely different - especially from vocal elements of the Evangelical Christian community. It is quite clear that the political rhetoric that is emanating from many of the Fundamentalist Christian Churches is nothing like that which is coming out of the so-called "mainline" denominations. Evangelical Christians are, without a doubt, among the most ardent supporters of Israel. They travel to Israel in greater numbers than we Jews do. They raise money for Israel. They lobby for pro-Israel causes and are absolutely dedicated to supporting a State that they believe is blessed by God's spirit. As some of you will recall, in March of 2004, Rabbi Flicker and I co-lead an interfaith trip to Israel with Marti Revo as well as John and Suzie Sandager and Sandy and John Lastra of the Fundamentalist Christian group - Bridges for Peace. During our ten days together in Israel we learned a great deal about one another. While both the Jewish and the Christian members of our group were strong supporters of Israel, our rationales for support could not have been more different from one another. The vast majority of the Jews in our group were Zionists because we understood the Historical imperative of the Jewish State. For the Christians in our group, the State of Israel was a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. The fact that Israel existed was proof to them that God's saving grace was evident in the world. Nothing could shake their faith - no political manipulations, military intervention or policy formulation made any difference. They supported Israel because of their firm belief in God and their desire to have a meaningful relationship with the Jewish people. Their motives were pure and simple.
Over the years, the Jewish Community and the members of Bridges for Peace have come to learn from and love one another. While there are many areas where we do not always share common beliefs or practices, we also know that our disagreements will never come in the way of our friendship and common respect.
Not all Fundamentalist groups are the same, however. Some groups that call themselves "Christian Zionists" have very specific political, religious and social agendas. They are not interested in dialogue as much as proclaiming the supremacy of their divinely inspired message. One group in particular that impacts our community is lead by Pastor John Hagee from San Antonio,TX and calls itself "Christians United For Israel." They have invested a great deal of capital in courting the Jewish Community. In fact, the head of their public relations department is an Orthodox Jew. Last year, Pastor Hagee brought a program to Albuquerque called "A Night to Honor Israel." During the course of the evening, Pastor Hagee and many distinguished guests spoke and sang about their love of the State of Israel and how Israel and the United States' interests were inexorably linked together. At the end of the evening, a very generous check was presented to the Jewish Federation of New Mexico - Israel Campaign.
I was asked to be a part of this program. I was even told that, if I participated, I would be able to sing with the country star, Randy Travis. As tempting as this was, I politely declined the invitation. I did not attend then and I will not attend this year if Pastor Hagee returns to Albuquerque for another such event. The reason I declined the invitation is not because I believe that it is wrong for Jews and Christians to work together to support Israel. We all know that this is not the case. I did not attend because I am very uncomfortable with Pastor Hagee and what he and his organization stand for. While he has been very vocal in his support of the Jewish State, he also has been very vocal about other issues with which I cannot possibly be associated(2).
Jane Wishner, Our congregant, my dear friend, and the outgoing Chair of the Commission for Social Action of the Union for Reform Judaism put it very succinctly in a recent conversation among leaders of the Jewish Community about this issue when she asked: "If Louis Farrakhan suddenly decided to support Israel, would we invite him to speak? Would we honor him despite the fact that he is an acknowledged racist?" Does support for Israel trump outright bigotry in the mind of the Jewish community?
In a recent article about Pastor Hagee, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, the president of the Union for Reform Judaism, writes that American Jewish youth (our future leaders) look to the current generation to serve as examples of moral courage and conviction. He writes:
"…..[W]hom do we offer to these young people as a spokesman for Israel? John Hagee, who is contemptuous of Muslims, dismissive of gays, possesses a triumphalist theology and opposes a two-state solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. If our intention was to distance our young adults from the Jewish state, we could not have made a better choice(4).
By pandering to Hagee's attempts to curry support within the Jewish community, we are giving out a dangerous and unholy mixed message. Our tradition teaches that we are commanded to seek peace and pursue it. Our basic values teach that all Human Beings are created in the image of God. We are compelled to reach out and build bridges of understanding between cultures and communities and never give up the hope for peace. Supporting and participating in Hagee's "Night to Honor Israel" gives the impression that we are willing to set aside our basic values in order to gain the support of someone whose theology and world-view is antithetical to these values.
My friends, the truth is, whether or not we participate in Hagee's programs, he will continue to raise funds and lobby on behalf of the Jewish State. This is his right. He is entitled to his beliefs, his prejudices and his bias. But we do not have to support him or give him yet another platform. Instead, we should be re-doubling our own efforts to showcase the importance and beauty of the Zionist cause and the State of Israel. Every one of us - especially our young people - should travel to Israel. Sue and I hope to be leading another trip some time next spring - keep your eyes open for details. We need to highlight the many successes that Israel has achieved. We must let the world see that Israel is a free and open society- and like any other open society, there are problems that need to be addressed. But in addition to problems, Israel has been able to achieve remarkable results in the arts, science and technology. Israel is an open and stable democracy in a part of the world where openness and stability are unheard of. We need to get our message across. Not only is Israel the culmination of the Zionist Dream, it also is a vibrant and dynamic country that has so much to offer the world. We also cannot allow the anti-Zionist propagandists to go unchallenged. We can not afford to be "closet Zionists". We cannot shove Israel into a dark corner like we might hide an unsightly photograph. We must loudly proclaim our love for Israel and our support for Zionism. This does not mean that we turn a blind eye to her flaws however. Open dialogue and discussion about Israel's problems and the promise of peace that we hope to see fulfilled in our lifetime is the only way that we can honestly engage the future generations of our people in supporting the Jewish state.
My friends, tonight is Kol Nidre. Tonight we commit ourselves and our souls to the process of Teshuvah - of turning inward to ourselves and outward to one another. We acknowledge our flaws and our weaknesses - but we also understand that everyone is flawed; everyone is weak. Our flaws do not define us. In many ways they help us to see where we have been and where we need to go in the future. So too our relationship with the State of Israel. Zionism changed the very meaning of Jewish identity. 60 years ago, Jews around the world celebrated the creation of a new era of Jewish national and religious identity. As we look ahead to the next 60 years - we pray for peace. Let us re-commit ourselves to the process of working together, celebrating our strengths, overcoming our weaknesses and never being afraid to show our commitment.
G'mar Chatimah Tovah.
(Endnotes)
1 "Attachment to Israel Declining Among Young American Jews" by Anthony Weiss. Jewish Daily Forward Sep 5, 2007
2 Most of Hagee's views on Israel, Iran, and end times theology are easily accessible and extensively documented.
3 Hagee made these remarks on the Radio Program, "Fresh Air" from WHYY in Philadelphia on Sept. 18, 2006. Program link: http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=13&prgDate=18-Sep-06
4 "When We Let John Hagee Speak for Us" by Rabbi Eric Yoffie. Jewish Daily Forward May 18, 2007