11 May Big Seven-O – Many Millennia of Happy Returns!
Growing watermelons in Israel. Photo from: https://portalexport.wordpress.com/2014/04/11/israels-agriculture-and-exports-innovations-make-the-land-bloom
Israel Turned 70!
70 years ago, a small strip of land, some of it desert, became home, in the eyes of the world, to a Jewish nation. Every miracle is an unintended consequence. This miracle grew out of the Holocaust. On one hand, out of Western European guilt for allowing or participating in it; on the other, out of marked lack of enthusiasm for welcoming its survivors. Murphy’s law at work, as Hitler would have said.
A people strewn around the globe for two millennia called their new home Israel. After two millennia in the role of pogrom targets and unwanted houseguests of fickle hosts they resolved to never again become victims. Israel, in a state of war with its neighbors every day of its existence, is the only democratic country in the region, a military, scientific and technological powerhouse, and a vegetable and flower exporter.
A short 20 years later, another unintended consequence visited this land. This miracle was the Six-Day War of 1967. Seemingly unrelated to the Soviet Jewry, it sparked our emigration. Before that war, Israel was not able to fight, not willing to work hard, much less work the land, and had two communist parties, a good and not so good one. After the war, Israel was an aggressor and knew how to fight. It was time for us to resolve not to be victims. The decision and the escape did not come easy but they did come.
Happy birthday, Israel! And thank you!
Lydia cutler
Posted at 03:17h, 12 MayI am visiting Greece. Yes at the moment I’m here. And the woman who takes us around is very knowledgeable. “Here was a Jewish quarter,” she said and continued “from here they were taken away to the camps.” Next town and she said, here before the war lived a big Jewish community and from here…” I just walked away. I just don’t want to hear any more from where we were taken away. In a few days I’m going to be in Israel and see once again where we live and never going away. Le’haim!
Bena
Posted at 04:03h, 12 MayI know what you mean and I’m not surprised. It will be quite different in Israel — enjoy and soak up that special Israeli atmosphere!