A winding road

Making aliyah to Israel is a huge spiritual quantum leap. Indeed, the Gemara explains that “whoever lives in the Land of Israel may be considered to have a God” (Ketubot 110b). The spiritual leap is such that naturally this land tests you from time to time.

Last week, I had one such test. I almost lost my faith in the ability and willingness of my fellow Israelis to uphold Zionism, the Jewish right to self-determination in the Jewish homeland so that we, the Jews, can do what we were created to do. Holding on to Zionism can be trying at times. It is one of the reasons why we are bashed in all senses on so many fronts. Zionism has also been branded as the newest excuse for the exponential increase in antisemitism globally. Sadly, the tyrant Israeli left and some of its associated media have had a role in propelling forward antizionism and antisemitism as well.

My test by the land happened when I saw part of our society attacking all that is dear and sacred in this country. I read in the news that the so-called Tel Aviv Solidarity Festival would show, for example, during a war of all times, anti-Israel and Jew-hating films. The festival’s program included a film produced by antisemite Roger Waters and a work by another Jew-hater that has a blue teudat zehut and calls us “baby murderers” while showing utter disgust at having to live among Jewish Israelis.

It particularly bothered me to know that this outrageous film festival that expressed solidarity with terrorists was funded not only by the usual European countries, but also by Israeli taxpayer money.

As such, I almost lost my faith in the assertion of Zionism. What is Israel doing to itself? Why does a certain sector of our society think that democracy is liberty hall? What message does a festival like this send to the families and friends of fallen and wounded terror victims and soldiers? What about the morale of our soldiers and nation? How are we protecting our legitimacy so challenged by antisemites if we are prepared to self-sabotage like this?

This is all very wrong and hurt me profoundly.

Maybe as Brazilian poet, songwriter and singer Cazuza once said, “the ignorant are happier” and it would, therefore, be better and healthier if I were simply to alienate myself? At the same time, would this not put me at risk of being governed by the very dumb or evil people that come up with obscene ideas such as this film festival?

After feeling stuck in this major disappointment for a good few hours, I finally focused on the reasons why I made aliyah in the first place. These reasons were to be connected with my roots and consistent with my beliefs and prayers. The roots of the Jewish people in Eretz Israel, the belief in the Jewish right to self-determination in our G’d-given homeland, and the daily prayers for the ingathering of the exiles in Eretz Israel and ultimately redemption.

I realized that, despite such frustration, my reasons for aliyah remain solid and strong; I did the right thing even though the road can be very winding at times. I do believe in our roots, and I have not changed my beliefs and certainly not prayers that go back to the Second Temple period. Being in Israel is an amazingly powerful experience and the connection I feel with G’d has a special, unmatchable level of quality.

I remembered that we, created in the image of G’d, are His representatives on earth and have to do our job of fixing what is wrong, including, and perhaps primarily in, Eretz Israel.

Accordingly, what we initially need as a society is to get rid of this social self-hating chaos that has been created and is daily fed by the far left. My fellow Israelis who are on autopilot also need to wake up and stick to our roots – there are plenty of us who share these values; some just take things for granted. Consider the State of Israel, this very tiny country lost in the map among morally bankrupt neighbors and often bashed by equally morally bankrupt people. It attracts so much attention not only due to antisemitism (the famous “no Jews, no news”), but also because it has the unique power to change the world every single moment.

To end my fight against frustration, the story of Rebbe Israel Salanter came to my mind. The Rebbe used to travel a lot to inspire people to do good deeds, but apparently saw very little results. The Rebbe, however, was never depressed about this. He trusted that if only one person did one thing better as a result of his words, all his efforts would have been worth all the trouble. And he added that this was true even if this person were himself. I ought to follow his brilliant teaching.