Tales From & About Israel

It sounds like a bad joke from South Park: A political group whose official slogan, complete with decorative banner, is: “God is the Greatest, Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse be upon the Jews, Victory to Islam!” But this isn’t satirical TV, it’s the actual rallying cry of the Houthis in Yemen. And because they’re backed by Iran, these militant Jihadists have ballistic missiles and explosive drones, which they’ve been firing regularly at international cargo ships in the Red Sea and into Israel for the past 18 months.  In one of their most recent attacks, the Houthis had moderate “success” – a missile crashed near Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.  The reaction was a slew of flight cancellations into and out of Israel – thus jeopardizing the long-planned, much-anticipated trip to Israel for my 12th grade students. As such, we started exploring options.

Reason being, for our school, Israel is a priority. To be clear, that doesn’t mean all of us always agree with everything her government does, but our connection with the Jewish State is deep & central to our identity.  From inception, Judaism the religion has had nationalism as a component part: God tells God tells Abraham he will be father of a great nation, Am Yisrael; and the People of Israel will not only be bound by specific laws, they will also be bound to a specific place – the Land of Israel.  So over 3000 years ago, we settled the area and established sovereignty there, making it our religious & political home. And despite invasions from the Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks & Romans; despite destruction of our 1st & 2nd Temples; despite forced dispersions; and despite attempts to erase our connection to the land – like re-naming Judea to Palaestina (after the Philistines) –  some of us always remained there, as those in the Diaspora yearned to return.  Because as archaeology & Hebrew artifacts make clear, Jews are indigenous & Zionism is ancient.  All of which I wanted my students to see in person. But how?

One morning, a parent named Danny texted me: “What are you thinking? Is El Al possible? If not, I have an idea.”  An Iraqi Jew – because we had been scattered throughout the Arab world before they exiled us, nearly 900,000 refugees in this conflict that nobody seems to mention – Danny was an attorney-turned-business man who was very successful. “I want these classmates to have this experience together, especially before college.  I’ll cover the cost of a charter.”  It was an extraordinary gesture, a powerful statement.

We landed in Israel late Wednesday night, and an 18 year-old football player teared up & kissed the ground.  By the time we arrived at our hotel, the students were exhausted – but pizza made the mandatory security briefing slightly more palatable.  Houston kids had to understand warning sirens, emergency app notifications, and the widespread use of bomb shelters.  They had to learn life in Israel.

The following morning, we took a short walk to glimpse the Knesset, the parliament that houses an unusually robust democracy, before leaving Jerusalem, the “City of Peace,” which it rarely has been.  We headed south towards Gaza, to bear witness.  As we got close, the guide asked the kids to turn off their country rock & rap, but he didn’t have to – they instinctively knew. At the Nova Music Festival site, we met the parents of a young woman named Gili.  She had been about my students’ age – in her early 20’s.  Like hundreds of others that October morning, she was one of many left-leaning, peace-loving, innocent citizens just dancing at an outdoor rave who ended up butchered, raped or taken hostage for no reason.  Actually, there was a reason.  She was Israeli.  She was a Jew.  Like the Houthi slogan cited above, the Hamas Charter is clear: Its mission is genocide. Not co-existence. And yet it’s Israel that is so wrongly accused of this crime.

To be sure, the destruction of Gaza and loss of innocent Palestinian lives, especially children, is tragic. And reasonable people can take issue with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s ongoing strategy – even many Israelis do.⁽¹⁾ But “tragic” isn’t what detractors say. By design, they use the “G” word because it’s meant to undermine the Jewish People’s unique, historical trauma – it’s a modern-day blood libel; and critics do so with reckless disregard for truth, intent or context.  (Read Andrew Sullivan’s excellent essay on the subject here.)

Ironically, even a New York Times piece clearly intended to be critical of Israel unwittingly makes the opposite case: Unlike any other military in modern times, the IDF takes tremendous precautions in order to avoid civilian casualties, though understandably, it doesn’t always succeed.  That’s because the Jewish State’s approach is literally the exact opposite of Hamas, which doesn’t just hide among and risk its people, it actually murders them to maintain control.⁽²⁾ It’s as if the college protesters chanting “From the River to the Sea,” thinking queers will be free in this radicalized religious society have no clue. Because they don’t.⁽³⁾

Still, it’s hard.  Most American Jews, especially younger ones, feel for the perceived underdog. And to be sure, there are stories from the other side that are genuinely heart-breaking.  My friend Rami from Ramallah has one.  So he spoke to my students – because I wanted them to hear his narrative, consider his experience, and never lose their sense of empathy, even if there’s no legitimate partner for peace at the moment.  Because one day, God willing, there might be.

Relatedly, as a proud Zionist educator, I’ve always believed it’s important to acknowledge our movement’s shortcomings – intellectually, morally & strategically.  Whether it’s Yigal Amir, Baruch Goldstein, Itamar Ben Gvir, or Bezalel Smotrich, students should be exposed to the Jewish extremism that has tainted our cause.  To be sure, it pales in comparison, but it’s nevertheless problematic. And yet, as I recently responded to one of my most thoughtful students, the disparate treatment that Israel is subject to when compared to every other country on earth can only be explained by one thing – the world’s most ancient hate.

Claims that Israel is a colonial enterprise (which it isn’t) with no right to exist (despite explicit approval from the United Nations) could not be more ironic.  Does nobody recall the Muslim Conquests?  The European Explorations?  The American Founding? When Professor Peter Beinart self-righteously calls for a bi-national “confederation” to replace the Jewish State, has he simply forgotten the nine (9) Indian nations that inhabited New York State before the U.S. exterminated them?  Or is that fact just too inconvenient for him to consider from the comfort of his Upper West Side apartment?

Even though there was never a historical nation of Palestine, and even though there were multiple opportunities for Palestinians to have a modern state of their own (1937, 1947, 1967, 2000 & 2008), all of which they refused – somehow this intractable problem is the Jews’ fault. And for many, the “solution” is for Jews to disband their modern-miracle – a thriving democracy with one of the most advanced, technology-driven economies in the world in which Jews of many colors, Arabs, Muslims, Druse, Christians, men, women, religious, secular, gay and straight live together in an imperfect, but remarkably diverse, vibrant & tolerant society. It’s not just an unreasonable idea, it’s an offensive one.

Back to my students: Our alarm clocks woke us at 4:00 AM because to hike up Masada, it’s imperative to start before sunrise to avoid the intense heat.  The natural mountain fortress in the Judean desert was the site of one of King Herod’s many palaces.  But its fame is connected with the Jewish “Zealots” who sought refuge there in their ongoing battle against the Romans in 73 CE.  After a valiant effort chronicled by Josephus, the Jewish fighters ultimately recognized that defeat was inevitable. The enemy was simply too strong.  So rather than being taken as slaves, the Jews took their own lives instead.

Fast forward 2000 years.  Same desert.  My students and I were camping out.  Suddenly we heard a jarring explosion.  Startled, we looked all around and then up.  We saw fire streaking across the sky.  It was the Iron Dome, Israel’s sophisticated air defense system, shooting down more incoming Houthi rockets from Yemen.  As soon as we realized we were safe, we also realized we were blessed. Our enemies still abound, but the Jewish People are now strong.  It was the opposite of nearby Masada.

The next day, we stopped at Machne Yehuda in downtown Jerusalem for lunch. The outdoor market was packed as locals did their last-minute shopping before sundown Friday. Vendors barked out prices for their goods; loud music blared from various restaurants and bars; street artists performed at competing corners; and tourists took in the alluring smells of grilled shawarma from one stall, aromatic spices from the next, and fresh-baked, sweet pastries from another. I asked one of my students what she thought: “I’m not sure what I expected, but the positivity and sheer joy – especially given all they deal with – it’s just incredible, in the most wonderful way.” She nailed it.

That evening, we gathered at the Kotel, the western retaining wall of the ancient Jewish Temple mount, to welcome the Sabbath. But before rejoicing and dancing, we held hands and sang, Oseh Shalom, a prayer for peace – for Israel and all the world. Because that is what we desperately want. Always have, still do.