The Am

As Israel is now hours away from its 78th birthday, the annual statistics report issued yesterday states that Israel now has 10.244 million people: Jews and others 7.79 million; Arabs 2.157 million and 296,000 foreigners. There’s a few vague categories here but the best thing about the list for me is that I have a Jewish plumber and a Jewish garbage collector along with all the other jobs and occupations you can think of. There are observant Jews, traditional Jews, secular Jews, extremist Jews, agnostic Jews and whatever else you can imagine. That’s the Am.

Here’s the first catch. We all live together on this really tiny piece of land surrounded by a rapidly growing list of haters, some with nuclear weapons (maybe) and many other dangerous weapons as well. It’s not an easy neighbourhood at the best of times. There’s enough stories from yesterday’s news alone to fill a newspaper!!!

Here’s the next catch. We don’t agree on anything. Ever. You would think our collective survival would bring us together. No siree. One example is the surprising number of Israelis aiding our most dangerous enemy of the era, Iran. And we only know what’s been cleared for publication. There are probably more traitors to yet be exposed. We don’t even agree on whether or not Israel is worth fighting for.

Here’s the third catch. On a much smaller scale, but with larger implications. A few days ago the army court marshalled four female soldiers for showing up to their traditional end-of-service event, inappropriately dressed. It was all over the news. The young women all served honorably during one of the most challenging times to be an Israeli let alone an Israeli soldier, and that’s the thanks they got. Public humiliation. A quick look at the picture shows the smiling girls in shorts and tank tops moments before their national downfall. Yes, they are a little skimpily dressed for me but I’m religious and 65. I think the 65 part alone says it all. For me.

It’s understandable that the army must have strict rules that it enforces with equal severity and consistency for all its soldiers. You can’t have a world-class army without rules — excluding all the Start Up Nation anecdotes to the contrary. But these girls had a few hours of non-service related time left in the army; what did the army achieve with its bad call? They were returning their uniforms and ceremoniously cutting up their military identification cards. There are several theories swirling around out there and for most part if you believe any one of them specifically, I have some very reasonably priced swamp land for sale in Florida. Call me if your interested after you finish reading this.

This country is an amazing place. Is it flawed? Oooo-eee. My mini crisis at Maccabi Health Non-Services yesterday, and the name I have subsequently given it, says it all. The answer is a resounding yes it is flawed. In truth, however, probably not much different from other western countries. I asked ChatGPT if Israel was flawed? Why not? Here’s the response: In some areas Israel faces challenges that are more severe and visible than in most Western countries. In many internal democratic aspects, it functions similarly to other Western democracies—messy, imperfect, but not uniquely so.

As Yom HaZikaron, our day of national mourning winds down and we shift from our profound sadness of the brave lives lost to protect our country since 1948, to Yom  Ha’atzmaut, the celebration of our national independence and what should be our collective immeasurable pride.

Welcome to the Am.

 Am Yisrael Chai