Hava Nedeber Writ: Paying The Price For Independence By NIRA LEV Our lev is filled with regashot rabim and shonim on Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel's Independence Day: joy and ga'ava, gratitude and elation that Binyamin Ze'ev Herzl's chalom to have a medinah Yehudit was materialized, mixed with etzev and sorrow when we think of the price we had to pay — and are still paying to have a land of our own. Ze'ev Jaboti-nsky's words that have become a well known shir, keep ringing in our hearts: "Me'Dan ve'ad Be'er Sheva, Me'gilead la'yam, ein of sha'al admatey'nu shelo kupar be'dam." (From Dan to Be'er Sheva, from Gilead to the sea, there isn't any part of our land that hasn't been paid for with blood.) The ma'avak for our z'chut to return to eretz avoteinu started the minute the first chalutzim set foot on the land of Israel and has not ended yet. The sin'ah and eivah of our Arab neighbors started long before 1967, long before the problem of the "shtachim" existed. Our history in Israel is very well reflected in the seepur of the Shturman family, which can be seen as a semel for what it takes to have a medinah. The seepur of the Shturman family starts in the year 1909 when Chayim Shturman, born in the Ukraine, hityashev in Eretz Yisrael with his horim. He became an agricultural worker, joined the meyasdim of Ha-Shomer and participated in the establishment of several kibbutzim. In World War I, he participated in the secret activities to provide the Yishuv with neshek. He was an active member of Merkaz Ha-Hagana and traveled as a shaliach to neighboring countries aided by his knowledge of Arabic. During the pra'ot of the Arabs of 1936-38, he was responsible for the defense of his aizor. Chayim Shturman neherag near the Arabic kfar Samaria. His son, Moshe, was raised by Atara, imo, on the same arachim that aviv believed in and kmo aviv, Moshe neherag in Milchemet Ha'atzmaut, leaving behind a son named Chayim. Atara, eesha shakulah and em shakulah, immersed herself in her work for her kibbutz and tried to find some nechama in her nechadim. Chayim, Atara's neched, was like savo, whose shem was given to him, and like aviv Moshe. He, too, believed that one should give the most to our medinah, and volunteered to serve in a special, select commando unit. Chayim neherag in a daring pe-ulat- commando on the Island Green, at the mouth of the Suez Canal, in 1969. Atara, who lost another neched in another pe'ulah that same year, said in a re'ayon in the eeton on Yom Ha'atzmaut, "I feel lucky to live on our adama, in a medinah Yehudit. We all paid a m'cheer norah to be able to live in a Books On Israel For Children & Young Adults Israel Is . . . By Susan Remick Topek and Katherine Janus Kahn. A board book for the very youngest children with colorful pictures and a very brief text. Ages 2 4. - Chicken Man by Michelle Edwards. A delightful new picture book about kibbutz life for young children. This is the story of Rody, a man who loves to work with chickens, who gets reassigned to several different kibbutz jobs because someone else wants to take over his job. Ages 3-6. And Shira Imagined by Giora Carmi. Israel through the eyes of a young girl as she fantasizes about the country. Whimsical pictures make this book a favorite with young children. Ages 3-7. On Eagles' Wings and Other Things by Connie C. Steiner. The story of four different children from different countries who come to settle in Israel after World War II. Ages 4-7. What's an Israel? by Chaya Burstein. Games, puzzles, pictures to color, mazes, and lots of facts about Israel. This paperback book is a great introduction to Israel. Ages 6-10. Jerusalem, Shining Still by Karla Kuskin. The four thousand year story of Jerusalem including the wars, the times of peace, the invaders and the conquerors. This is an easy to read history of Jerusalem in a picture book format. The pages are illustrated with beautiful woodcuts by David Frampton. Ages 8 and up. A Kid's Catalog of Israel by Chaya M. Burstein. Written in the same format as the "Jewish Catalog" series, this book for children examines the history, customs, languages, geography, music, crafts, and recipes of Israel. Ages 8 and up. Becoming Gershona by Nava Semel. A coming of age book of a young girl during the early statehood of Israel. Winner of the 1991 National Jewish Book Awards Ages 10-14. The Return by Sonia Levitin. The story of an Ethiopian Jewish family's attempt to make the dangerous journey to Israel. Ages 12-16. Theodor Herzl, the Road to Israel by Miriam Gurko. A new biography for young aduls on the Austro-Hungarian who became the leader of the Zionist movement. Ages 12-16. Kids Love Israel, Israel Loves Kids: a Travel Guide for Families by Barbara Sofer. Now is the time to travel to Israel and here is a guide for taking the whole family! Lots of hints on where to stay, eat, and family entertainment. A book for the whole family. For these or other books about Israel contact your local synagogue, temple, or public library. Compiled by Judy Silberg Loebl, Special Projects Director, Agency For Jewish Education L-8 FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1991 medinah atz'ma'eet but I do not ever regret my b'cheerah to live in Yisrael whatever the price. Meelon (Dictionary) lev heart regashot feelings rabim many shonim different ga'ava pride chalom dream medinah Yehudit. . a Jewish State etzev sadness shir a song ma'avak struggle z'chut right, privilege eretz avoteinu the land of our fathers chalutzim pioneers sin'ah hatred eivah hostility sh'tachim territories, areas seepur story semel symbol hityashev settled horim parents meyasdim founders The Yishuv The Jewish community in Israel before the establishment of the State weapons, arms neshek Merkaz Ha-Hagana...the center of the defense force emissary Hagana shaliach riots pra'ot region aizor was killed neherag friends chaverim village kfar his mother imo values arachim his father aviv like kmo Milchemet Ha'atzmaut....The War of Independence eesha shakulah. . a bereaved wife em shakulah . a bereaved mother comfort, solace nechama grandson neched his grandfather savo name shem pe'ulat commando. .. . a commando action an action pe'ulah an interview re'ayon a newspaper eeton land adama a terrible price m'cheer norah an medinah atz'ma'eet. independent state choice b'cheerah Balancing Between Ide ology, Reality Continued from Page L-1 government with the challenge of fulfilling "mission impossible." In order to survive, Israel had to learn to live under siege like Sparta and to maintain a democracy like Athens. Under these circumstances Israel maintains a remarkable democratic way of life. Israel is indeed the spiritual and cultural center of the world Jewish community — it has revived the Hebrew language, has integrated the traditional and modern Jewish and Western democratic values at the same time. It has created an outstanding defense force but managed to avoid militarism. Its basic tenet is defense and not power. Despite its huge defense expenditures and the Arab economic boycott, Israel has developed a vibrant economy based on high technology, research and development and export. Israel has diplomatic, political and economic relations with almost every country in the world despite the attempt of the Arab world to strangle it politically, especially through relentless political combat in the United Nations. Against all odds, Israel concluded a peace treaty with Egypt which serves as an example that peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors can be achieved. Israel has maintained an exemplary alliance with the United States which proved to be strong enough to overcome periods of strain. The world, especially Western society, judges Israel based on high expectations. This is why the Palestinian riots (the intifada) received so much attention and exposure in the Western media. It accuses Israel of violating human rights and almost ignores the fact that the Israeli soldiers act in self defense against a hostile population whose goal is to destroy it with the support of 200 million Arabs around it. The Western world holds Israel to such high standards that it forgets the hard realities that Israel lives under and thus creates the perception of judging Israel based on double standards. The Jewish people living outside of Israel want Israel to always look good to themselves and their gentile neighbors so they can be proud of it. In other words, Israel sometimes has to sacrifice but for the Jewish people outside of Israel, Israel's image is its security. At 43, Israel is proud of its achievements, confident of its future and looks to the time when it can live in peace and satisfy its own goals and aspirations, to become "a light unto the nations." Mr. Bar-Ner is Consul General of Israel to the Midwest.