A9,92) . td2) ..Lad 21 .4,4 1 ..).14111,114.L.Q '4:4 American-Born from page A48 Complete kitchen and bathroom remodeling as well as furniture design and installations including granite, wood and other materials. up-and-down place far exceeds the size of the country We still hold our breath when we hear the five short beeps announcing the half-hour news updates. We need to know the country is still functioning, like touching a hip pocket to make sure the wallet is still there. All the while, we are cutting each other off on the roads, jumping queues in the bank, letting our laundry drip onto our downstairs neighbor's balcony and a thousand other in-your-face behaviors that irri- tate and annoy. There are reasons, I tell myself: sur- vival against overwhelming odds, six decades and seven wars in which we Lois Haron Allied Member ASID 248.851.6989 p,MAT `4\ In 1925• Your grandmothers dreamed of a Jewish homeland. They formed Yiddish speaking dubs called Pioneer Women—Golda came and organized English speaking dubs...Your mothers joined and carried on the dream. • Along the way, Pioneer Women became NA'AMAT USA... Now, we need you, the next generation to continue the dream to make a better life a reality for women, children, and families in Israel... JOIN NA'AMAT USA WE SALUTE ISRAEL ON THEIR 60TH ANNIVERSARY. We haven't lost our pioneering spirit. We just changed our name. MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION NAME: ADDRESS: PHONE: Annual Dues: $36/Life Membership $250 Send to NA'AMAT - Greater Detroit Council 25900 Greenfield Rd., Suite 205D Oak Park, MI 48237 248-967-4750 • 248-967-4751 FREE *s *A C A*A ni bicz*thola6 * JA R * ecIFT TO CELEBRATE ISRAEL'S 60TH (248) 932-0800 • 6646 Telegraph Road at Maple BLOOMFIELD PLAZA www.stevesdeli.com A50 may 15 • 2008 Yitzhak Rabin and King Hussein of Jordan making peace in 1994. were outnumbered, endless skirmishes, Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, only two peace treaties, dozens of terror attacks, more than 1 million new immigrants. And yet, though constantly under siege from all sides and seemingly without hope, this small country, the Middle East's only democracy, forged from 2,000 years of aspirations and the ashes of the 6 million, remains a mod- ern miracle. Most peoples facing the adversities we've faced would have long ago packed it in and moved to Miami or Uganda. Maybe we are moving too fast. I am still grateful and amazed when hot water comes out of the tap and the ATM machine works. Moving Forward As an American Israeli, I remember how 30 years ago you had to book an appointment at the central post office to place a phone call overseas. In just three decades, Israel has become a leader in telecommunications and everyone knows Israelis love their cell phones — loudly. Israel continues its lead in the multi-million dollar high-tech indus- try because it takes the same kind of chutzpah it took to create a Jewish state: innovation, flexibility, creativ- ity, determination and the willingness to take risks — all crucial whether you are building a country or a better microchip. Last year's domestic growth of more than 5 percent was larger than that of the U.S. and the country's gross national product exceeded that of many European nations. Exports from Israel, this small country with few resources, total billions of dollars for the country's farmers, high-tech companies biotech and more. As an American Israeli, I know it's getting crowded here no matter which borders you look at. Israel's population has exploded from 600,000 in 1948 to well over 7 million. Housing is in short supply, but building is everywhere. Citrus groves are sadly giving way to urban sprawl. Kibbutzim are selling off their lands to hungry real estate developers, who are mostly creating upscale projects for wealthy diaspora Jews who are never going to live here. The only middle-income building going on is in what are referred to as the disputed West Bank territories of Maaleh Adumim and Beitar Elite, seen as obstacles to the peace process. As an American Israeli, I remember how 30 years ago, one would board a dusty Egged bus with open windows and make the three-hour trip between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv along the wind- ing single-lane road. Now, our expan- sive network of highways is clogged with single drivers sitting in air-con- ditioned Mazdas and SUVs, crawling along at a snail's pace. As an American Israeli, I approach the country's 61st year with pride and with trepidation. We are a tiny country with huge problems. We are far from peace and secure borders. We swing between the heroic and the horrific. We don't always like what happens here, but we love our feisty, brave country despite the flaws and shortcomings. So did this American Israeli celebrate on Independence Day? Damn right! First, we mourned those who have fallen in defense of this country and then, as the flag is returned to full mast, we rejoiced. We fired up the barbecue, poured a glass of Israeli wine, put some Israeli tunes on the CD player, and toasted the 60-year-old young miracle. There is a reason we were brought back to our homeland, and we haven't lost our hope. ❑ Idele Ross Slepkov grew up in Livonia. She is a senior broadcast journalist with Israel Radio's English news service. She also is a freelance writer and translator. She is proud that she is known as "the Motown queen" of Jerusalem.