views guest column We Have a Problem — Israel A at all, more often than not, we taught s exquisitely expressed in the Torah, Israel has inextricably been them the “fairy tale version.” This has resulted in a rift between Israel and a integral to who we are and why growing number of Jews living outside we exist. There is a direct and clear con- of Israel — and this is a threat to our nection between the land, God and how people, Jewish unity and the we should act. This can be found future of Israel itself. We must in texts from the Book of Genesis recapture the pioneering spirit to the writings of Roman Empire of Zionism, its importance and historian Josephus to poets and its relevance to us, in an honest rabbis throughout the ages. and sophisticated way. During 2,000 years of exile, the College campuses are rife Jews prayed toward Jerusalem, with student organizations and we yearned for our return to voting to support the Boycott, the land. We never gave up hope Steve Freedman Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) that one day the Jewish people movement against Israel. They would return to Israel. That include University of Michigan, hope kept us together, no matter Brandeis, Barnard, George where we lived in the world. It Washington University and the was that unabated yearning and University of Minnesota. Two weeks love for Israel that allowed Jews to never ago, at Barnard, Jewish students cast 33 forget the singular importance of the percent of the vote to divest the school’s land to our people. endowment from eight Israeli compa- When Israel was reborn as a modern nies. Many other campuses put forth state in 1948, it was akin to a modern- votes, but for now, they were defeated. day miracle. It is where Judaism can be Simply put, this is misguided. practiced and expressed freely, and the Closer to home, on Israel Jewish people represent the majority Independence Day, an organization culture. Israel is where the Jewish people called IfNotNow protested briefly at our are safe and protected by a Jewish army. school before being removed by police It is the home of our language, our cul- from our private property. The organiza- ture, our history and our memories. It is tion comprises Jews who somehow felt it a sacred place, and always in our hearts, was unseemly to celebrate a democratic, whether we live there or not. free Jewish State. So what’s the problem with Israel I imagine all these same people should today? How it is looked upon in the dias- boycott July Fourth celebrations, too, pora. There is an expectation that Israel and instead protest on that day and should be something other than a nor- divest from any company that does busi- mal state. Other countries and people of ness with the United States. After all, the world seem to hold Israel to a higher America has several stains on its record and separate standard. In America, we associated with brutality, discrimina- have done a generation of Jews a dis- service by both not teaching about Israel tion and killings. Clearly, this would be absurd! Protesters have a right to express and its importance to the Jewish people, concerns about injustices, but I am or if we taught our students about Israel Contributing Writers: Ruthan Brodsky, Rochel Burstyn, Suzanne Chessler, Annabel Cohen, Don Cohen, Shari S. Cohen, Shelli Liebman Dorfman, Adam Finkel, Stacy Gittleman, Stacy Goldberg, Judy Greenwald, Ronelle Grier, Esther Allweiss Ingber, Allison Jacobs, Barbara Lewis, Jennifer Lovy, Rabbi Jason Miller, Alan Muskovitz, David Sachs, Karen Schwartz, Robin Schwartz, Steve Stein, Joyce Wiswell Arthur M. Horwitz Publisher / Executive Editor ahorwitz@renmedia.us F. Kevin Browett Chief Operating Officer kbrowett@renmedia.us | Editorial Managing Editor: Jackie Headapohl jheadapohl@renmedia.us Story Development Editor: Keri Guten Cohen kcohen@renmedia.us Arts & Life Editor: Lynne Konstantin lkonstantin@renmedia.us Digital/Social Media Editor: Hannah Levine hlevine@renmedia.us Editorial Assistant: Sy Manello smanello@renmedia.us Senior Columnist: Danny Raskin dannyraskin2132@gmail.com Contributing Editor: Robert Sklar rsklar@renmedia.us | Advertising Sales Sales Director: Keith Farber kfarber@renmedia.us deeply concerned by the failure of Jewish schools, organizations and leaders to provide our youth with the knowledge and tools to engage with Israel and to represent Israel in a way that is support- ive — and realistic. It is also the respon- sibility of parents to talk to their children about Israel as well. Children need to hear that their parents value, care and support Israel, even when they have con- cerns about some of Israel’s policies. Too many young Jews have no con- nection or understanding of Israel at all. They go to college with little or no Israel education, and they either abstain from any discussions, or after hearing the Palestinian narrative against the idealized version of Israel that they may have heard about growing up, many end up sympathizing with the Palestinians and rejecting, or at least excluding, any claims that Israel has a right to exist or live within secure, peaceful borders. Those supporting BDS and those who participate in movements like IfNotNow, rarely, if ever speak of Israel’s right to exist and defend itself. They rarely, if ever, acknowledge its history and the many attempts Israel has made to make peace with its neighbors, conceding much of the land in peace agreements. Detractors rarely, if ever, acknowledge all of Israel’s achievements and contributions to the global community, let alone its amazing economic growth against all odds. Anti- Israel sentiment never acknowledges that Israel’s enemies are as committed as ever to its destruction. Iran will not rest until Israel is destroyed, and Abbas’ anti- Semitic rants reveal a leader uninterested in peace or co-existing with a Jewish State. Israel, while imperfect, is the only beacon of democracy in the entire region. Can Jews be critical and concerned | Production By FARAGO & ASSOCIATES Manager: Scott Drzewiecki Designers: Kelly Kosek, Amy Pollard, Michelle Sheridan, Susan Walker | Detroit Jewish News Chairman: Michael H. Steinhardt President/Publisher: Arthur M. Horwitz ahorwitz@renmedia.us Chief Operating Officer: F. Kevin Browett kbrowett@renmedia.us Controller: Craig R. Phipps Account Executives : Wendy Flusty, Annette Kizy Sales Manager Assistants : Karen Marzolf | Business Offices Billing Coordinator: Pamela Turner | Fulfillment Joelle Harder jharder@renmedia.us about choices Israel has made? Of course! But Israel has enough enemies. I would like to suggest that it is imperative for Jews to become (re)acquainted with Israel and to strive to develop the unique, stead- fast and emotional ties to Israel that have been central to our people, by learning and understanding that Israel is a primary source of our stories, values and culture. Israel is essential to our identity and sur- vival as a people. History has proven this time and again. Once we can agree that the existence, security and freedom of Israel are para- mount, and we have made that explicitly clear to ourselves and to our children, then we can open our hearts and minds to the plight of the Palestinians and work to alleviate their suffering and injustices that are a result of an intractable conflict — perhaps future generations will find a way. It is vital that Jewish schools, other organizations and the home do a better job teaching about Israel in a nuanced, authentic and honest way. I implore all Jews to celebrate Israel. To those who would advocate for BDS and other punitive actions against Israel, please acknowledge Israel’s legitimacy. Then maybe all Jews can come together to advocate for the modern State of Israel, in all its complexity, while holding Israel — and the Palestinians — accountable to treating each other fairly. • Steve Freedman is head of Hillel Day School in Farmington Hills. | Departments General Offi ces: 248-354-6060 Advertising: 248-351-5107 Advertising Fax: 248-304-0049 Circulation: 248-351-5120 Classifi ed Ads: 248-351-5116 Advertising Deadline: Monday, 2 p.m. Editorial Fax: 248-304-8885 Deadline: All public and social announcements must be typewritten and received by noon Tuesday, nine days prior to desired date of publication. 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