Israel Independence Day

The Jewish calendar has now entered the memorial season.

We start with the Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah). But which one? The United Nations (ha, ha)? The Knesset, the Rabbinate, or none of these, just ongoing pain and loss? While the rest of the world wants to reframe it in terms of racial prejudice and any war they don’t approve of, we have doggedly to insist that there has never, ever been a human catastrophe like this one.

Then comes Yom Hazikaron. The day we remember those who gave their lives defending our land in all the wars imposed upon us. Some refuse to respect this day because they believe that God takes care of everything and we don’t have to fight for it. Some stand for a moment’s silence, others for a cigarette, and others are simply so wrapped up in their material egoism they don’t care.

April 22nd, 5th of Iyar, is Israel Independence Day, Yom Ha’atzmaut, or Chag Ha’atzmaut. Is it a day or a festival, purely political, or secular bravado? And who celebrates it, and who denigrates it?

We are, of course, living through difficult times. Some of us believe the Messiah will solve all our problems in this world. Whether already here in disguise or waiting for the go-ahead. And those who want to sacrifice now on the Temple Mount as opposed to those, mainly Charedi, who object strenuously while they wait? Most Jews have other things to worry about.

It is not just all the different sects in our religion, and yes, I would call many of them sects. Just look at our political divisions in the Diaspora, but more urgently in Israel. It’s a combination of conflicting forces. The ethnic and cultural varieties, a source of great strength and richness, and ideological and political varieties and extremes, cross the whole spectrum. Coalitions of enemies and friends pulling in different directions, incapable of agreement. But then tell me which political system today is not an awful depressing mess? Here we Jews are, a few million, apparently the cause of every evil in the word today and to blame for everything. And occasionally, the agents of our own disasters.

Having gone through what we have, no wonder we are a neurotic, over-anxious, defensive possessive people comprising so many versions. Religious, secular, atheist, agnostic, egotistic, materialist, idealist, saints and sinners, nationalists and universalists, left and right. All claiming to be Jewish. Sometimes, even I wonder where I fit in all this. Yet I love my version and my crazy family. I would not give it all up for anything. Maybe I need my head examined, but at least it’s my head.

I do indeed celebrate Israel Independence Day. Despite our thugs, gangsters, extremists, and those who let us down. There is so much goodness and creativity in Israel and Judaism to be proud of and celebrate.