This past Thursday, I went to a dinner in Montreal for LIBI (an organization supporting Tzahal soldiers) which was honoring close friends of my parents, whose son is currently serving in Tzahal. The whole dinner was a very powerful experience. Many different Israeli army officers spoke about their experiences in the war in Gaza (and the great efforts invested in preventing civilian casualties) and in setting up field hospitals in Haiti after the earthquake. One soldier spoke about how he was blinded in a terrorist attack, but returned to active duty in Israeli intelligence, because he felt that if he were to change his life - even one bit - after his injury, he would be allowing the terrorists to win.
However, what I found most powerful was a speech that a rabbi gave near the end of the dinner. The goal of the dinner was to raise money for Tzahal and the rabbi was encouraging people to make donations by saying that they now have a one time opportunity to become "junior partners" with the State of Israel. Even though they don't live in Israel, they don't send their children to the army, they don't suffer sleepless nights, they still have a chance that Jews for 2000 years could only dream about - becoming "junior partners" with the State of Israel, by supporting them financially.
I felt that this was a great analogy to use as it sets out an important distinction about one's relationship to the State of Israel. On one hand, the financial support for Israel provided by the American Jewish community is crucial, but on the other hand, it only makes you a "junior partner", not an equal "senior partner". To get that promotion, you have to take the next step of making Aliyah and linking your destiny fully with the Jewish people in Israel (this is the same debate that was playing out during the time that the 2nd Bet Hamikdash was being rebuilt - do you send money from Bavel - or do you join Ezra and Nehemiah in building up the land personally?).
And, if you think about it - why would someone be satisfied with only being a "junior partner" when they can be so much more? Thoughts?
1 comment:
if you are so insistent...you could make aliyah.
Back to the point, what is wrong with being a junior partner? I understand that all Jews are part of one body and stuff like that, but I am completely satisfied with being a junior partner. We are still considered "partners" and is there anything wrong with being called junior? (shout out to the class of 2012)
We are still integral in rebuilding Israel. They do need our money and need international political support, which we provide by being residents in another country.
Even if we are not sacrificing ourselves to the extent of our Israeli counterparts, our contributions are significant.
About political support if anyone is interested the link below is from aipac and is a link to email our senators to back sanctions on Iran.
http://www.capwiz.com/aipac/issues/alert/?alertid=15176226&type=CO
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