I had a very disturbing conversation with a friend this week. He is a new oleh (immigrant), and we were discussing Ariel Sharon's plan for Gaza. Now, bear in mind that new olim come with a huge store of optimism, faith, and idealism. That's self-evident; otherwise, they wouldn't be here.
So it really shocked me when he said: "You know, after Gaza, they are going to come knocking on our doors next. [We live in the Golan.] And when they do, I'm going to pick up and move out."
I asked him to where, figuring he meant somewhere in less-disputed territory. His answer: Colombia, or maybe Costa Rica.
"Colombia? But you just got here!"
"I know. But you know, I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do. I picked up like Avraham Avinu and packed up my family and came to our land. But I came here to live, not die. If the people calling the shots around here want to commit suicide, they can do it without me. We have enemies, fine. If I need to I will fight like a man, and die if I have to. But not like this, to whine and roll over and go out like a wimp. No way!"
This is scary. Whether you think they are right or wrong, nearly everyone would agree that the "religious settler" population includes some of the strongest and most dynamic of our citizens. If I need someone to protect me from an Arab on a killing spree, I'd rather take any one of them than a battalion of Pereses and Sarids -- and Sharon would undoubtedly say the same. So, how did we get into this position, where this is the kind of person ready to give up in disgust?
The method is simple, really.
1. Insist that we believe our enemies mean it when they say, "We just want some of your land for another Islamic country. Give us what we want and you will have peace."
2. Ignore any and all evidence to the contrary. Refuse to acknowledge the possible rationality of any other opinions. Refuse to acknowledge that being wrong will cause the deaths of many of our citizens and possibly the destruction of our Jewish State. Refuse to acknowledge that in a democracy, citizens have the right to voice their opinions without being subject to harassment, administrative detention, and physical persuasion at the hands of our army.
3. Close off all legitimate avenues of dissent and debate. Delegitimize the opposition with deliberate misrepresentations and cries of "incitement", and refuse to allow momentous decisions to be made by democratic vote. Apply pressure to Knesset members until they cravenly renege on promises made to the electorate and line up (embarrassed or not) behind the leader.
It is important to recognize that this is where we have come, and to envision the future if we continue on this path. We stand to lose a large portion of our population, not to terrorist murder, but to despair.
What causes the political Left (including Sharon) to cling still to the totally discredited concept of "land for peace"? Despair. They see no other options as being viable. The mantra of "no military solution" has penetrated beyond the rational portion of their brains.
What causes our politicians to wimp out when political pressure comes to call? Despair. They don't have faith that we citizens will support them through a change to real representative government. They think they know that while a calamitous strike can be called over issues of pay hikes and entitlements, a similar strike over issues of national survival is highly unlikely.
What is causing the vast majority of active Jews in the Diaspora to postpone indefinitely their aliyah? Despair. Don't kid yourself that they stay away in droves because they like being wealthy. Some do. But most are dissuaded because they don't really believe that our government here is committed to survival. They see clearly the enemies who still, after all these years, earnestly desire to throw us into the sea and wipe Israel off the map. They don't see a resolute populace willing to continue to defy the Islamic horde and the "civilized" nations of the world.
What is convincing some of our best and brightest to leave Israel, and return to the Diaspora? Despair. They see the risks they are asked to undertake, and are unwilling to do so for inconsequential victories that will soon be undone by political ineptitude.
This is our shame. We stand before the world as the little nation that could - but didn't. We didn't refuse to let terrorist murders out of jail to murder again. We didn't refuse to hold our citizens' lives as a lesser priority than international acceptance. We didn't refuse to take the blame for the terrorism launched against us. And so, one day, we will have to ask forgiveness from the world that was supposed to be blessed through us. For the sin of letting terrorists see that terror works. For the sin of granting legitimacy to the thugocracy that has destroyed the future and the very humanity of the Arabs. For the sin of allowing lies to be shouted out louder than protestations of truth, and allowing murderers to be called "freedom fighters" and "militants" without raising a protest loud enough to shake the heavens. For the sin of allowing ourselves to become so weak in spirit, so downtrodden, that any rational person must foresee the utter destruction of the Jewish State. What a disgrace to He who chose us.
The attitude of my friend is understandable, but it isn't entirely mine. I brought my family here because I agreed that aliyah is what we Jews are supposed to be doing now. But I also believe that every crowd of Zionists is made up of thousands of individuals who, one by one, came to know that each decision to do the right thing is significant and powerful. And I don't believe we have the right to despair until God tells us the game is over.
Death and destruction is not the destiny for Israel. God has shown us too many signs of favor and too many miracles for me to lose faith now. Jews will survive, as we always have, no matter how awfully the nations abuse us. But we are fast approaching the point where our borders will be indefensible, the nuclear missiles will be on their way, and only a miracle will save us.
So it is past high time for the Jews of Israel and the Jews of the world to rise up together. No more standing around telling each other how unfair and corrupt the UN is, how overbearing and bullying America is, or how stupid our own government is. We must learn the lessons of democracy for real: that freedom is never a gift, but must be always guarded and fought for. That being a citizen of a democracy means always accepting responsibility for what our government does, praiseworthy or otherwise. That liberty is always a threat to the dictator, and so will always need to be defended, steadfastly, by those who expect to live free lives. And the hardest lesson of all - that if we have no real leaders, perhaps the fault lies with those of us waiting around to be led.
I am as guilty as anyone. If I cared enough about our future, I would do more than write opinion articles and show up for demonstrations in my wheelchair. I would call every political person in the country, demanding a change to true representative government, with each MK responsible to his specific constituents. I would take to the streets, and refuse to go home or back to work, until changes were made, not just talked about.
I would hold out until everyone who wants their vote to really count had come forward to stand beside me and insist on it. I would hold out until I was joined by every Jew who knows it is better to win the war and be alive than to lose the war and be holier-than-thou in death, and that honest war is more moral than dishonest pseudo-peace with murderers. I would hold out until I had persuaded my government to actually declare war, not just on terrorists, but also on the states or pseudo-states that support them. And I wouldn't back down until I had convinced everyone that we have the fortitude to win that fight. I would stand like an impassable mountain until I and those who are with me had forced the powers-that-be to acknowledge our opinions and our true numbers.
And one day soon, I or someone else will care enough to actually do this. Because my friend is right about one thing: it is better to go out like a Jew than a wimp.
So it really shocked me when he said: "You know, after Gaza, they are going to come knocking on our doors next. [We live in the Golan.] And when they do, I'm going to pick up and move out."
I asked him to where, figuring he meant somewhere in less-disputed territory. His answer: Colombia, or maybe Costa Rica.
"Colombia? But you just got here!"
"I know. But you know, I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do. I picked up like Avraham Avinu and packed up my family and came to our land. But I came here to live, not die. If the people calling the shots around here want to commit suicide, they can do it without me. We have enemies, fine. If I need to I will fight like a man, and die if I have to. But not like this, to whine and roll over and go out like a wimp. No way!"
This is scary. Whether you think they are right or wrong, nearly everyone would agree that the "religious settler" population includes some of the strongest and most dynamic of our citizens. If I need someone to protect me from an Arab on a killing spree, I'd rather take any one of them than a battalion of Pereses and Sarids -- and Sharon would undoubtedly say the same. So, how did we get into this position, where this is the kind of person ready to give up in disgust?
The method is simple, really.
1. Insist that we believe our enemies mean it when they say, "We just want some of your land for another Islamic country. Give us what we want and you will have peace."
2. Ignore any and all evidence to the contrary. Refuse to acknowledge the possible rationality of any other opinions. Refuse to acknowledge that being wrong will cause the deaths of many of our citizens and possibly the destruction of our Jewish State. Refuse to acknowledge that in a democracy, citizens have the right to voice their opinions without being subject to harassment, administrative detention, and physical persuasion at the hands of our army.
3. Close off all legitimate avenues of dissent and debate. Delegitimize the opposition with deliberate misrepresentations and cries of "incitement", and refuse to allow momentous decisions to be made by democratic vote. Apply pressure to Knesset members until they cravenly renege on promises made to the electorate and line up (embarrassed or not) behind the leader.
It is important to recognize that this is where we have come, and to envision the future if we continue on this path. We stand to lose a large portion of our population, not to terrorist murder, but to despair.
What causes the political Left (including Sharon) to cling still to the totally discredited concept of "land for peace"? Despair. They see no other options as being viable. The mantra of "no military solution" has penetrated beyond the rational portion of their brains.
What causes our politicians to wimp out when political pressure comes to call? Despair. They don't have faith that we citizens will support them through a change to real representative government. They think they know that while a calamitous strike can be called over issues of pay hikes and entitlements, a similar strike over issues of national survival is highly unlikely.
What is causing the vast majority of active Jews in the Diaspora to postpone indefinitely their aliyah? Despair. Don't kid yourself that they stay away in droves because they like being wealthy. Some do. But most are dissuaded because they don't really believe that our government here is committed to survival. They see clearly the enemies who still, after all these years, earnestly desire to throw us into the sea and wipe Israel off the map. They don't see a resolute populace willing to continue to defy the Islamic horde and the "civilized" nations of the world.
What is convincing some of our best and brightest to leave Israel, and return to the Diaspora? Despair. They see the risks they are asked to undertake, and are unwilling to do so for inconsequential victories that will soon be undone by political ineptitude.
This is our shame. We stand before the world as the little nation that could - but didn't. We didn't refuse to let terrorist murders out of jail to murder again. We didn't refuse to hold our citizens' lives as a lesser priority than international acceptance. We didn't refuse to take the blame for the terrorism launched against us. And so, one day, we will have to ask forgiveness from the world that was supposed to be blessed through us. For the sin of letting terrorists see that terror works. For the sin of granting legitimacy to the thugocracy that has destroyed the future and the very humanity of the Arabs. For the sin of allowing lies to be shouted out louder than protestations of truth, and allowing murderers to be called "freedom fighters" and "militants" without raising a protest loud enough to shake the heavens. For the sin of allowing ourselves to become so weak in spirit, so downtrodden, that any rational person must foresee the utter destruction of the Jewish State. What a disgrace to He who chose us.
The attitude of my friend is understandable, but it isn't entirely mine. I brought my family here because I agreed that aliyah is what we Jews are supposed to be doing now. But I also believe that every crowd of Zionists is made up of thousands of individuals who, one by one, came to know that each decision to do the right thing is significant and powerful. And I don't believe we have the right to despair until God tells us the game is over.
Death and destruction is not the destiny for Israel. God has shown us too many signs of favor and too many miracles for me to lose faith now. Jews will survive, as we always have, no matter how awfully the nations abuse us. But we are fast approaching the point where our borders will be indefensible, the nuclear missiles will be on their way, and only a miracle will save us.
So it is past high time for the Jews of Israel and the Jews of the world to rise up together. No more standing around telling each other how unfair and corrupt the UN is, how overbearing and bullying America is, or how stupid our own government is. We must learn the lessons of democracy for real: that freedom is never a gift, but must be always guarded and fought for. That being a citizen of a democracy means always accepting responsibility for what our government does, praiseworthy or otherwise. That liberty is always a threat to the dictator, and so will always need to be defended, steadfastly, by those who expect to live free lives. And the hardest lesson of all - that if we have no real leaders, perhaps the fault lies with those of us waiting around to be led.
I am as guilty as anyone. If I cared enough about our future, I would do more than write opinion articles and show up for demonstrations in my wheelchair. I would call every political person in the country, demanding a change to true representative government, with each MK responsible to his specific constituents. I would take to the streets, and refuse to go home or back to work, until changes were made, not just talked about.
I would hold out until everyone who wants their vote to really count had come forward to stand beside me and insist on it. I would hold out until I was joined by every Jew who knows it is better to win the war and be alive than to lose the war and be holier-than-thou in death, and that honest war is more moral than dishonest pseudo-peace with murderers. I would hold out until I had persuaded my government to actually declare war, not just on terrorists, but also on the states or pseudo-states that support them. And I wouldn't back down until I had convinced everyone that we have the fortitude to win that fight. I would stand like an impassable mountain until I and those who are with me had forced the powers-that-be to acknowledge our opinions and our true numbers.
And one day soon, I or someone else will care enough to actually do this. Because my friend is right about one thing: it is better to go out like a Jew than a wimp.