We 5 million Jews in America are fortunate to live in a country where anti-semitism exists but is at a low. The 6 million Jews in Israel live in an embattled fortress (or ghetto) located in a scary chaotic part of the world. Many of the other 2 million Jews are exposed to a growing resurgence of anti-semitism to varying degrees in various parts of the world. Modern Zionism began in the late 19th Century with the hope that the existence of a Jewish state would be an antidote to anti-Semitism, a place where a Jew would live in peace. Unfortunately no plan however noble and well thought out unfolds perfectly.
For me, being a Zionist means I am concerned for the safety of all my fellow Jews everywhere in the world, and 5 out of 13 of us live in Israel. When Benjamin Netanyahu claims to represent all of us Jews in the world, I disagree. When he asks us all to go live in Israel to be safe, he is not exactly correct. It depends on where the particular Jew happens to be living as to whether he or she is more or less safe than in Israel. Is Israel protecting me as an American? It is a 2 way street, but I think my country, America, is in a greater position to protect Netanyahu’s Israel. The truth is that we all live in the same world, we Jews and everyone else. There are people in the world who are willing to harm us and others for some abstract foolishness. Unfortunately, people who are stupid in their purpose can also acquire enough technical ability to create great harm. We Jews must be a part of the sane, intelligent, and good people who work together to overcome the foolish people who wish to do harm to us and even themselves for their cause. Israel like other countries does good and bad, probably more good than bad. Israel has produced great scientific and technical achievements that have given benefits throughout the world. Unfortunately it has not always acted wisely in its relations with the Palestinian Arabs just as the Palestinian Arabs have not always acted wisely in their relations with Israel. Hopefully one day, their problems can be resolved so that Israel can be the haven that Theodore Herzl envisioned for all the inhabitants of Israel and Palestine.
