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February 6, 2004/Shevat 14 5764, Vol. 56, No. 20
Ties to the landEditorialIn the nearly 2,000 years between the Roman expulsion and the founding of the modern state of Israel, the Jewish people maintained a strong connection to ha'aretz, the land.One way was through our celebration of Tu B'Shevat, commemorating the birthday of the trees - principally the trees in the biblical land of Israel. We recalled the land and ate foods from trees associated with the native soil of our ancestors. Today, 56 years after the extraordinary days in 1948 when Israel was reborn, we still have to work to maintain strong ties to ha'aretz. We will gather as a community and celebrate artzeinu, our land, at the annual Tu B'Shevat Festival organized by Jewish National Fund. The festivities take place from noon-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8, at Scottsdale Civic Center Amphitheater, at 75th and Main streets. Five years ago, the Jewish people devised another approach to strengthen Diaspora connections with Israel by creating the Birthright Israel program, offering 18-26 year-olds who had never visited Israel the opportunity to experience it for free. Jewish philanthropists, the United Jewish Communities and the State of Israel pooled resources to boost Jewish identity and foster ties between Israel and the Diaspora. This program had a price: $210 million. But the investment has paid rich dividends. So far, 60,000 young adults have participated. Across the board, the Israel-experience has changed their lives, strengthened their connections to Israel and fortified their Jewish identities. Many who never had Jewish friends have developed abiding relationships. When they return home, Birthright Israel participants become involved in the Jewish community by becoming advocates: on college campuses, in the workplace or among non-Jewish friends. Many express a desire one day to return to Israel, as tourists or to make aliyah. However, now the Birthright Israel program may come to an end. Though the interest of young adults to visit Israel remains strong, most of the original $210 million has been spent. The onus is on our community and Jewish communities across the country - in association with UJC and the state of Israel - to raise funds to keep Birthright alive. An alternative would be for our community to act unilaterally and fund trips for local young adults. Another option is to create a sliding scale to enable participants to pay a percentage of the $2,400 cost per trip. For two millennia, disconnected from the land, we held fast to an abstract dream of Israel. Now that the dream has been realized, we cannot risk losing our reconnection with ha'aretz. |
