February 27, 2004/Adar 5 5764, Vol. 56, No. 23
Israel is far from decliningHELEN FREEDMANI can't imagine what Gary Wexler was thinking when he wrote "Visit to another Israel," (Jewish News, Feb. 13) let alone when he decided to submit it for publication in Jewish newspapers. And how sad that, of all the articles to publish, Jewish News of Greater Phoenix selected his.While I applaud Wexler for vacationing in Israel, his negative portrayal of the Jewish state is, at best, misleading and unhelpful. As a public relations professional, surely he understands the impact of such kvetching - since he doesn't bother to offer any advice or solutions. He is to be congratulated for the impressive achievement of kicking a beleaguered country when it is down. While it is useful to examine the incredible difficulties Israelis face now, his grousing neither addresses them nor does anything to bolster Israelis who bear them. My daughter lives in Jerusalem. While she would not disagree that the last three years have exacted a dreadful toll on Israelis - and that there do not appear to be fresh solutions in the offing - she would be disgusted to hear that an American visited to support Israel and returned trumpeting its coming unraveling. He even complains about his hotel's chaotic lobby. An over-full lobby is a good thing; it means there are customers, and that means jobs for Israelis. As a frequent visitor, I do not recognize the Israel Wexler describes. I find Israelis doggedly going about their daily lives, determined to defy the enemies of our country. I know that the perspective Americans get from the media - and now, from Jewish News - is simply not accurate. While the horror of Islamist terror cannot be underestimated, Israeli society is in many ways more peaceful than the reality Americans know. I don't worry about my daughter walking around the city by herself, or even that she follows Israeli custom and regularly picks up hitchhikers. It is a totally different society, one that has retained much of what we have lost - a focus on family, a sense of connection and a feeling of mutual responsibility. Wexler has lost sight of one of our greatest truths: the strength and unity of the Jewish people. The traumas of the last few years have made this more clear than ever to the Israelis I know. Religious or not, right or left, living in Israel or in the Diaspora, we are all a part of the Jewish people. Today, Jews who live in the land of Israel are absorbing the blows that are directed at all of us. We American Jews have the luxury of living in a country that is politically stable and enormously hospitable. Our good fortune lends a tremendous opportunity to support the state of Israel. Now is not the time for lamenting. Now is the time for strength and for doing all we can to help our brothers and sisters who are carrying such a heavy load. Don't write nasty commentaries for Jewish newspapers. Instead, support organizations that provide emotional, financial and medical support to survivors of terror and their family. Invest in Israeli companies to help provide much-needed jobs. Support any of the innumerable charities in Israel that provide food, job training, childcare and other essential services. If our Israeli family is hurting, we need to look for ways to help them, not misinterpret the effects of war on a determined, strong people whose creative energies need to be channeled into daily living, loving and survival. I invite the Wexler family to join me on my next trip to Israel to meet the vibrant, exciting, strong Israelis I know. While they may complain, argue and disagree, they understand and appreciate the necessity for a Jewish homeland. Utopia it's not, but magical it is. Helen Freedman has worked in the tourism and hospitality industry for 25 years. Her daughter Stefanie Pearson has lived in Israel since 1998. |
