Our hearts and souls

Editorial

For nearly 2,000 years, we dreamed, prayed and imagined a place we had never experienced - the land of Israel.

Then, almost miraculously, the modern state of Israel was born in the aftermath of World War II, an ancestral vision made real.

After four wars with its neighbors - 1948, 1956, 1967, 1973 - Israel at last became existentially secure.

But then what? What has happened to the dreams, the prayers, the connection? Two generations have grown up never needing to pray or yearn for Israel, because for them, it has always existed.

Today the compelling idea of Israel plays a lesser role in the Jewish consciousness than for previous generations. According to the 2002 Greater Phoenix Jewish Community Study, while 93 percent of the respondents say they regard Israel as an important Jewish community concern, only 40 percent view Israel as a very important part of their personal Jewish identity. Among those under 50 years old, that figure drops to 21 percent.

In the sunny American Southwest, 8,000 miles from Israel, the challenge is to foster an emotional connection - a gut-level religious identification - with the Jewish state. This task becomes all the more daunting as we try to make sense of the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli violence and allay our fears of visiting the Jewish state.

Yet even if we don't, we have at our disposal local opportunities to learn the history, taste the food, hear the music and experience the culture of Israel.

We can start by celebrating Israeli Independence Day - Yom Ha'atzmaut - 12:30-4:30 p.m. Sunday, April 25, at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, 12701 N. Scottsdale Road. The celebration is tailor-made for every age group and includes the Tel Aviv Scouts, Israeli folk dancing and Israeli foods.

We can also make celebrating Israel Independence Day part of our family tradition. What better way to emotionally and religiously connect the youngest generation with the Jewish state? (See "Time to celebrate Independence Day," Page 18)

Throughout the year, we can make a political difference by becoming active with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) to ensure that the Israel-U.S. bond remains strong. Other Valley organizations, starting with the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix, offer ways to nurture ongoing connections ranging from the financial to the deeply personal. (See "Yom Ha'atzmaut and beyond," Page 1)

During the past 56 years, Israelis have been creating a vibrant, rich and beautiful nation. Even without leaving home, we can connect with the land of our origins, we can strengthen it, and we can ensure that Israel remains in our hearts and our souls.

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