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Issue: Jewish Issues

		What is Zionism? Author: Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis

Israel`s Right to its Land To understand Zionism we must understand G-d`s scheme for all mankind... In order to perceive the meaning of Zionism, one must possess an understanding of the Bible and the Jewish people. But above all, one must believe in G-d. If any one of these components is lacking, Zionism becomes obscured and its prophetic vision jaundiced. Zionism cannot be defined in political terms, nor can it be interpreted as a national liberation movement, for it transcends and defies all national and political considerations. We believe that the underlying cause of all the controversy and ambiguity surrounding Zionism is precisely this lack of perception of the Divine. Zionism cannot be discussed in purely secular terms, for such a portrayal is completely dichotomous to its intrinsic meaning. If we are to succeed in defining Zionism, we must understand G-d`s scheme for all mankind, and the specific role designated for the Jewish people as recorded in the Bible. G-d`s promise to the Jewish people as recorded in the Bible... In Genesis, G-d proclaims His promise to Abraham, the father of the Jewish people: "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father`s house, unto the land that I will show thee. And I will make thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and make thy name great, and thou shall be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee, and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." (Genesis XII, 1-3) And so, Abraham, the first Zionist, set forth for the promised land to become a blessing unto the nations. G-d`s promise to Abraham was confirmed to his son, Isaac: "And he went up from thence to Beersheba. And the L-rd appeared unto him the same night, and said, ‘I am the G-d of Abraham, thy father. Fear not, for I am with thee, and I will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham`s sake.`" And again to Isaac`s son, Jacob (Israel). A Divine engagement between the Jewish people, the land, and the Almighty G-d... "And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon the place, and tarried there all night...and lay down in that place to sleep...And behold, the L-rd stood beside him and said: "I am the L-rd, the G-d of Abraham thy father, and the G-d of Isaac. The land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it and to thy seed. And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shall spread abroad to the west, and the east, and to the north, and to the south. And in thee, and in thy seed, shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee withsoever thou goest, and will bring thee back into this land..." (Genesis XXVIII, 10-15) And thereafter, the promise was transmitted to the sons of Jacob who became the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel. Still later, at Sinai, the promise was formalized in an eternal Covenant which became a Divine engagement between the Jewish people, the land, and the Almighty G-d. Henceforth and forevermore, the destiny of the Jewish people would be inexorably intertwined with the Torah and the land. How does one live in the land of G-d?... But it is no simple thing to live in the land of G-d, where every stone, every speck of dust is infused with sanctity...where the very air reverberates with holiness, and the trees whisper psalms. This is the land regarding which it is written: "The eyes of the L-rd your G-d are upon it from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year." (Deuteronomy, XVI-12) The earth itself revolts against sin... Such a land cannot abide inequity, evil, or corruption. The earth is so sensitive that it revolts against sin. It cannot tolerate defilement, and so, G-d admonishes us: "Take heed that you defile not the land, that the land vomit you not." (Leviticus, XVIII) In such a land, every mundane act must be infused with holiness demanding constant discipline. What an awesome responsibility...What a frightful burden...And yet, what a sublime opportunity to achieve grandeur. In that land you become a prophet or perish. There is no middle course: The L-rd your G-d has chosen you to be a special people unto Himself... "For you are a holy people unto the L-rd your G-d. The L-rd your G-d has chosen you to be a special people unto Himself...above all the people that are on the face of the earth." (Deuteronomy, XIV, 2) And so, we have been admonished to be ever vigilant against those forces which might entice us from the path of the Torah: "If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, then I will give you peace in My land, and none shall make you afraid. And I will walk among you, and I will be your G-d, and ye shall be My people." (Leviticus XVI) "But if you will not hearken unto Me, and will not do all these commandments, I will set My face against you, and you shall be slain before your enemies. They that hate you shall reign over you...and I will bring the land into desolation...and I will scatter you among the nations...and I will draw out the sword after you, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up...And yet, for all that, when you are in the land of your enemies, I will not reject you, nor will I ignore you to destroy you utterly and to break My Covenant with you, for I am the L-rd your G-d." (Leviticus XVI) The Jewish people have been scattered throughout the 4 corners of the earth... And all this has come to pass...the prophecies, the sufferings, the dispersions, have all been documented by history. Yes, we the Jewish people have been scattered throughout the four corners of the earth. There is no country in which we have not lived, yet in the midst of our pain and agony we surged forth as a spiritual army to fulfill our mission, to be a "blessing to all mankind." Our Bible, our psalms, our prophets have become a source of inspirations to all men. Our commandments have become the cornerstone of civilization, and our people have made major discoveries in science and medicine which have benefited all mankind. Yes, we became a part of every people, yet we always remained a people apart, fulfilling our mission...accepting our responsibility of being a witness to G-d. While other nations disappeared we endured. Yes, we survived centuries of pain and persecution because we were sustained by a memory - a memory that recalled a promise for tomorrow; Zion...Jerusalem. When we no longer lived in Jerusalem, Jerusalem continued to live within us... While we may have been forced to leave Jerusalem, we never abandoned her. Even as our holy Temple was ransacked and we were led into captivity we swore: "If I forget thee Oh Jerusalem, let my right hand wither. Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you...if I do not set Jerusalem above my chiefest joy." (Psalm 137) Jerusalem became the center of our every hope, the focus of our every prayer, the embodiment of all our dreams. In exile, we could find neither peace nor solace. Nothing could assuage our longing, for while we no longer lived in Jerusalem, Jerusalem continued to live within us: "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept when we remembered Zion..." Our tormentors taunted us: ‘Sing us one of your songs of Zion.` But we could not find our voice, for how shall we sing the L-rd`s song in a foreign land.." (Psalm 137) In the annals of history, there has been no precedent for Zionism... And so it was, that by a river in Babylonia, as our people wept inconsolably for Zion, a movement was born - Zionism. For two pain filled millennia, amidst torture, persecution, and terror, our cry of Zion reverberated throughout the world. Neither the oppression nor the enticements of the nations of the world could blot out memory or quell our yearning. The song of Zion remained forever on our lips. Jerusalem was engraved upon the tablets of our hearts. It coursed through our veins. In the annals of history there has been no precedent for such a national yearning. Never has there existed a nation which lived by a vision for over two millennia, despite the fact that there was no rationale to sustain it. Throughout the long dark years of exile, in the stillness of the cold, bitter nights, we would arise and weep for Jerusalem. Even in the midst of celebration, our grief was ever before us. In solitude of our homes, in moments of joy as well as in times of despair, there was only one thought, one prayer, "Next year in Jerusalem." Daily we beseeched the Almighty to rebuild the holy city, "May our eyes behold thy return in mercy to Zion." The Moslems and the Christians have many holy cities, but for the Jew, there has been, there is, and there shall be only one Jerusalem... Jerusalem was, Jerusalem is, and Jerusalem will forever be the capitol of the Jewish people. The Moslems and the Christians have many holy cities, but for us there has been, there is, and there shall always be only one Jerusalem, the City of David, the City of the Prophets of Israel, the City of the Almighty G-d. G-d promised the land to the Jews. No other nation could succeed in settling her... There were many nations and conquerors who coveted Israel, and they all came; from the Babylonians to the Greeks, from the Romans to the Crusaders, from the Turks to the British...But they merely tarried, for the land rejected them all. The holy soil rebelled against all intruders. No, no other nation might possess Israel, for G-d had made a promise that the land would await the homecoming of her children. Zion never became a part of these intruders, nor did their descendants ever fast, weep, or mourn for Jerusalem. Zion never took root in their souls, for the land was destined for the Jewish people by the Almighty G-d. Consider the incredible drama of a land waiting 2,000 years for the return of her children... And so, it was only the chalutzim, the sons of David, the descendants of Judah, who succeeded in redeeming the land...in converting malaria swamps into lush gardens. The return to Zion is an unparalleled event in the history of nations; the incredible drama of a land waiting 2,000 years for the return of her children. No Zionism cannot be understood from a normal historical perspective...it transcends all that. Jerusalem is not a city that can be acquired through conquest, for it is a city ruled by Divine destiny, and it`s inhabitants can live there only by the will of G-d. Yes, Zionism is an engagement between a people and their land, sanctified by G-d Himself. Despite our mourning we never despaired... Perhaps now it can be more readily understood how it was possible to mourn for over 2,000 years; why it was that no one could console us or make us forget. But paradoxically, despite our mourning, we never despaired. Even when there appeared to be no substance to our hope, we believed. Yet our optimism was not totally blind. We were not fools living in a world of fantasy, for there was tangible justification for our dreams. With our very eyes we had witnessed the fulfillment of prophecy; the dispersions and the sufferings, and so we understood that the second part would also come to pass. "The L-rd thy G-d will turn thy captivity and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations whither the L-rd thy G-d hath scattered thee. If any of thine be driven unto the utmost parts of heaven, from thence will the L-rd thy G-d gather thee, and from thence will He fetch thee. And the L-rd thy G-d will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed. And thou shalt possess it, and He will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers." (Deuteronomy, XXX, 1-5) Yes, all this has unfolded before our very eyes, and today we witness Zion rebuilt. Surely, this is testimony to that which is mystical and miraculous in history. Through Israel it has been proven that the G-d of Israel "neither sleeps nor slumbers." The Bible continues to live. ZIONISM AND CHRISTIANITY The Church, promoters of anti-semitism... But if all this be so, why is it that in a monotheistic world, wherein all men profess belief in the Bible, the truth of Zionism continues to elude man`s understanding? Furthermore, why have the nations of the world, as well as some of the leaders of modern Israel failed to place Zionism in its proper perspective? An analysis of history will demonstrate that since the advent of Christianity, the force which has dominated and shaped world opinion has been the Church. This force however, has proven calamitous for the Jewish people, for not only did Christian theology sow the seeds of anti-semitism, but it actually promoted the pogroms, the expulsions, and the wholesale slaughter of the Jewish people which culminated in the extermination of the six million. The gospels and the writings of the Church fathers are replete with derogatory references to the Jew. For example, St. Jerome did not hesitate to denounce those same Jews who helped him master the Hebrew language as "Serpents to be hated by all Christians." St. Ephraim referred to the Jews as "circumcised dogs." In his "Homily On The resurrection," Gregory of Nyssa called the Jews a "brood of vipers, the devil`s advocates." St. John of Chrysostom referred to Jews as "pigs, gluttons, and drunkards", and censored all who would associate with those who "spilled the blood of Jesus." The synagogue, he said, is a "brothel, a den of thieves." St. Augustine, St Justin, and St. Thomas Acquinas were equally venomous. The Jews, they proclaimed, were guilty of having crucified the L-rd, and consequently are subject to perpetual servitude and suffering. Persecution of Jews, an act of piety... In Christian theology, Jews were termed "deicides" (murderers of the L-rd), condemned to perpetual servitude, and dispersed as a punishment for having rejected Jesus. Persecution of the Jews was not only sanctioned, but more, it was deemed an act of piety. During the Dark Ages, eternal life and remission of sin was promised to all those Christians who would join in the Crusades and destroy the Jewish infidels. And so, they went forth...In Worms, Germany, Jews were mercilessly butchered. Their naked, mutilated bodies were laid out in the streets to rot - all for the greater glory of Jesus. The cross was drenched with blood as the story of Worms was repeated throughout Europe and Asia. Not limited to hooligans... Lest the reader attempt to minimize the bestial acts perpetrated by the Crusaders by rationalizing that they were the deeds of hooligans, let us remember that the leaders of the Crusades were members of the nobility, who responded to the Holy See`s call for Jewish blood with fervor. When they finally reached Jerusalem, the slaughter which they inflicted was of such magnitude, that they waded ankle deep in the blood of their victims. And those Jews who managed to survive this massacre and refused baptism, were driven into synagogues and burned alive by their noble captors, who sobbed with joy at their great victory over the non-believers. Persecution of Jews...most expedient method of resolving economic & social conflicts... Nor were these atrocities limited to the Crusaders. Persecution of the Jew became part of the real politic of every country in every generation, for it proved to be the most expedient method of resolving economic and social conflicts. Heads of State quickly discovered that the simplest way to overcome financial crises was to confiscate Jewish properties and expel the detested breed from their lands. Thus, not only were their coffers replenished, but their deeds would merit the blessing of the Church. When the black death decimated Europe, the Jew again became the scapegoat. It was the accursed Jews who poisoned the food, the wells, and very air. The formula for stamping out the plague was simple enough, "kill off the Jews." And so, the slaughter of the Jews became the Christian remedy for the plague. In Strassbourg on the Sabbath day, 1,800 Jews were dragged to the cemetery and burned alive. This story was repeated in countless other communities. But these treacherous acts were not limited to the living; in Prague, on Easter Sunday in 1389, not only was the Jewish population wantonly murdered, but frenzied mobs also stormed the cemeteries and flung dead Jews from their graves. During the Enlightenment and the Protestant Reformation, enmity toward Jews went unabated... But perhaps most shocking is the fact that persecution was not limited to the Middle Ages, a period when men lived in darkness, superstition, and bigotry. Even during the Enlightenment and Protestant Reformation, when many changes took place in the Church, enmity toward the Jew went unabated. Martin Luther: "Jews are the children of the devil." When Martin Luther`s attempts to gain a following among the Jews proved fruitless, he advised all faithful Christians to rob, pillage and kill Jews. "To be a perfect Christian is to defeat the forces of Satan which is the Jew." He proposed that the following measures be taken against them; synagogues be burned, books be confiscated, Jews be forbidden to pray to G-d, and expulsion from their lands. He urged all those in authority to work toward that end. "A Jewish heart," he proclaimed, "is as hard as wood, as stone, as iron, as the devil himself. In short, they are the children of the devil, condemned to the flames of hell.." Although the Protestant Reformation revised Christian practice and dogma, the traditional posture of the Church toward the Jews remained unchanged. While 19th Century theologian John Nelson stands out as an innovator, there is nothing innovative in his stand on the Jews: "We can see in Cain a type of the Jews, murderers of the L-rd, who carry the mark of it on their foreheads." Ominous silence of the Church during the Nazi period... And during the blackest hour in history, while six million were mercilessly led to the gas chambers, burned in ovens, and buried alive, an ominous deafening silence issued forth from the Church. Not once did the Church publicly condemn the Nazi extermination programs, nor was there any attempt made to excommunicate those Nazi butchers who were of Christian faith. Although nearly 80% of German dominated Europe fell under the sway of the Church, the mother Church remained indifferent, and never exhorted its followers to save Jews from annihilation. On the contrary, the Church cooperated fully with the Nazis, and at times even offered its blessing. Yes, the Princes of the Church in their vestments of hypocrisy remained silent while Jewish people were systematically fed to the ovens. According to Christian dogma, Jews had to be baptized or eliminated, for their conversion would ultimately signal the second coming of Jesus. Christian theology asserts that the loss of the Jewish homeland came as a punishment for the Jews having rejected Jesus, and therefore, they would be permitted to return to their homeland only after accepting baptism. Pope can support Israel only if Jews agree to be baptized... Pope Pius reaffirmed this is an interview with Theodore Herzl, when he stated that he could support Zionism only if Jews would agree to be baptized. But he Jews refused to be baptized - they would rather die. And so, the tiny State of Israel upset the entire structure of Christian theology, and Rome found this intolerable. Thus, it is not by coincidence that to this very day the Vatican does not have diplomatic relations with Israel. Nowadays, people reject the superstition & bigotry of the past... But perhaps you the reader will find all these references to anti-semitism and decide so much ancient history, with no bearing on the Zionist movement of today. After all, those people who currently brand Zionism as racism are hardly concerned with Christian theology. Nowadays, people reject the superstition and bigotry of the past. Surely a better explanation must be forthcoming as to why the nations of the world find Zionism so objectionable, even reprehensible. Anti-semitism packaged for the 20th Century... While it is true that our generation is not motivated by religious prejudice and superstition, we must nevertheless concede that it is the product of 19 centuries of Jew hatred. And though one may claim to be free of religious bigotry, people are nonetheless the sum total of their past. It is no simple thing to shrug off childhood prejudices which are rooted in a heritage of anti-semitism. Although in our contemporary society one would be subject to criticism and even ridicule if one were to articulate overtly anti-semitic sentiments, there are nevertheless ways of packaging anti-semitism so that it can gain respectability and be made palatable to the 20th Century sophisticate. The ancient sport of Jew baiting has once again been revived, but this time, instead of crying out "dirty Jew," the epithet of "Zionist racist" has been substituted. Instead of being accused of fomenting an "international Jewish conspiracy," we are attacked as instigators of a "Zionist imperialist conspiracy." The modern anti-semite can live comfortably with such terminology, for there is a certain anonymity in these terms which permits him to hate while simultaneously labeling himself an intellectual or a liberal. The accusations have varied from generation to generation... To the anti-semite it matters little that Zionism is the total antithesis of racism, just as it mattered little to him when Jews were falsely labeled Christ killers, poisoners of wells, murderers of innocent children, and more recently, plotters of world conquest. The ugly myths, the accusations, have varied from generation to generation, from country to country, from culture to culture...but the final verdict is unvarying; Jews are the "enemy of mankind," a "menace to world peace", and they must be eliminated. Zionism branded racism - a new version of anti-semitism... It matters not whether it is Pharoah or Torquemada, Hitler or Arafat; in each generation an attempt has been made to annihilate the Jew. No, it makes no difference whether our sons are drowned in the Nile or burned at the stake, suffocated in gas chambers or disemboweled by terrorists. The Jewish people have always been as "one sheep among seventy wolves." And so, the antics of the United Nations come as no surprise. Zionism branded "racism" is a new version of anti-semitism, which simply translated means "Let`s get rid of the Jews." Murder becomes legitimized... And so it becomes obvious why, despite the belief Christians profess in the Bible, Zionism continues to be vilified. There is simply no room for Rome and Jerusalem to co-exist. Additionally, one can now more readily understand how civilized members of a world body of nations could have officially endorsed anti-semitism by granting legitimacy to the murderous P.L.O. ZIONISM AND THE ARAB WORLD Jews and Arabs, half brothers... The relationship which we have had with the Arab world differs somewhat from that which we have had with the Christians. Jews and Arabs are half brothers. In Abraham we shared a common father; the Jews tracing their ancestry to his son Isaac, the Arabs to his son Ishmael. Our father Abraham blessed each of his sons in accordance with G-d`s dictates. As it is written in Genesis XVII, 19-21: "And G-d said, Sarah, thy wife shall bear thee a son and thou shalt call his name Isaac, and I shall establish my Covenant with him for an everlasting Covenant for his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee; behold I have blessed him and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. Twelve princes shall he beget and I will make him a great nation. But my Covenant will I establish with Isaac whom Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time next year." The boundaries of Israel as proscribed by G-d... And this Covenant which was given to Isaac was later confirmed to Jacob (Genesis XXVIII, 12-14). Still later, it was reaffirmed to Moses and to the Jewish people: "Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours; from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river Euphrates, even unto the outermost sea shall your coast be." (Deuteronomy, 11-24) A look at any map of the Middle East will attest to the fact that this promise to Ishmael (from who the Arabs trace their descent) has been amply fulfilled. Today there are over 100 million Arabs comprising many nations, princes, and kings. It is no mere coincidence that in the fulfillment of this prophecy, the Arab nations have become the richest in the world. G-d`s separate blessing to the Jews and Arabs... By contrast, the descendants of Isaac were apportioned a tiny, insignificant land. Their territory contains neither oil wells nor great riches, for it is not through power nor material wealth that they shall manifest their grandeur. Rather, it is through sanctity and holiness...by being a priestly kingdom, a light unto the nations, a source of blessing unto all man. In His infinite wisdom, the Almighty G-d has arranged the world as a symphony, with each nation playing its own unique instrument in a score orchestrated by G-d Himself. The descendants of Ishmael, even as the descendants of Isaac, must accept their special role if they are to fulfill G-d`s will on earth. Despite the blessing and the great wealth which G-d bestowed upon Ishmael, he was consumed by jealously which evoked into open hatred and as real today as in days of yore. Despite the myth created by the Arab propaganda machine which has tried to prove that Jews and Arabs lived in good will and harmony until the advent of Zionism, there has always been a history of hatred between the brothers. According to Arab law, Jews are inferior beings... According to Arab law, Jews are inferior beings, and so the sons of Ishmael, the Arabs, instituted regulations with the specific intent of humiliating and segregating Jews. Jews had to be kept visible so that they may be taunted, oppressed, and ridiculed. Under Arab rule, Jews had to honor Moslems and stand in their presence. They were obligated to wear hats of a specific design, a yellow sash, a badge, and even shoes of different colors. Jews were required to pay special taxes and were not permitted to own or ride a horse. Jews were forced to live in crowded ghettos amidst misery and poverty. Jewish homes and synagogues were not to be taller than their Moslem counterparts. Jews were not permitted to raise their voices in prayer, lest it prove offensive to Moslems. The Covenant of Omar specifies that Jews are forbidden to speak of Islam with irreverence or falsify the Koran. Any Jews found breaking these laws was punished by death. The history of the Jewish people among the Arabs is a bloody tale of pograms, mob violence, persecution, extortion, and blackmail. The significance of the Arab laws concerning Jews lies in the fact that at whim, Arabs were able to have Jews arrested on trumped up charges, and have them prosecuted while collecting their monies. Mohammed never denied that G-d gave the land to the Jewish people... But oddly enough, despite the prejudice, hatred, and constant persecution, Mohammed and his followers never dared to deny that G-d, through His Bible, deeded the land of Israel to the Jewish people. In fact, G-d`s promise to the children of Israel is repeated in the Koran, the book of Islam: "We settled the children of Israel in a beautiful dwelling place, and provided for them sustenance of the best." (Sura X, 92) When the holy land is mentioned in the Koran, it is in reference to the words G-d spoke to Moses and the Jewish people: "Remember, Moses said to his people, ‘Oh my people, call in remembrance of the favor of G-d unto you. And He produced prophets among you, made you kings, and gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples. Oh my people, enter the holy land which G-d hath assigned unto you...`" (Koran, Sura, V-4, 22, 23) Jewish settlement in Israel has continued in an unbroken sequence... Any study of the history of the Middle East will reveal that no people, no nation, no tribe, has ever established a physical, spiritual, or geographic hold on this land except the Jews. Throughout the centuries, despite dispersions and exile, the physical link between the Jew and the land of Israel was unbroken. From the days of Joshua to this very day, Jewish settlement in Israel has continued in an unbroken sequence. Although life in the land was fraught with hardship, the Jew clung to the soil with fierce tenacity. There are those in Israel today who can directly trace their descent to the ancient Hebrews. As late as the Crusades there were important Jewish communities in Haifa, Jaffa, Ashkelon, Acco, Ramleh, and Gaza. In the 16th Century the cities of Sfad & Tiberias became spiritual centers... In the 16th Century, the cities of Sfad and Tiberias became the spiritual centers of Jewish life, influencing the entire Jewish world. The Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) as well as the Shulchan Aruch (codification of Jewish law) were created and authored here. Israel was the center of rabbinic learning and Jewish spiritual life. Despite persecution and poverty, Jewish settlement in the holy land not only continued, but flourished. Although the journey was perilous (travelers were obliged to rely on unseaworthy vessels, and often fell prey to robbers and cut-throats), the Jews allowed nothing to deter them from reaching the land of their dreams. In each generation the Torah giants embarked upon voyages to the holy land... Giants such as Yehudah Halevi, Nachmanides, Maimonides, the Maharal of Rottenberg, Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov (Besht), the Vilna Gaon, all embarked upon pilgrimages to Israel, and in every generation they inspired people to settle in the holy land. For example, the chassidim of Besht resettled the cities of Sfad and Tiberias, while the followers of the Gaon settled in Jerusalem. At the beginning of the 19th Century, Jerusalem had a Jewish population of approximately 14,000, Hebron - 900, Acco - 134, Haifa - 100, and Nablus - 50. Jewish settlement in the land was uninterrupted... As technological advances made travel to Israel more feasible, immigration escalated. The first chalutzim gathered under the banner of "Lovers of Zion" and at the risk of their lives paved the way for the establishment of today`s State. It is important to remember that the Jews never abandoned their land, never relinquished their rights, and their settlement was uninterrupted. There has never been a Palestinian state... Tragically however, the Arab propaganda machine has been so successful in portraying Israel as a Palestinian state that no one has paused to question the accuracy or validity of these allegations. A study of the history of the Middle East will verify that there has never been a Palestinian state or a Palestinian people. Accounts of tourists, archeologists, and historians make no reference to Palestinians, although they do write of numerous other tribes and peoples who at one time or another may have temporarily resided in the land. The name Palestine was given by the Romans... The name Palestine is a corruption of the word "Philistina" referring to the Philistine invaders from the Greek Islands who settled the coastal area of the land, and has absolutely no connection to the Arabs. After the tragic defeat of Bar Kochba, the valiant general of Israel`s freedom fighters in 135 C.E., Hadrian, the Roman Emperor, was determined to eradicate all traces of Judaism from the land. He renamed Eretz Yisrael "Palestine" and razed the holy city of Jerusalem, building on its ruins a pagan city called "Aelia Capitolina." He also divided the country into three separate entities: "Palestina Prima", the center, including Judea and Samaria; "Palestina Secunda" (Gallilee, Gilad, and Golan); and "Palestina Tertia" (the Negev and what is now called Jordan). Throughout the centuries, many countries invaded and conquered the land; it was divided into many districts, and was constantly renamed by the invading armies, but it was not officially called Palestine until the League of Nations created the Palestine Mandate after W.W.I Thus for the Arabs of today to lay claim to the land of Israel by attempting to trace their lineage to the Romans or Philistines of old is not only the height of "chutzpah" but also a brazen falsification of history. Oddly enough, the only ones who have been referred to as Palestinians in the recent past were the Israeli freedom fighters who volunteered to serve with the British Armed Forces during W.W. II. Those Arabs today refer to themselves as Palestinians came to Israel during either the Turkish rule or British mandate. They were attracted to the land by the Jewish inhabitants whose employ afforded them greater economic opportunity. But they never thought of themselves as Palestinians. Rather they looked upon themselves as part of the greater Arab people, as is evidenced by the fact that they never developed an indigenous culture. In his outstanding work, "Historical Geography of the Holy Land"written in 1891, Sir George Adam Smith wrote: "In the land of Israel there is no native Arab culture...It is the Jews who gave to Israel everything of value which it ever had for the world." The Arabs never built cities or settlements in the land. IN fact, almost all Arab names of places are mispronounces Hebrew and Roman names. For example, the Jews called Jerusalem "Ir Ha Kodesh" - the Holy City, hence the Arab name "Al Kuds." The Romans called the ancient city of Shechem "Neapolis," and the Arabs, who cannot pronounce the letter "p" called it "Nablus." It is interesting to note that the Arabs never demanded a Palestinian state. In fact, in 1947, when the United Nations partitioned Eretz Yisrael, the Arabs refused to accept their own state and instead declared a war of annihilation upon the Jews. Transjordan, under the leadership of Emir Abdullah, invaded and illegally annexed Judea, Samaria, and eastern Jerusalem, forming the area now known as the West Bank. Strangely enough, the Arabs never demanded an autonomous Palestinian state from the Jordanian authorities. At that time they could certainly have established such a state, but they did not wish to do so. It was only when the grandson of Abdullah once again went forth to attack Israel and lost these territories that the cry for a Palestinian state was heard from the Arabs. Let us understand once and for all that the areas which the Arabs claim as their own are historically part of Eretz Yisrael, and became Arab territories only through oppression or political favors. Indeed, Jordan itself is an artificial state created by the League of Nations in 1922 at the insistence of Great Britain in order to bestow a political plum on Emir Abdullah. The so-called West Bank is ancient Judea and Samaria...It is not occupied, but rather liberated territory which cannot be given back to the Arabs, since it was not theirs in the first place. It was seized illegally through aggression, and today we have liberated it and returned it to it`s rightful owners. The Jewish people settling these lands are not merely newly arrived immigrants...They are olim, men and women who have taken upon themselves the holy task of returning home to the land of their fathers. Let us clearly and unequivocally repeat once agin that no tribe, no nation, and no people ever established a physical, spiritual, or geographic hold on the land except the Jews. No nation succeeded in changing the character of the land... For the sake of clarity, we would like to present an historical timetable of all those nations which at one time or another occupied the land, however temporarily. The reader will note that it was only the Jewish people which figured permanently and decisively in the history of Israel. The Israelite-Judaic period lasted over 1200 years, six hundred of which was during the period of the First Temple and six hundred in the period of the Second Temple. The following conquerors and nations temporarily ruled the land: Babylonia 50 years 586 B.C.E. - 142 B.C.E. Persia 200 years 538 B.C.E. - 333 B.C.E. Rome-Byzantine 600 years 4 B.C.E. - 614 CE Moslems 460 years 638 CE - 1099 CE Crusaders 200 years 1099 CE - 1291 CE Mameluke 200 years 1291 CE - 1516 CE Ottoman 400 years 1516 CE- 1917 CE British 30 years 1917 CE - 1948 CE Even Israel`s enemies concede her right to the land... While all these rulers tried to mold the land to their own culture and religion, none succeeded. Throughout the centuries, the land retained its Jewish inhabitants and character, waiting for her children to assume leadership again. Israel`s right to the land is undisputed and founded in historical fact, so much so that even non-Jews as well as Israel`s overt enemies recognize the Jew`s unique claim to the land. Perhaps one of the most interesting documents in this regard was Napoleon`s declaration to the Jews: "To the Jews - Legal Heirs Of the Land of Israel" "Arise and prove that the entire 2,000 years of your enslavement have not succeeded in turning you into slaves. Hurry, the moment has come which may not return again for thousands of years to demand a national existence for yourselves as a nation among nations..." There are many other documents that we can cite. In more recent times, statesman such as Andrei Gromyko of the U.S.S.R. and Charles De Gaulle of France have also affirmed this truth. Speaking on behalf of the Soviet Union at the United Nations on May 14, 1947, Gromyko said "We cannot deny the right of the Jews to their home." And on April 28, 1955, president Charles De Gaulle of France made the following declaration to the Israeli ambassador in Paris: "The establishment of the State of Israel is an imperative historical need." Suffice it to say that no one ever seriously questioned the link between the Jewish people and Israel. Up to the 20th Century, world leaders acknowledged the Jews` rights to the land And so it was, that up to the 20th century, world leaders acknowledged the special right of the Jews to enter and settle the land. In 1920, on the basis of the Balfour Declaration, the League of Nations authorized a mandate for Great Britain to establish a Jewish national home in the land of Israel. At a peace conference in Paris following W.W. I, Emir Feisel, one of the great leaders of the Arab people, wrote: "We Arabs look with deepest sympathy on the Zionist movement. Our deputation here in Paris is fully acquainted with the proposals submitted by the Zionist organization to the peace conference, and we regard them as moderate and proper. We will do our best in so far as we are concerned to help them through. We wish the Jews a most hearty welcome home." Exploitation of Arab prejudices against Jews... In modern times however, clashes between Jews and Arabs were incited by fanatical Arab leaders who fully exploited the ancient prejudices of the Arabs toward the Jews. These leaders whipped the Arabs into a frenzy and encouraged them to murder, steal, and terrorize the Jewish settlements. Mufti of Jerusalem cooperates with Hitler... Perhaps the most malevolent of these leaders, the one most responsible for the constant state of belligerency between these two peoples, was the Mufti of Jerusalem, haj Mohammed El Husseini. As chairman of the Arab Supreme Council, he incited and organized continuous disturbances. During W.W. II, he assisted Hitler by taking full charge of the liquidation of the Jews in Moslem areas. Husseini`s record of anti-Jewish activism dated as far back as 1920, when he launched his first attacks against the defenseless Jews of the Old City of Jerusalem. Jews and Arabs living there had co-existed peacefully for hundreds of years, but Husseini and his hoodlums were determined that this should not continue. When the British appointed him to the post of Mufti of Palestine, it became quite easy to provoke incidents that fanned hatred between Jew and Moslem. A bitter harvest of hatred... Every student of human nature knows that hatred begets hatred...that once the fires of destruction are kindled, it becomes virtually impossible to quell them. Today, we are reaping the bitter harvest of the senseless violence unleashed by irresponsible Arab leaders, and the Middle East has become an inferno, seething with terror and hatred. But perhaps at this point the reader will protest, saying that we are oversimplifying the matter and glossing over the most critical issue in the Middle East conflict. "How," he asks, "can one ignore the Arab refugees? Is not Israel responsible for their suffering?" Let us fully explore this question and discover where and how the Arab refugee problem had its genesis, and why it has not as yet been resolved. "THE ARAB REFUGEE PROBLEM" To drive every Jew into the sea... At the very moment that the State of Israel was declared by the United Nations in 1947, the Arabs declared war on Israel and swore to drive every Jew into the sea. Despite this, Israel called upon the Arab people who were dwelling in the land at the time to "keep the peace and play a part in the building of the State on the basis of full and equal citizenship and due representation in all its institutions." Arabs invited to stay and become citizens... The British police reported that in Haifa, from which the first large scale fight took place, the Jews made every effort to persuade the Arabs to stay and carry on normally. They assured the Arab populace that lives would be protected. The report was verified by the American Consul, Aubrey Lippincot, who stated that the "Jews made every effort to calm the Arabs and prevail upon them to stay." These reports are documented in the U.S. archives. When Israeli mobile units made announcements urging the Arab populace to remain in their homes and not to panic, radio Cairo and Mufti radio warned the Arabs to flee if they wished to avoid disaster. They boasted that the combined Arab forces would converge upon the Jews and drive them all into the sea. The Arab leaders promised rewards of great wealth and glory to all those who would return with the victorious Arab armies. Those who schemed to overrun Jewish homes became homeless... About 500, 000 Arabs responded to the call and fled to nearby Arab lands where they readied themselves for a triumphant, bloody return. But their moment of glory never came. The Jews dared to do the unexpected and valiantly defended themselves. Suddenly, those very Arabs who had schemed to overrun Jewish homes themselves became homeless. The Mufti, as well as the Egyptian and Syrian warmongers who had incited the conflict in the first place, now refused to assume responsibility for their own brethren and confined them to wretched refugee camps where they were manipulated as a political football against Israel. Arab refugees became political footballs... We invite the reader to ponder the sheer insanity of the situation...Arabs willingly leave Israel in order to wage a genocidal war against the Jews, and when they fail they have the "chutzpah" to cry "dispossessed!," "persecution", while the nations of the world nod "amen" in unison. But these very same nations who so self righteously censor Israel have no compunction about expelling dissenting elements from their own lands. It is only Israel who is expected to commit national suicide by welcoming hundreds of thousands of enemies to serve as a fifth column within her borders. A diet of hatred... This painful story of Arab aggression towards Israel has been repeated five times in our generation, and with each war, more Arab refugees have been created. The refugee camps became excellent breeding grounds for terrorists and felons. The children raised there were nourished on a diet of hatred. A typical grammar lesson prepared by the Egyptian Ministry of Education reads: "The Arabs do not cease to act for the extermination of Israel..." and a quote from the history textbook published by the Jordanian Ministry of Education states: "The G-d of the Jews is bloodthirsty, feeble minded, harsh and greedy" (page 67, "History of Ancient and Medieval Civilization"). Simple arithmetic was also taught in this manner: "If you have five Jews and you kill three, how many remain to be liquidated?" The greatest disservice to the refugees... While schoolchildren were inoculated with a desire for murder and revenge, the adult community was encouraged to live lives of indolence. The free food rations doled out by the United Nations permitted able bodied men to idle their time away smoking and gambling. The United Nations, and in particular the United States (which has been picking up the giant share of the tab for the refugees), has performed the greatest disservice to these wretched people. By providing them with free food, clothing, and shelter, it has fostered an atmosphere of moral corruption and degeneracy. Misery created by Arabs for Arabs... But most ironic is the fact that all this misery was created for the Arabs by their own Arab brethren. The hatred that they harbor for Israel is so intense that they willingly consign their people to rot away in refugee camps just so that Israel may beheld responsible for their sub-human state. How ironic it is that none of the Arab leaders who so eloquently describe the plight of the refugees would ever consider integrating them into their lands and thereby accord them the possibility of a life of dignity. How incredible that Arab nations which control territory exceeding the sum total of all European countries (including European Russia) would refuse sanctuary to their people. How inconceivable that a people possessing over 11 million square kilometers find it intolerable that Jews should hold title to a tiny territory of only tens of thousand of kilometers. One cannot help but wonder why the nations which hold over 70% of the world`s oil resources and control the world market are unable to alleviate the poverty and misery of their fellow Arabs. Isn`t it odd that oil-poor Israel, with its limited resources and territory, has managed to absorb millions of refugees from every part of the world, while 20 oil rich countries cannot offer a haven to those brethren and sisters whose fate they bemoan in front of the entire world. Children who have guns but no bread... Indeed, why is it that they find no difficulty in supplying every Arab refugee with a gun, although the necessary funds cannot be found for bread, medical care, and education, while Americans, out of kindness of their hearts send their children out to collect UNICEF pennies on Halloween for the sake of the poor Arab children who have guns but no bread. The hatred that the Arab harbors toward the Jew is stronger than the love he feels for his brother... Throughout the years, the misery of the refugees has intensified. They live in squalid mud huts, totally dependent on the mercy of the U.N. for food and medical care, while the petrodollars which might alleviate their misery are used to manipulate the world economy and satiate the appetites of luxury minded sheiks. The simple reason why the Arab refugee problem has never been solved is because the hatred of the Arab for the Jew is stronger than the love he feels for his brother. The first and only ray of hope for the refugees came from Israel... Ironically, the first ray of hope for a better life for the Arab refugees came from Israel. When Gaza came under Israeli command following the Six Day War, Israeli authorities demanded that radical changes be made to alleviate the lamentable plight of these poor people. The following goals were set: 1) The camps were to be abolished 2) The mud huts were to be converted to habitable buildings 3) The low standard of living was to be raised. It is one thing to formulate goals however, and another to actualize them. The refugees were fearful of cooperating with the Israelis. They recalled the reprisals of the Fedayeen against those Arabs who had cooperated with Israel during the brief 1957 war, and were overcome with terror. Their motto became "No cooperation with Israel" even at the cost of being deprived of health services, education, housing, etc. Refugees accorded dignity and respect... Despite all this, Israel was determined to treat the Arabs with dignity and accord them the respect due fellow human beings. They were offered jobs (the Arab governments had never permitted the refugees to be gainfully employed), opened businesses, and bought property. Thousands of Arabs crossed the Green Line daily to work for fair wages. It was a difficult and slow process, one which had to be accomplished clandestinely, for whoever cooperated with the Jews became a target for Arab terrorist groups. Once a semblance of order was established, the first priority of the Israeli government was to construct wide, well lit roads. Families that had been living in mud hovels were resettled in flats supplied with electricity and running water. Hospitals and medical facilities were built and train service was established between Gaza and Tel Aviv. How ironic that is was Israel who was destined to become the harbinger of hope to the Arab refugees. ANOTHER TYPE OF REFUGEE The silent suffering of Jewish refugees in Arab lands... Since much space has been devoted to the plight of the Arab refugees, we must in all fairness make mention of the Jewish refugees from Arab lands. These refugees have failed to achieve the prominence of the Palestinians. World attention has eluded them, for there is no element of sensationalism attached to their story. None of them ever became eligible for U.N. support or American relief, although over one billion American tax dollars have been spent on the Palestinians. These poor Jews were imprisoned, terrorized, and tortured by their Arab governments, and yet there was not a murmur or protest from the free world. Their suffering has always been and continues to be borne in silence. There is no one to relate their story. They live in constant fear. They are segregated into ghettos and are not permitted to travel more than two miles from home without special permits. No, there is no one to call attention to the plight of these Jews who have been deprived of their livelihoods, force to live in isolation, tortured, imprisoned, and murdered at will. There is no outcry on their behalf for they are Jews...and that one word explains it all. Only Israel has been willing to accept these unwanted souls... Only Israel has been willing to accept these unwanted, oppressed souls. Since Israel`s establishment, almost a million Jews from Arab lands have been absorbed by the State. These Jews have arrived in Israel penniless, stripped of all their worldly possession. Indeed, the wealth that these Jewish refugees left behind in Arab countries far exceeded anything that the Palestinians claim to have left in Israel. Oil dry Israel, whose citizens pay the highest taxes in the world and who are plagued by myriad problems, accepted the refugees without fanfare and totally rehabilitated them. The Jews of Israel would never have considered allowing their brethren to rot away in squalid refugee camps. Blood baths inflicted by Arabs on their own brethren... Contrast this with the manner in which the Arabs received their Palestinian brethren. Arabs who share common roots, speak the same language, and believe in the same religion. Much rhetoric has been uttered regarding the unity of the Arab people, yet the Palestinian is not only denied a home among his Arab brothers, but is brutally slaughtered by them. Consider only the infamous "Black September Massacre" during which countless Palestinians were savagely murdered by Jordanian forces...Consider the wanton blood bath inflicted in Lebanon by the Syrian army...How odd this brotherly love... Paradoxes of Arab-Israeli conflict... The Arab-Israeli conflict is replete with paradoxes; Israel is accused of racism, yet it is the only country in the Middle East which grants full social and political equality to all without distinction. At the same time, all minority groups in Islamic countries are humiliated, persecuted, and oppressed (i.e., Kurds in Iraq, Christians in Lebanon, Copts in Egypt, etc.) Yet Israelis termed "racist" while these other countries are applauded for championing the cause of the downtrodden. Israel is accused of aggression and intransigence, yet Israel is the only country involved in the Middle East conflict which never initiated war, and has been willing to accept untenable borders in order to preserve peace. Precedent set by United States Congress... Israel is the only country in the annals of history to be pressured by the nations of the world to extend hospitality to those who are bent upon her destruction. Why is it that no one recalls the precedent set in 1780 when Congress unequivocally refused to readmit to the United States those Tories who had remained loyal to the Crown and fled to Canada. Benjamin Franklin explained the American position to Richard Oswald, the British representative: "Your ministers require that we should receive again into our bosom those who have been our bitterest enemies, and restore their properties who have destroyed ours, while the wounds they have given us are still bleeding." Those Arab refugees who are seeking to return to Israel are united in their determination to annihilate her. Yassir Arafat and other Palestinian leaders have committed themselves to the following declaration of the Secretary General of the Arab League: "The war of Israel shall be a war of extermination, a momentous crusade which will be spoken of like the Mongolian massacres." The hypocrisy of it all... It would appear that the nations of the world can readily understand that no country can accept enemies within her borders and hope to survive...that is, no country except Israel. How blatant and shameless are these nations in their hypocrisy. The Soviet Union, which has attacked peaceful nations and absorbed their territories without compunction (even changing the names of towns and cities to Russian ones), has the audacity to preach morality and justice to Israel, and no one protests. But when Israel acts in self defense against the bands of terrorists which are bent on her annihilation, then Russia is quick to demand her condemnation. When Pakistan was formed in 1947, ten million people were left homeless...and no one protested. When Algeria received her independence in 1962, one million Europeans (approximately 10% of the population) fled the country...and no protested. But when five hundred thousand Arabs left Israel of their own volition in 1948, the nations of the world were quick to condemn Israel. What hypocrisy. What a sham! But the question still remains: how are we to achieve a just peace in the Middle East? Many formulas have been proposed, and we would like to explore the efficacy of the most popular ones. Formulas for Peace We cannot return that which is ours.... There are those who believe that peace will be realized if and when Israel returns the disputed territories to the Arabs. Now as we explained earlier, we do not recognize the term "return," for obviously we cannot return that which is ours. But let us assume for argument`s sake that we would set aside a piece of Eretz Yisrael for an Arab state... Would we then have any real guarantees of peace? We dare not forget that these very same territories were at one time in Arab hands, and yet this did not deter them from attacking. From the very inception of the state of Israel, when its perimeters were far narrower, and the area north of Tel Aviv was only eight miles wide, the Arabs were relentless in their determination to throw every Jew into the sea. Not a matter of territory or refugees... What is at stake here is not a matter of territory or refugees. Rather, it is the acceptance of Israel`s presence in the Middle East. The Arab mentality can accept Jews only as a subjugated, oppressed minority, for that is how they have viewed Jews throughout the centuries..and that is the real meaning behind all their double talk. The conflict is with those who refuse to accept our existence... But perhaps it was Golda Meir who made the most succinct analysis of Arab territorial claims: "It must be made clear once and for all that the dispute without neighbors is not over borders. This is a misconception and error in thinking. Our problem is singular; our neighbors are not ready to admit to our existence. They refuse to see us as an integral part of this area; they will not live jointly with us in this part of the world. This then is our problem, and so long as it is not solved, there will be no peace...It is dangerous to believe that if we compromise here or there, if we are less stubborn or more flexible, peace would come and the present nightmare on the borders would vanish. It is wrong to think so, and all such talk is inane. The argument is with our neighbors who are not ready to recognize us and will not understand that they cannot move us out." Arab leaders have explicitly expressed their determination to destroy Israel... Anyone who believes that the road to peace can be found through the return of territories is indulging in self deception. The moment military control of the West Bank and the Golan is relinquished Russian SAM`s will be deployed there. Israel has not forgotten the constant rain of fire from these emplacements prior to the Six Day War. Time and again, the Arab leadership has explicitly expressed its determination to destroy the Jews, and Israel has no reason to doubt the veracity of these statements. In April 1967, Nasser made the following statement: "Our basic aim is the extermination of Israel, I am convinced of our victory." After Egypt`s defeat, he proclaimed the following before the National Assembly of Egypt: "Arab policy will be based in the future as well as now on the three nos of the Khartoum resolution: (1) No recognition of Israel. (2) No coming to terms with Israel. (3) No negotiation whatsoever." King Hussein of Jordan commanded his soldiers to "kill the Jews wherever you find them. Kill them with your arms, with your hands, with your nails, and teeth." And Sadat stated: "Israel is an artificial and abnormal State without historical connection to its land. If we persist in our unwillingness to put up with her, the whole world will tire of supporting her." Paper guarantees... In addition to territorial concessions, there is one more formula for peace to entrust her life to the guarantees of the United States, the United Nations, and our friendly nations. We would like to refresh the memories of these well intentioned nations by recalling the following incidents: The moment that the State of Israel was declared in 1948, the Arabs attacked her. The U.N., which had previously guaranteed her status, failed to take action or intercede on Israel`s behalf. Again, in 1956, when the Arab armies marched against Israel to annihilate her, not one of the international guarantees made to Israel was translated into action. Even the solemn promises uttered by the United States and President Eisenhower dissolved in face of Arab aggression, as did the tripartite declaration of America, Britain and France. Furthermore, there was no outcry from the nations of the world. Jews were forbidden to pray at their holy Wall, the Jordanians desecrated the tombstones of the Sages of Israel and used them for latrines, Jewish houses of worship were demolished, and there was not even a murmur of protest. Where were all the guarantors? And when in 1967 the United Nations troops in Sinai were recalled by U Thant at the demand of the Arabs, Israel was abandoned and left to fend for herself. Once again the world readied itself for Israel`s destruction. Never have the U.N. resolutions worked on the side of Israel. And nothing has come forth from the U.N. to implement free passage of Israeli shipping through the Suez Canal and the Straights of Tiran. No, the history of Israel contradicts the wisdom of those who advise retreat or reliance on the guarantees of nations. If there is anything that Israel has learned, it is that in time of crises she can rely on no one but G-d and her sons and daughters. Peace in the Middle East can be achieved only if Israel remains strong, for so long as the Arabs harbor even a glimmer of hope that the Jews are vulnerable, they will continue to attack. Israel must and shall stand firmly on those borders for which her sons and daughters have sacrificed their lives, for that is the territory that G-d has given to His people Epilogue "THE JEW AND ZIONISM" In the Holy City I met a woman...she related a tale to me...a tale which reflects the agony of Zionism in the 20th Century... This woman of Jerusalem had a son by the name of David...He was 20 years old. She also had a sister who lived in New York...She too had a son of the same age...His name was Chaim. The American cousin came to Jerusalem for a year of study. The suddenly, Milchemmet Yom Ha Kippurim broke out. Both boys were in the synagogue praying side by side. David still wrapped in his tallit, without pausing for food or water, ran to answer the call of his people...He bid farewell to his cousin, to his mother, to his father, to his young bride...He had no choice but to go forth to defend his people. The following day the mother of Jerusalem received an emergency phone call from the United States. "Please, please,"a near hysterical voice called across the great ocean..."Where is my Chaim?"Please do not let him do anything rash...You must find him and get him out on the first plane to safety. We are sick with worry. I want him home!" The mother in New York was overcome by fear...and somehow in her agitation she forgot to ask about David...her sister`s son...the son of Jerusalem, whose heart at that very moment was pierced by a shell in the Golan. Two sisters...Two mothers...Two sons... The story haunts me. It leaves me no peace...For indeed, if the land of Israel has been given by G-d as an inheritance to all Jews, then by what right do we in the United States go to sleep in security, knowing that our sons are well and sound, while our sisters lie awake with a gnawing fear gripping their hearts...asking the question, "Where is he now?"...Whispering a silent prayer, "Hashem, Almighty G-d, watch over him..." No matter how much the American Jew has given and will give on behalf of Israel, he will never equal the sacrifices of those who live there and offer their very lives for the land... No matter how much the American Jew continues to give, he will never be able to justify the fact that he belongs to the generation that was given Jerusalem, yet opts for New York or Los Angeles. To have waited 2,000 years...to have suffered the agonies of exile...to have dreamt and hoped..to have been given the land only to reject it. How will the Jews of exile answer to future generations when they ask "Where were you?" It is with painful awareness of this questions that I write the concluding chapter of this pamphlet. May the Almighty G-d protect and watch over the valiant sons of our people, and may we all prove worthy of the great gift of Eretz Yisrael. "THE JEWISH ABILITY FOR SELF CRITICISM" It is only after a great deal of soul searching that I have taken upon myself the painful task of writing critically about our people in the land of Israel. We are a nation that has always prided itself on self criticism. Our constant questing has enabled us to emerge as a vibrant people walking in the path of G-d. Even those with a superficial knowledge of our history will concur that the prophets of Israel were the first to awaken the conscience of mankind, and it is their provoking assault on the conscience that has become our legacy. Indeed, there is no people in the world that encourages self criticism as does the Jew. Among the nations of the world, if a man were to speak out and question the policies of his government, he would be termed disloyal, a traitor to be shunned by society...in some cases even imprisoned or executed. But among the people of Israel, those who spoke out and censured the nation were the prophets; men who never hesitated to remind the people of their G-dly mission. Yes, it is only a people such as ours that could produce a King David, who when castigated for his deeds by the Prophet Nathan, contritely acknowledged his transgressions. Among no other nation would a mere man openly dare to rebuke his king and then be accorded honor for it. We are the children of prophets... Today, although prophets no longer live amongst us, we are all nevertheless the children of prophets. We have inherited from our ancestors a still small voice of conscience which was kindled in our souls at Sinai...which leaves us restless and constantly prods us in search of a better way of life...a life molded in the image of G-d. Israel is not merely a nation... Those who truly understand the nuances of Judaism are aware that there is a mystical component to Jewish history that transcends all logic and laws. Israel is not merely a nation...nor is it simply a land; it is much more than that. Israel is G-d`s witness on earth. And so, while nations may come and go, while civilizations may rise and fall. Israel remains eternal and immutable. The nations of the world cannot hold sway over her. No, it is not the Arabs, the Russians, nor even the U.N. that are the cause of Jewish suffering. Rather, it is we ourselves who are responsible for our fate. As the prophet Isaiah proclaimed: "Meharsayich umachrivayich meemach yetzayu...Your destruction will come from within..." Jewish destiny is determined by only one consideration, the loyalty of the nation to the Covenant made at Sinai. And so, it is written: "If only My people would harken unto Me, and Israel walk in My ways, I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries..." The rationale of the early pioneers... Yes, it is all in our hands. The Voice at Sinai spoke to all of us, and no one can be exempted from its awesome challenge. If we are to fully comprehend this and deal intelligently with that which threatens our generation, it is essential that we first understand the philosophy of secular Zionism which was perhaps the most powerful influence in the establishment of the modern State of Israel. The early chalutzim attributes anti-semitism to Jewish homelessness. They were convinced that once the Jewish people were established in their own land, anti-semitism would be eradicates, and Jews would enjoy equal status among the peoples of the world. A "normal" people at last... They believed that the Jew would return to this land through the normal historical processes of the 20th Century. And since most nations had been granted their independence following World War I, the Jews too would be granted their independence. At long last, after 2,000 years of exile, they would become a "normal people" like all other people. They would convert the deserts, participate in the development of the Middle East, and establish diplomatic relations with the nations of the world. Israel would further establish herself as an integral part of society by sending technicians and ambassadors of good will to underdeveloped countries. Anti-semitism continues to pursue the nation in her own land... Now while all this has been realized, things did not quite turn out as anticipated. Anti-semitism continues to pursue the nation in her own land. Perhaps now more than ever before, Israel stands in isolation in a hostile world. Despite her herculean efforts to provide technological and scientific know how to newly emergent nations (consider only Uganda), despite her cultural contributions to Western civilization, Israel continues to stand alone...abandoned by her friends and attacked by her enemies. And so, more than a quarter of a century after the establishment of the State, the dream of achieving equality among the family of nations has been totally shattered. The error of secular Zionists... The secular Zionists who were the architects and leaders of the State chose to deny the spiritual dimension of the Jewish people. They remained impervious to the Divine destiny which guides Israel`s every breath and guarantees her survival. They failed to understand that Israel was destined by G-d to be a "holy nation," a people that "dwells alone." They failed to see that even in her land Israel`s loneliness is her unique strength and power, for it is this "loneliness," this separation from the nations that has enabled the Jews to transcend the vicissitudes of every generation. In their determination to belike other nations, the secular Zionists raised a generation without belief in G-d...in spiritual bankruptcy. Though they may have had a cultural affinity for the great works of the prophets, they considered the Laws of the Torah and Rabbinic dictum archaic-relics from the ancient past, without any relevance to the 20th Century. In their view, the establishment of the State rendered the Halacha (Torah laws) obsolete. Henceforth, the act of living in the land would suffice to fulfill all one`s Jewish obligations. They tried to destroy the indissoluble link which unites Israel, the Torah and the land,. They believed that it was no longer necessary to recall the Divine imperative. "To thee and thy seed will I give this land, for you alone have I chosen from the peoples of this world to be a special treasure unto Me, a priestly kingdom, a holy nation." They deluded themselves into believing that the youth of Israel, by the very act of living in the land, would somehow spontaneously comprehend the essence of Zionism. A generation raised in spiritual darkness... And so it is that a generation has been raised in spiritual darkness. They have not been inspired by the glorious ideal of "they are a nation that dwells alone." They have not been inspired by the prophetic ideal which is based on the belief that life in the land can be justified only if it is lived in accordance with Torah. Exodus in reverse... How tragic it is that the sons and daughters of the pioneers who redeemed the land by the sweat of their brows, through blood and sacrifice, today have difficulty in articulating their historical right to their homeland...to Zion. Today we are witness to "exodus in reverse"- Israeli`s abandoning the land by the thousands, while aliyah has virtually come to a standstill. Yet how can it be otherwise? Today we are reaping the bitter harvest of a G-dless educational system, for if the Almighty did not bestow this land upon the Jewish people, then it becomes like all other lands. And if life in the land is fraught with danger, then surely it becomes senseless to sacrifice one`s existence for it, especially when life in other parts of the world is so much more attractive and comfortable. Indeed, if G-d did not give us the land, then it does not pay to live it...much less to die for it. If G-d is not there then Jerusalem is just another city, an the Wall is just another pile of stones..no different from the pyramids of Egypt, the temples of Greece, or the amphitheatre of Rome. Yet under such circumstance it becomes easy to abandon the land, for to live in that land one must become sensitized to the voice of G-d. His presence must be felt everywhere if we are to survive there. As it is written: "For the eyes of the L-rd your G-d are upon this land from the beginning of the year to the end of the year..." Our educational system - our destruction... Tragically, the Israeli educational system has failed to convey these imperatives, and it is this blatant omission which bodes our destruction today. It is this lack of faith on the part of our leaders that has converted Zionism into a secular movement. Because of their inability to believe, because of their spiritual barrenness, Israel`s leaders are compelled to equate Zionism with the national liberation movement of other peoples. And once that comparison is made, Israel loses her uniqueness, her "raison d`etre," and her very right to exist becomes debatable. Our worry today is not whether there is an Israeli society, but what kind of society is evolving there. Indeed, what is the Jewish character of Israeli society? Are we molding our sons and daughters to become a "light unto the nations?" And at this point I would like to caution the reader who does not consider himself an Orthodox Jew not to dismiss the above as Orthodox propaganda. Yes, stop for a moment and allow that inner voice of the conscience to come to the fore, for deep down you know that what is at stake is much more than squabbles about rituals and ceremonies. Indeed it involves the very life of our people. Israel cannot survive as a secular state... Deep down every Jew knows that we cannot survive without G-d, without roots, without our heritage. Israel simply cannot survive as a secular state. We have not returned after 2,000 years in order to become a nation like all other nations...We have not come home after 2,000 years to transform Jerusalem into New York. Yes, there is much more at stake here than is evident to the naked eye. In our society it has become very easy to dismiss G-d`s truths simply by stating "I`m not religious." And this senseless 20th Century adage somehow obscures the meaning of being a Jew and stills the voice which implores one to return to the Heavenly Father. Priestly garments for haute couture... And so, we witness the phenomena of the people of G-d returning to the land of G-d...yet living without Him...justifying their G-dlessness by proclaiming: "We are not a religious generation...We are not a religious society...We are not Orthodox." How ironic it is to have dreamt for centuries of return to Zion, and then after returning to continue to live in a state of torpor. Yes, we continue to dream, but our dreams lack vision. We have lost our way, and we have exchanged the glory or the majesty implicit in being a "nation dwelling alone." To speak the holy tongue, yet not know the language of prayer... The tragedy of a nation whose sons and daughters speak the holy tongue and yet have never learned the language of prayer...the tragedy of a nation that dwells in the city of G-d and yet has forgotten how to call upon His Holy Name...the nation that has created the "Ani Maamin" has raised a generation that is no longer capable of belief. In vain do our leaders scurry for help..In vain do we make financial contributions...In vain do we try to justify the establishment of the State. It is all of no avail, for the currency of the Jewish people is not "dollar power" but "G-d power". "Not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit, sayeth the L-rd." The man of perception and vision understands all this. The man who is sensitive to the unique history of the Jewish people, "the nation that dwells alone,"comprehends that the threat menacing our people has materialized because of our inability to believe...because of our vapidity of values...because of the materialism which has corroded our integrity. Redeem the land, redeem the people... The Jew who allows the inner voice (the pintele Yid) to emerge is confronted with a challenge that fills him with restlessness. Today as perhaps never before, he is challenged to bring the glorious dream to reality. Today, if he wills it, he can kindle a spark which will enable his people to become a "light unto the nations." No longer dare a Jew be content with pronouncements identifying with and supporting Israel. Today, every Jew can and must join in full partnership with his people to bring them to their prophetic spiritual zenith. Today we have a G-d given opportunity to participate int he most dramatic moment in 2,000 years of history. The land has been redeemed, and now it remains for us to fulfill the far greater task of inspiring the minds and redeeming the hearts...of making every Jew part of "Mamlechet Kohanim: - a priestly kingdom again. In the final analysis, if we wish to explain Zionism to the world, we must discover the source of our own unique strength and demonstrate its intrinsic force. For the Jew there can only be one way, and that is to follow the Divine call. The Solution has been given... Long ago our scholars predicted our present predicament. Rashi, the great Torah luminary, asked why the Torah, which is the Book of Law, opens with the creation of heaven and earth. Would it not have been made more sense for the opening passages to deal with the promulgation of the Law at Sinai? And Rashi`s response has perhaps greater relevance today than ever before. The time will come, he predicted, when the nations of the world will confront Israel and challenge her right to the land. "You are thieves," they will say, "for you have taken the land by force." Israeli`s charter to its land is the Bible... At that time, Rashi tells us, the representatives of Israel must point to the Torah and unhesitatingly reply, "It is G-d who created the universe. The earth belongs to Him, and He alone can apportion the land...And in His Infinite Wisdom, He has deeded the land to us, the Jewish people." It is for that very reason that the Torah opens with the creation of the world...so that we, the Jewish people, might substantiate our claim to the land. We the Jewish people are the only nation in history whose charter to the land is recorded in the Bible. Yes, it has all been foretold, but tragically, we have failed to proclaim these eternal truths. We have lost our faith, and without that faith there can be no vision. Zionism will be understood only when our representatives believe in G-d and have the courage to speak in His Name...when we the Jewish people learn to resolve the challenges of our generation through our Torah...when the seal of Israel will read "Yisrael Batach B`Hashem Israel places its trust in the L-rd." When we the Jewish people courageously proclaim our Divine destiny, we will gain the respect of the world, "For therein lies our wisdom in the sight of the nations." (Deuteronomy) "ZIONISM AND AMERICA" The United States is unique among the nations, for the founding fathers of the great republic were men who believed in G-d. Inspired by the teachings of the Bible, they emblazoned with fire and passion the concepts of justice, peace and liberty for all upon this nation`s constitution. Americans are basically a G-d fearing people who are familiar with Biblical prophecies, and are aware that there exist basic laws of G-d which must govern society. G-d fearing Americans understand... Through Zionism, Biblical history is being fulfilled. Israel today is testimony to the fact that the Bible is not merely literature or legend, but the living word of G-d...Indeed, David continues to defeat Goliath. Israel is the only country which has triumphed against the mighty powers, and by her very existence proclaims to the world "Not by strength nor by might, but by the spirit of the L-rd." Christians who are familiar with the Bible understand all this. And G-d fearing American is fully aware that the ultimate salvation of the world depends upon the Jew and shall come forth from Jerusalem. And so, it is not so much Israel that needs America, but America that needs Israel. But perhaps the sophisticated mind considers this simplistic and sentimental. Perhaps there are those who believe that Israel is like all other countries, that she exists because of her army, and the arms that she has received from America. All those who are familiar with the history of this tiny nation however, are aware that the strength of Israel is negligible when compared to the lethal forces arrayed against her. Every battle that Israel fights is rooted in the Bible and is an echo of the glorious past of the nation. When Israel goes to battle, numbers do not matter, and weapons are of no avail, for the L-rd of Hosts leads His people. AS it is written, "And you shall chase your enemies and they shall fall before you, and five of you shall chase one hundred, and one hundred of you shall chase ten thousand. And your enemies shall fall before you..." (Leviticus) And was it not so? Did not five Israeli soldiers chase one hundred Egyptians? Did not the hundreds chase the thousands? Was not the battle of modern day Israel the battle of Gideon...the battle of the Maccabees...the battle of David? Even as the enemies of ancient Israel were drunk with power, sure of their ultimate victory, so the Arabs and the Russians predict the total destruction of Israel. But they fail to understand that Israel is not simply another country. Rather, Israel has a Divine mission...It is through Israel that the world shall be redeemed, and therefore Israel is rendered invincible. Thus we call upon all G-d fearing Americans to rise to the occasion and help usher in the time of messiah by supporting and strengthening Israel. A foreign policy for America rooted in the Bible... Let America seize the initiative and create a new society in which man will learn to live by the Law of G-d. Let American foreign policy be rooted in the Bible, for only by championing G-d`s truth shall righteousness and lasting peace be achieved. Let America proclaim that it shall not pressure Israel to relinquish the land bequeathed to her by G-d, that it shall never again be an accomplice to the forces of destruction that drenched the Jewish people in blood. I do not suggest that America do battle for the people of Israel... for the L-rd shall do battle for His people. I merely ask that in these perilous times, when corruption and decadence are rampant, that we learn to live by the Law of G-d.. That America, which was founded in the spirit of the Bible, proclaim to the world the truth of the Jewish people`s inalienable right to the land of Israel. The events in Israel demand that every man re-examine his relationship with G-d and his commitment to the Bible...that every man determine the quality of his belief. The challenge of Zionism to all mankind is whether man is willing to anchor his soul to the eternal truths of G-d and comprehend that Zionism signals the dawn of redemption, the ushering in of the Messianic era: "For out of Zion shall go forth the Bible, and the Word of G-d from Jerusalem..." As for us, we are people of Israel, and we are sustained by the promise of our prophets: "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper: And every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the L-rd, And their due reward from Me, saith the L-rd." (Isaiah 54:17) Yes, we are the people of Israel, and we shall continue to live with our legacy until the day shall come to pass: "...that the mountain of the house of the L-rd shall be established... And all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come and say: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the L-rd, to the house of the G-d of Jacob... nations shall not lift up sword against nations, neither shall they learn war anymore." (Isaiah, 2:2-4)

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