What is it about Israel?
By Lila Rosenbloom
Do you ever wonder what it is that draws you to Israel? What makes you a Zionist? Lately, I have been trying to figure out the answer to these questions. There are so many things I love about Israel, and I wonder if those are the reasons I am drawn to it. Am I drawn to Israel because of its beauty from the Golan to the Negev and everything in between? But no, that can't be it - America is also beautiful, and yet I don't feel the same pull to the place I live that I do to the place I call my home. Am I drawn to Israel because of religious reasons? Maybe, but there are so many secular Jews in and out of Israel who are also drawn to it. And then again, there are religious Jews who are anti-Israel. Religious reasons alone can't be the answer. I love the culture of Israel, but it can't be true that I'm drawn to Israel because they drink milk out of plastic bags and wear sandals. I love Israel's obsession with bumper stickers, but I can't really be drawn to the country because they drive around with stickers saying Shmor Merhak (Keep Your Distance.) I love the deep sense of commitment Israelis have to Israel, but here in America there are many acts of patriotism, none of which affects me in the same way. I love that Israel is full of kosher restaurants, but can I really be attracted to the country because I can eat a hamburger outside of my house? I love that Israelis and Zionists are full of hope and idealism, but lately it seems as though that is what Jewish Americans (like myself) like to think, and not really what the feeling on the streets of Israel is. On the same note, I love how secular and religious Jews are united in Israel, but it seems to be more that I love to think this, than that it is true.
So what is it that draws me to Israel? It seems that Israel is just like any other country, with its unique culture, its pros, and its cons. But, as any proud Zionist knows, that can't be true. There is something about Israel. Something that pulls us towards it. Something that has us tuning into the news, praying that there is none. Something that has us going again and again. Something that makes us promise to return. There is something about Israel. I can't explain it and I'm not sure if anyone can. But I hope and pray that this feeling of Zionism has the strength to continue on through all the political strife in Israel. And I hope and pray that the feeling of Zionism will unite the Jews as one people in Israel.
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