Israel at 74: Two Reform Jews’ Reflections on A Remarkable Journey
By Karen and Marc Rivo**
Even after 25 trips, our hearts still raced when our El Al flight touched down at Ben Gurion. Moreso as we anticipated the emotional days of Yom HaZikaron, (Israel’s Memorial Day), in which the State of Israel mourns the more than 24,000 who died so we may live their dreams of a modern Jewish State, and celebrate the following day’s holiday of Yom HaAtzmaut – Israeli Independence Day.
Twenty years ago, Karen had never visited Israel. Our synagogue family trip transformed our relationship with our Jewish homeland and our family’s lives. We decided to come on Aliyah, and become dual Israeli and American citizens. We saw ourselves becoming more observant Reform Jews, and more active Zionists.
We still remember fondly our first magical encounters with Jerusalem’s Old City and Machane Yehuda market; strolls along Tel Aviv’s beaches; hikes in the Negev desert and the Galilee mountains; and the magic of mystical Safed.
We also experience our beloved Israel with a wider lens. We are not naive about the tensions of Israeli life and the political realities of living in this Middle Eastern neighborhood. We wish to appreciate the rich tapestry of communities living in our homeland today and to understand the complex narratives that exist in her society.
During our last visit, we traveled south to the religious Kibbutz Sa’ad in the Negev, to visit Elihu, a sofer stam – a scribe who writes Torah scrolls, mezuzot, and tefillin. Elihu’s bomb shelter doubles as his bedroom since he only has five seconds to run to the shelter when rockets are fired by Hamas along the Gaza border.
We spent a day in the historic city of Lod near Ben Gurion. We sought to better understand this ancient city, its controversial modern history, and the violence that accompanied the Hamas conflict in May among its diverse neighborhoods. We visited neighborhoods, community centers, schools, and religious centers, and talked with a group of community leaders to learn more about the complexity of living together.
In Jerusalem, we arose before sunrise to observe the new month of Kislev at the Kotel with the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism and the Women of the Wall. It was hard to pray among the thousands of hostile ultra-Orthodox protesters, Thankfully, we were separated from the protesters by the Israeli police. We wondered when the Kotel compromise for an egalitarian prayer section will be implemented.
We drove from Jerusalem along the biblical road knowns as Derekh HaAvot – to the communities of Beit El and Shiloh. We were moved to sit at the holy site of Beit El where some 3800 years ago, Jacob dreamed of climbing a ladder into the heavens, wrestled with angels, and was re-named “Israel”. We traveled further along the Road of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs to the spectacular archaeological site of Shiloh, Israel’s first capital, established around 1350 BCE when, according to the Bible, Joshua and the 12 tribes entered the Promised Land and placed the mishkan (tabernacle) in Shilo. We imagined much of the early rituals described in Leviticus taking place. We stood in Shilo’s holy sanctuary which previously housed the Ten Commandments and where Hannah’s prayers for a child were answered with the birth of the Prophet Samuel. Shilo served as the capital for over 350 years until King David established the United Kingdom of Israel and made Jerusalem its capital in 1000 BCE.
As we returned to Jerusalem, we reflected on the spiritual encounter and controversial nature of these biblical lands of Judea and Samaria – also known as the West Bank
While we are uncertain as to what the future holds for this area, we wondered what the path towards peaceful coexistence among the children of Abraham and Sarah would look like that would guarantee both full rights for Palestinians and free access to historical sites sacred to our tradition and heritage for future generations.
From our residence in the old city of Safed, we took a glorious hike along the flower-covered Israel National Trail in the Northern Galilee region which looked over the Lebanese border. Our dear friends from our Temple’s Israeli Reform Domim partner congregation in Rosh Pina, noted that Hezbollah operatives with rockets were hidden among the Lebanese villages in view. We acknowledged with gratitude the brave Israeli soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces who we encountered protecting our homeland along the border.
Over a delicious homemade dinner with dear friends in the Arab village Eilabun, we listened to their assessment of the progress, struggles, challenges, hopes, and dreams of Palestinian citizens of Israel, and the Islamic Ra’am political party, which today is a part of Israel’s coalition government
We ended our trip with a celebration at the Bar Ilan Medical School in Safed, which announced the launch of an ambitious health care initiative in Northern Israel to reverse the disproportionate impact of diabetes and other health disparities in Israeli society.
Our trip revealed the rich diversity and some of the complex narratives that one finds in Israel. Our family and friends in Israel struggle toward a common vision of an open, innovative, and democratic nation at peace with its neighbors. We are proud of the progress made by Israel’s coalition government. For all its fragility, Israel’s coalition government is a model for democracies around the world. Our trip reinforced the immense pride and solidarity we feel for our homeland and all its citizens.
How do we bring this nuanced story to an American audience in these times? It often feels that, in North America, Israel is regularly misunderstood. The open hostility on many college campuses often intimidates many who are there to explore their identity and struggle with big ideas.
We would like to offer five suggestions:
1) Read books on Israel. One such book that we like is Noa Tishby’s “Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth” (Simon and Shuster) This guide is, in our opinion, one of the most accessible and vital books written about Israel. Noa Tishby is an Israeli American actress, comedian, and articulate observer of Israel’s multicolored tapestry. “I wanted to make it easy for people who are curious about Israel…” says Tishby.
2) Join the Union for Reform Judaism’s Israel Leaders Network (ILN). The ILN is a dynamic network of lay leaders of URJ (Union for Reform Judaism) congregations coming together to further the Reform Movement’s connection to Israel. For more information about the Israel Leader’s Network, please contact Molly Blumenthal at mblumenthal@urj.org
3) Learn Hebrew! The ancient language of our Torah and sacred books was revived as a modern language by Eliezer Ben Yehudah over the last 150 years. . . . . Introductory, conversational, and biblical Hebrew classes are locally and virtually available!
4) Sample Israel virtually. Experience Israel in a powerful way and support Israeli tour guides through the Times of Israel Virtual Travel Series, and work with our Movement to bring such programming to your congregation. . You can virtually tour the Yitzhak Rabin Center and the new Anu Museum of the Jewish People. Learn more about the people, land, and State of Israel through virtual classes offered by two Jerusalem-based educational organizations, The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies and The Shalom Hartman Institute.
5) Learn about making Aliyah through Nefesh B’Nefesh (NBN). Those who have a deep connection and love of Israel may want to learn more about becoming an Israeli citizen. Aliyah is your right and a unique, historic once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. NBN has helped more than 65,000 North Americans become Israeli citizens. Join one of the NBN’s virtual events or connect with an NBN advisor for personal guidance through the process.
Wherever we are in our own engagement with Israel, may we all take a moment during this and Yom HaAtzmaut and wish our complex, beloved and remarkable Israel a happy 74th birthday!
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Karen Rivo is a Past President of Temple Beth Sholom Miami Beach, Chair of the Israel Leadership Network of the Union for Reform Judaism, and a member of the North American Board of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem.
Dr. Marc Rivo is President of the Southeast Region of the American Friends of Bar Ilan University.
**The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the URJ/ARZA.**