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The Vision and Venture of the Jewish People Introduc IISRAEL The Vision and Venture of the Jewish People INTRODUC Introduction Dr. Shlomi Ravid The enduring understanding of the following narrative is that the State of Israel was envisioned and built by the Jewish People. Today, however, most young Jews, both in Israel and throughout the Jewish world, view Israel as the “State of the Israelis” and have difficulty grasping the notion of the “State of the Jewish People” altogether. Despite this reality, our belief is that Israel is still conceptually and essentially the State of the Jewish People ti and can regain that status in the hearts and mind of young Jews if it will return to be the vision and venture of the People. Our main purpose in offering a current reinterpretation of the O narrative of the State of Israel as “the vision and venture of the Jewish people” is to frame the conversation about the future of N Israel from a Peoplehood perspective, by providing new answers to such questions as: • What is my relationship, as a Jew, to the Jewish State and how can I enhance this relationship from a Peoplehood perspective? • What should Israel do in order to continue being the State of the Jewish People in the future? • What should the Jewish people do to keep Israel as a core concept of their Peoplehood? • Does being the Jewish State place unique expectations and obligations on Israel? • What are the core principles of Peoplehood that should be applied to Jewish sovereignty? • What are the intersections of Peoplehood and Judaism and where do they interface with Israel as the State of the Jewish People? In the following pages, we will advance and demonstrate the enduring understanding that Israel is indeed the vision and the venture of the Jewish People, showing that: 2 Koby Gidon Koby A festive Taglit-Birthright Israel event in Jerusalem, 2007 1. The Vision: For millenniums the Jewish People has been inspired by the Divine promise to become a nation in the promised land of Israel, and at the turn of the 20th century collaborated to envision the notion of a sovereign Jewish State. 2. The Endeavor: The Jewish People mobilized people, resources and global support to turn this vision into a reality; and over the last sixty years the Jewish People joined forces in building and developing the State of the Jewish People. 3. The Challenge of the Future: The future of this collaborative venture calls for new thinking and re-visioning of the place and role of Israel in the life of the Jewish people in Israel and throughout the world. We wrote this paper in order to challenge you and for that matter all of us to grapple with what we perceive to be crucial existential questions for our people. It is a call for a conversation about the role the Jewish State should play in the future of our People. The last section lists today’s challenges but also offers visions and ventures for the future. They will become relevant only if we address them together. The last page is therefore for you to write. Dr. Shlomi Ravid is the Director of the International School for Jewish Peoplehood Studies, Founded by the Nadav Fund, Beth Hatefutsoth, Israel. 3 THEVISION Theodore Herzl on the balcony of the Three Kings Hotel in Basel, Switzderland, 1901 Lelane Part I The Vision For millenniums, the Jewish People has been inspired by the Divine promise to become a nation in the promised land of Israel and at the turn of the 20th century the Jewish People collaborated to envision the notion of a sovereign Jewish State. "ישוב יפרח אז גם עמי, ובארץ יקום דור" )שאול טשרניחובסקי, "אני מאמין"( “Then my nation too, will flourish once more, and in the Land a generation will arise” (Saul Tchernichovsky, “I Believe” ) 4 The Origins of the Jewish People in the Land of Israel The Jewish People has been inspired by the covenant between God and Abraham that includes the divine promise to become a nation in the promised land of Israel. This covenant echoes through time as the foundation of Jewish common heritage, binding Jews together as a People. Following the Jewish narrative to the period of the Exodus from Egypt, we can witness the process of becoming a People. Since God first revealed God-self to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:4 ), God speaks about the Israelites as if they are already God’s special nation, referring to the Israelites as an am - a people - or ami - my people: “bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10 ). Moses too refers to the Israelite slaves as a people as he pleas to Pharaoh: “Let my people go” (Exodus 5:1 ). And the book of Deuteronomy states: “God took you and brought you out of Egypt, that iron furnace, to be God’s very own people as you are this day, you shall cross and take possession of this good land” (Deuteronomy 4:20, 22 ). After the Exodus from Egypt in the early 12th century BCE, Moses’ successor, Joshua, led the Hebrew tribes back to the Promised Land in which the Canaanites were dwelling. This was the beginning of a significant period of Jewish existence in the Land of Israel that was characterized by the transition to a sovereign kingdom centered around the holy Temple in Jerusalem and by the unique spiritual leadership of the Prophets, whose visions are still relevant and inspiring. The first millennium BCE saw the destruction of the northern Israelite kingdom in 722 BCE by the Assyrians and the exile of its population, the destruction of the first Temple in Jerusalem at 586 BCE by the Babylonians, the exile from Judea, the return to Zion, the construction of the second Temple and subsequently the failure of the Jewish revolts against the Roman Empire at 70 AD and 135 AD that put an end to Jewish aspirations regarding sovereign existence in Israel for many years to come. The massive destruction required adjustments on behalf of the Jewish people. Out of the ashes of the Temple, Jerusalem and Judea emerged the People of the Book. The Jews migrated eventually 5 THEVISION Beth Hatefutsoth Beth Scene of the Exodus from Egypt dating from 245 CE, from the Dura Europos synagogue in Syria throughout the Middle East, Europe and North Africa. They lived in these communities for centuries, with various degrees of tolerance, often in restricted areas, with severe limitations on their livelihoods. Regardless of life conditions, at all times they cherished unremittingly the hope to be the ones who will return to Zion and renew the ancient sacred covenant. It was imprinted in their personal and collective memory and imagination. It was part of their daily prayers and practice, of the rhythm of the annual calendar and the pace of life’s circle, manifested in texts and art. However, few were able to fulfill the dream of reaching and settling in the Land of Israel. Regardless of life conditions, at all times the Israelites cherished unremittingly the hope to be the ones who will return to Zion and renew the ancient sacred covenant 6 The 19th Century - Significant Changes for the Jewish People By the 19th century, modernity had spurred tremendous and significant developments and brought change mainly in Western and Central Europe. The transformation occurred in all walks of life - political, industrial, cultural, religious, social and scientific. Though this process took place mainly in Europe, its influence was felt worldwide, including in Jewish communities around the globe. During the rise of the nation-states, Jews sought emancipation as full citizens in nations across Europe. In the United States, following the Declaration of Independence in 1776, 2,000 Jews were granted equal rights according to the principles of freedom and democracy in general and of religious freedom in particular. Jews were also granted full civil rights in France in 1791. In England, educational restrictions were lifted and Jews were admitted to universities and allowed to practice law. Thus, for many European Jews, emancipation from discriminatory laws became a major goal during the 19th century. Emancipation Jews lighting Hannukah candles in Germany, 1880. Drawing by Moritz Oppenheim. 7 THEVISION Aharonson Estate Aharonson Aharon Aharonson leads a delegation to the Dead Sea, 1908 allowed Jews the opportunity to participate in the broader economic, intellectual and social environs of their surrounding communities and nations. Jews entered cities, enrolled in schools and universities, and through education were able to integrate rapidly in various professional, political and cultural circles, marking a new and revolutionary era of Jewish existence. Jewish identity had previously been rooted in a sense of enduring belonging to a Jewish civilization, scattered worldwide, and often imposed by outside forces. Emancipation, in contrast, pressured individual Jews to see themselves first as citizens of the polity and second as Jewish by religion. In response, Jewish leaders adapted approaches to maintain the spiritual and cultural distinctiveness of the Jewish people, while benefiting from the increasing freedoms of emancipation. One approach was Haskalah, the name of the Jewish movement which supported the adoption of enlightenment values. Another approach was Jewish autonomism that claimed that the future survival of the Jews as a nation depended on their spiritual and cultural strength, in developing “spiritual nationhood” and in the viability of Jewish communities around the world as long as they maintain self-rule and reject assimilation. 8 Autonomists, such as Simon Dubnow (born in 1860 and murdered in 1941 ), often stressed the vitality of modern Yiddish culture. Dubnow, one of the great modern Jewish historians, fought for the preservation of the national rights of all national minorities in Europe, writing, “the Jews in each land, actively taking part in its civil and political life, enjoy all the rights given to its citizens, not only as individuals, but also as members of their nation.” Despite the steady tide of emancipation in the 19th century in Central and Western Europe, a deep undercurrent of anti-Semitism raged.
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