This morning at Temple Beth Abraham, we celebrated 100 years since the founding of Tel Aviv, in April 1909. There was music, great Israeli food, and other activities. When I spoke in April about that anniversary, I remarked that the 66 families who launched the project could more or less fit into our sanctuary. That’s a lot of what Israel is to me — the small groups of Jews with energy and idealism who have created these miracles. It’s a reminder of the impact of what small groups do, as Margaret Mead famously said. (I wrote about this some years ago in a Dvar Torah for socialaction.com.)
It’s also a reminder that Israel is not automatic, something that’s just there and keeps going. It’s really a small village, a kibbutz, a shul so to speak, and each day it is renewed by the dedication and energy and hope of the people who live there.
This is a dangerous time for Israel, because of the growing nuclear threat from Iran. One of the most important reasons to celebrate when we can is to energize ourselves for the role we will need to play pressing our representatives here in the United States to deal wisely and effectively with Iran. More on that from me in the weeks to come.
I read a clear, good, not-“even-handed” brief piece about Jerusalem, the West Bank settlements, and Israel’s potential negotiations with the Palestinians, by Martin Peretz of The New Republic magazine. If you haven’t read him before, know that takes his shots at people, and he does not bother to express his empathy for Palestinian suffering…but he brings some perspective. Whether or not you think Israel has had an unlimited right to settle the West Bank, Peretz argues that most of the settlements are around Jerusalem, and thus are part of Israel’s right to secure the city and the live in it, and would remain in Israel under any treaty. He also has some things to say about how the Palestinian leadership in the past has responded to Israel’s offers to return territory. (If you’re interesting in more in-depth reading, follow the link in Peretz’s piece to a review of an important new book by Israeli historian Benny Morris.)
I’m posting here too a brief overview of the geography of the Israel-Palestine conflict with maps, which I prepared during the fighting this winter in and around Gaza. I tried in the accompanying text to be brief and descriptive, and let the maps and basic facts speak for themselves. Of course there is much disagreement about the meaning of these facts and maps. Please feel free to ask me any questions about what is there, and if there is interest I’d be happy to schedule a session or two to talk about the basics of the conflict, or to invite other speakers to do so.
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