Though we are Americans, we are also the children of Israel

By Elana Kahn-Oren
of The Chronicle staff

As Thanksgiving draws near, American Jews have much to be thankful for. We live in a country dedicated to freedom, diversity and optimism. Though we have been unwelcome in so many other nations, here we are welcome.

As Jews, we should also turn an eye to the east and be thankful for Israel.
Israel means different things to different people. For some it is a spiritual home, for others a flawed modern incarnation of a dream.

For some it is the birth of a new era, for others a fabulous and moving summer experience. For some it is a safety net, insurance that whatever transpires, Jews will always have a patch of earth on which they can rest.

For all of us, though, it is the only Jewish nation in the world. Even though the conflict between those who believe in “a nation of Jews” and those who demand “a Jewish nation” still remains central to some people’s ideology, it is secondary at best when Israel’s existence is at risk.

With Israel at risk now, we must focus on what binds us to each other and what will allow us to live as Jews into the next century. If we allow Israel to be destroyed while we fight about the flavor of the country, we will have failed, and our intellectualism will prove an exercise of the foolish. Without Israel, we will again be a people in exile, again a people that can be deported and uprooted.

These are difficult days in Israel, days that demand our attention. Last week, a Palestinian terrorist entered a kibbutz in central Israel and shot a mother and her two children to death at close range in their home before murdering two other Israelis.

Imagine that happening in central New York or central Bayside. Days later, terrorists shot and threw grenades at Jews on their way home from Shabbat evening prayers, killing at least 12 military and security personnel who rushed to their aid.

The examples of terror seem endless and everyday life has been shaken. Following two years of rapid-fire terrorist attacks, people are afraid to ride buses and avoid crowded areas.

Yet Israelis have become adept at going on, at sucking up their fear and imitating normalcy. Although they refuse to see themselves as victims — the idea infuriates the post-Holocaust nation — they are suffering, and suffering terribly. A recent report by Israel’s National Insurance Institute showed that one in five Israelis, and one in four children, lives in poverty.

While we enjoy safety and abundance here, and we have much for which to be thankful, let’s remember that though we are Americans, we are also the children of Israel.

We must care about the fate of the little pocket of Jewish life far off in the Middle East. We have a duty to identify with our brothers and sisters there, to read the Israeli press in search of the real story, to talk about Israel, write to local papers, donate money, attend community events for Israel, visit and take a personal interest.

Just as we each connect differently with the Jewish nation, our mode of activism may also vary. We certainly can disagree with each other about political policies or cultural attributes. That debate is healthy. But through our disagreements and multi-denominational lifestyles, we must — each and every Jew — find a way to stand up and support the State of Israel.

So, this year, as we sit down with our families, let’s say a prayer of thanksgiving: Thank you for the peace we know here in America and may our people everywhere live in prosperity and peace. May Israel remain forever in our hearts, and may our appreciation for it help us remain committed to ensuring a safe and viable future for the Jewish state.