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A Million Jews on the Way

to Jerusalem

Gael Grunewald

hen a young journalist in photos on European soil came to life in 4K
nineteenth-century Europe resolution, here in Israel, before our eyes.
covered the Dreyfus affair,
Whe was shocked by the With one difference: the nation of Israel
stood up to defend itself.
blood libel, recognized the antisemitism
at play, and envisioned the dangers it leads Wherever this satanic evil came to harm, it
to. This young Jew understood that the met the absolute good – fighting for its life
only way for his people to deal with this and values. Hundreds of young people left
evil was to establish a state. Within two their homes on Shemini Atzeret, getting
years, he published The Jewish State. About into their cars and driving south to fight
fifty years later – too late – the State of the enemy. Within hours, we drove the
Israel was established. “A safe haven for enemy back to the trenches from which
the Jewish people,” as he put it. they came and hundreds of thousands of
reservists were standing at the front ready
During its seventy-five years, the State of to defend the right of the Jewish people to Gael during his lecture tour in France.
Israel was called time and time again to live in their land.
defend this mission, and it fought for the communities around the world leave no
right of the Jewish people to live in the Within a few hours, the State of Israel doubt. I met a student who says she walks
Land of Israel. From the day of its founding responded with all its strength. Our air across her college campus with her head
it has grappled with wars, intifadas, ter- force, armored corps and infantry have down and with quick steps. Children are
rorist attacks, withdrawals, and ceaseless bombarded the enemy non-stop for over afraid to go to school alone, and public
attacks – but there was not one day that two months. gatherings have been canceled. In too
the State of Israel did not devote its utmost It seems that on the seventh of October, many places in the world, it is not pleasant
attention to fulfilling this promise. the antisemitic dam was opened all over to be Jewish in the public square.
As a country desiring life, Israel did not the world. Demonstrations in support of In these places there is no IDF to protect
remain at the bottom of Maslow’s hier- Hamas are held every week in capitals and no IDF to respond.
archy of needs and developed Israel into throughout the world. And many Jewish
a prosperous, strong and leading soci- communities are suffering from unprece- This war has made more and more Jews
ety. The largest Jewish community in dented manifestations of antisemitism. In sharply aware that their Jewish identity
the world lives in Israel and lives well. Los Angeles, a Jew who demonstrated for is a significant component of their lives.
Although antisemitism continues to rear Israel was killed. In Paris, Jewish homes Judaism is not just an ethnicity. It is a
its ugly head throughout the world, here and shops were marked with stars of sense of belonging, tradition and values.
in Israel there is no place where a person David. Jewish students are afraid to go to These two forces, antisemitism on the one
is required to hide Jewish symbols in the campuses in the USA. 87% of the respon- hand and Jewish identity on the other, are
public domain. dents who belong to the Jewish commu-
nity in the Diaspora reported a dramatic together producing the next wave of immi-
On Shemini Atzeret, the IDF blinked for a decrease in their sense of personal secu- gration that is expected to reach Israel in
moment – and we immediately received rity. Global antisemitism has reared its the coming years.
a painful reminder of our enemy’s evil head again, and the Jewish people bow Diaspora Jewry has a seismograph that
desires. In a blackout lasting several their heads. is particularly sensitive to antisemitic
hours, they killed, massacred, raped, and Recently, I was on a lecture tour in France. vibrations. The Jews of Europe learned
kidnapped our families, our sons and firsthand that the distance from marking
daughters. I visited several cities and gave lectures
to thousands of Jews. I have never felt Jewish shops to spilling their blood may
Images of riots, pogroms and horrors that so uncomfortable in France as I did on be shorter than we imagine. Today more
we remembered through black and white this last visit. The stories coming from than ever, it is clear that the State of Israel

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