Page 2 - HaMizrachi #9 Yom HaAtzmaut 5779

Israel and US

Rabbi David A. Israel ISRAEL:

ONE PEOPLE A GREATER MIRACLE

in our Land THAN THE EXODUS?

t is said that when David Ben- ם ָ ע ְ ל י ִ ל ם ֶ כ ְ ת ֶ א י ִּ ת ְ ח ַ ק ָ ל ְ ו, “and He took us as This was not true when Herzl began
Gurion visited the United States a people.” We became a people when we his work. Herzl seemed to need to
I just six years after the declaration left Egypt together on our way to receive emphatically insist that the Jews
of Israel’s independence, John Foster the Torah and ultimately to receive the are a people, as if to prove it is so:
Dulles, then Secretary of State, asked Land. The latter is promised to us in “[The Jewish question] is a national
him, “Tell me Mr. Prime Minister, exactly the fifth phrase of redemption: י ִ תא ֵ ב ֵ ה ְ ו question… We are a people – one
who do you and your state represent? ץ ֶ ר ָ א ָ ה ל ֶ א ם ֶ כ ְ ת ֶ א, “and I will bring you to people” (Der Judenstadt). Today, with
Are Jews from Poland, Yemen, Romania, the Land.” The phrase used since the the independent State of Israel and
Russia, Brazil all one thing? What do founding of Mizrachi in 1902 captures the ingathering of the exiles, with Jews
you have in common?” Ben-Gurion this unbreakable three-way bond very
responded, “Mr. Secretary, only 200 well: ת ַ ר ֹו ּ ת י ִּ פ ל ַ ע ל ֵ א ָ ר ְ ׂשִי ם ַ ע ְ ל ל ֵ א ָ ר ְ ׂשִי ץ ֶ ר ֶ א from Yemen, Iran, Ethiopia, Russia and
years ago a ship called the Mayflower ל ֵ א ָ ר ְ ׂשִי, “the People of Israel living in the the United States speaking together in
set sail from England. Go out and ask Land of Israel in accordance with the our ancient biblical language, voting
10 American children, who was the under one flag, serving in one army –
captain of the ship? How long was the Torah of Israel.” would anyone but the State of Israel’s
journey? What did they eat during the Today, with the establishment of the worst enemies deny our shared history,
trip? I doubt any of them will be able to State of Israel, it is overwhelmingly just destiny and mutual responsibility… our
answer. Yet if you ask a Jewish child from our enemies – specifically the enemies of peoplehood?
any of the places you mentioned, who the State of Israel – who would question
led the Jews out of Egypt? How long was Jewish Peoplehood. No peoplehood = We are indeed one people. On Pesach we
the trip? What did they eat during the no right to a state. Though popular use praise G-d for taking us as His people.
journey? Each will answer the same.” On Yom HaAtzmaut, we thank G-d for
of the word “peoplehood” only began enabling us to live to see His people
For those of us deeply committed in the 1950s, and its meaning is still brought back to the Land of Israel once
to Religious Zionism, it seems vigorously argued by academicians, I again.
inconceivable to think of Jews as would posit that given an opportunity
anything but an ם ַ ע, a people. Having to reflect, the vast majority of Jews
just celebrated Pesach, we are reminded would agree with much of the common
that we commemorate our becoming definition of Jewish peoplehood: Rabbi David A. Israel is the Executive
a people, a people with a unique shared kinship, mutual responsibility, a Vice-President of Religious Zionists of
relationship with G-d, in the Four Cups: common destiny, and a shared mission. America–Mizrachi

HAMIZRACHI PATRONS CHICAGO
3740 W. Dempster
• Martin and Reva Oliner
Skokie, IL 60076
• Friends of Mr. Jack Nagel z’’l
847-674-9733 LOS ANGELES
• Lynn and Joel Mael & Family office@rzc.us 209-286-7141
• Mr. and Mrs. David Rubin 305 Seventh Avenue Presidium www.rzc.us office@rzla.org
Room 1200, Dr. Ernest Agatstein President
• Rosalyn and Stephen M. Flatow New York, NY 10001 Rabbi Leonard Matanky Dr. Oren Lakser President
• Aileen and Pace Cooper 212-465-9234 Martin Oliner Executive Director Dr. Yakov Agatstein
office@rza.org Executive Vice-President Rabbi Jerold
www.rza.org Rabbi David A. Israel Isenberg
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