The necessary Jewish state

A few days ago Media Backspin asked What is Israel’s Greatest Accomplishment?

I was in grade school when the 6 Day War was fought. I remember seeing a film strip soon after. It was quite impressive. Though, as a 6 year old I don’t think I comprehended the miraculous nature of the victory.

I was a teenager at the time of the Entebbe rescue. That was very exciting. I was fascinated by the level of planning that went into the raid and how it was executed nearly flawlessly.

I was spending a year studying in Israel when I heard that Israel destroyed a reactor in Iraq. I thought I’d been misinformed. Israel had been running raids over Lebanon, surely Israel hit a target in Lebanon. But no, it was Baghdad. I only recently raid a full account of that raid. Again it was an amazing, no, miraculous operation. It made the Gulf War in 1991 and the subsequent Iraq War in 2003 possible. Despite the criticisms directed at Israel, the destruction of the Iraqi reactor is an event that has changed history dramatically, including the eventual defeat of a brutal tyrant.

And of course going to a site like Israel 21c, I see how Israel leads the world in many areas of technology. If I go to the MASHAV website, I can see how Israel lends a hand to other countries (with little or no credit.)

As exciting as all these were, the action that makes me most proud has been the rescue of Ethiopia’s Jews, Beta Israel. Operations Moses and Solomon overall rescued about 35,000 Ethiopian Jews and brought them to Israel. I’m not going to pretend that everything’s been perfect since then. The assimilation of the Ethiopians hasn’t always been smooth. However it’s the ultimate example of why Israel exists.

Jews were in danger. People don’t remember but at the time of Operation Moses Ethiopia was one of the most brutal regimes in the world. The government of Haile Mariam Mengistu forced relocations of the country’s population creating a famine that killed millions. The thousands saved by Israel, might well have died. Instead Israel rescued them, giving them a second chance.

Over the past 20 years, the center of the Jewish world has shifted slowly towards Israel, where the largest population of Jews in the world now resides. We are witnessing “kibbutz golyos” – the ingathering exiles – in our time. It may not be dramatic, but it is happening.

Attacks on Israel’s legitimacy, are attacks on the Jewish people. Similarly doubts raised about the Jewish connection to the land, reject the notion and history of the Jewish nation.

In bringing the Jews of Ethiopia to Israel, Israel showed its commitment to a threatened Jewish community. Israel didn’t just show that it’s the Jewish state, but also why the Jewish state is necessary.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad.