The Choice of a Homeland

By Elizabeth Phillips
Northwestern University

American Judaism has not always presented a unified front in support of Zionism. Even now, there is much debate regarding the supposedly inherent connection between the State of Israel and worldwide Judaism. And yet, my whole life I have been surrounded by blue-and-white-flag-waving Jews who glowed with pride as they moved from Yom Hashoah to Yom Haatzmaut, as we shifted mentally as well as temporally from mourning to joy, echoing the words of King David in Psalms (30:12).

My childhood is full of images of blue and white cupcakes, of flag-emblazoned t-shirts, and of a giant parade through the streets of New York on a Sunday in June. I once asked my parents why we supported Israel so wholeheartedly, in our speech, with our actions, our money and our time. The answer was simple, visceral almost, "We support Israel because no one should ever grow up without a home. Before we had Israel, we had nothing. We didn't have America or France or Canada or any of the places we lived. Once we gained Israel we gained all of those things too." The answer attempted to explain the symbolism that Israel has come to exude by describing the way it has changed the Jewish people's relationship with the world. Instead of fear, instead of shame, we were suddenly imbued with pride. This is who we are, we are Jews, we have fought and we have sown and finally, finally we have a home where we do not have to hide.

Whether or not Jews in Israel feel connected to the religious aspect of their Jewish identity, it is a choice now, and not the default position of the unthinkingly self-conscious. This same pride, this same feeling of finally belonging, the knowledge that we have a place that will welcome us with open arms (and many financial incentives) makes living in other countries bearable. Having Israel allows us to hold our heads high even when we choose to live outside of Israel. We have become empowered in every region of the world because we finally have other options. The airlifting of Jews out of hostile regimes in Africa and the Middle East is indicative of a world of increasing hostility to the Jewish people, but it is also indicative of the fact that we no longer have to accept this hostility. We are Zionists because the presence of the State of Israel gives us the means to live anywhere we choose.

Elizabeth Phillips is a sophomore at Northwestern University in lovely Evanston, Illinois. She is studying comparative literature and spends her time reading Arabic and loving the color purple.

[Posted 5/4/11]