Stronger together

I read on social media this week that on Yom Hashoah, we’re reminded of what happened when we didn’t have a Jewish state and Yom Hazikaron is a reminder of the huge cost of preserving Israel. As the Jewish people, we’ve experienced great loss throughout our history, but we’ve also known in the past 75 years the joy of being able to celebrate having a Jewish state.

There have been way too many losses for one nation, and we mourn every single life lost, but the joy of 75 years of a Jewish state is a phenomenal reason to celebrate.

And celebrate is what we’re doing in this edition of the SA Jewish Report. Am Yisrael Chai!

Generally in this newspaper, we bring you the good, bad, and ugly of what we as South African Jews experience and what goes on in Israel, a country indelibly linked to each one of us. But, this week, we look at what we have to be hugely proud of in the country to which we are linked.

Though there are some who differ with me on this, I believe the history of the Jews and the history of Israel is one story, and we’re linked whether we like it or not.

We may not always agree with every single thing that happens there, but we’re proud of what Israelis have achieved in 75 years. They took a desert and turned it into a fertile oasis. They took a country that had nothing, and turned it into the Start-up Nation, brimful of incredible high tech and other innovation.

Israelis know how to live with passion and determination – and they do it with every inch of themselves.

Right now, the country is in a difficult situation politically, but I have no doubt that come what may, it will be sorted out. Not everyone will be happy with the outcome, but then I guess there will never be a time that we agree on everything. We’re Jews after all. We all think we know what’s best and, can I be so bold as to say that often we do?

In truth, we don’t have a choice but to sort things out in Israel, no matter what it takes.

Having spent a week in Eastern Europe recently, it’s truly painful to see what happens when Jews don’t have a Jewish state. And that should haunt every one of us – inside and outside Israel – enough to find a way to find resolutions to the problems.

It’s also clear that as Jews, we have enough enemies, we don’t need to make enemies of each other. So, we need to find a way to accept what others say and believe, but not hold it against them because the truth is that we’re on the same side.

We’re on the side of ensuring the continuation and growth of Israel and the Jewish world. We’re one and, while we’re separate and have so many different views and opinions, we all want to live in peace without having to feel afraid. We may live our lives slightly differently. We may look different. We may come from different parts of the world with different experiences. I may be a Litvak and you may be a Sephardi, but we’re all Jews.

I took my family to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut on Tuesday night at Yeshiva College, and what a joyous occasion it was. It was delightful to see people I saw last week and others I hadn’t seen since school days. It looked like there were thousands of people there, and everyone was having a fabulous time. There was such warmth and genuine good cheer, I wanted to bottle it and keep it with me to remember how well we go together. And how strong we are when we work as one.

We have a unique and special community here, which is another thing that I couldn’t help but celebrate when I was out of this country. We may bicker sometimes, but we really do work together for the betterment of all of us.

Testimony to this is the fact that in this very edition, Saul Tomson, who runs the Chevrah Kadisha, vows that no matter what happens to government subsidies, the Chev won’t let the less fortunate, the elderly, or the needy in our community down. I don’t know how he or others manage, but therein lies the secret to this incredible community.

Israel, too, has that innate sense of survival. Though this one disagrees with that one, and this party pushes the buttons of that party, at the end of the day, they will continue to stand together against their enemies.

It seems so pointless that we let differences get in the way of getting to that point. There’s so much to celebrate in Israel. Putting together this edition – which I am sure you’ll agree is something to be proud of – was a joy.

It’s not difficult to celebrate what Israel means to us.

When I close my eyes, I picture walking down the promenade of Tel Aviv beach and then stopping off at Nachalat Binyamina market before continuing my stroll to Neve Tzedek. This makes me smile and feel happy. I long to do that again soon.

For others, their joy may be walking through the old city of Jerusalem, spending time on kibbutz, visiting family, or a myriad of different experiences. But, for the most part, we all have that special feeling about Israel, no matter what we think about the politics.

Politics will find its place in this newspaper, as will lots of other issues, but this week, our team is only too happy to celebrate the Jewish state as it turns 75. May Israel go from strength to strength, and may it find peace on all fronts.

Am Yisrael Chai!

Shabbat Shalom!

Peta Krost

Editor