Shared support for Israel brings people together
By Yonatan Spitz
LOS ANGELES — In Israel and even now as a shaliach (Israeli emissary) in the U.S., I’ve often felt that the pro-Israel Jews of the Diaspora receive unfair criticism for supporting the Jewish state.
At times, it seems impossible to get through a discussion about American Jewry in Israel without hearing statements like “If they like Israel so much, why won’t they come to live here?” or “It’s very easy to support Israel when you live comfortably in the U.S. and your children don’t need to go the army.”
It has always confused me why some Israelis misjudge American Jews’ support of Israel. If a person — any person — wants to support the Jewish people’s homeland, why should we undermine that beautiful support?
This is why I believe the Jewish community needs special occasions to encourage Jewish unity, and there’s perhaps no greater display of such unity than the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Policy Conference. By building bipartisan support for Israel and not injecting politics into the message of Jewish unity, AIPAC’s conference becomes a place where Americans and Israelis from across the political spectrum and from all denominations of Judaism can participate in pro-Israel advocacy.
From March 24-26, I was privileged to be part of the unprecedented delegation of 120 Jewish Agency for Israel shlichim (Israeli emissaries) who attended this year’s AIPAC conference in Washington, D.C. Words cannot describe my appreciation towards Rabbi Nicole Guzik and the Sinai Temple Israel Center for sponsoring me as well as my three fellow Shin-Shinim from the Sinai Akiba Academy and Sinai Temple — Shaked Fruchter, Einav Sitton, and Hadar Karasik — for this remarkable experience.
In my community here in Los Angeles, I know many people who are involved in the local AIPAC office or support the organization in other ways. This got me and my fellow shlichim intrigued about attending the policy conference in D.C. — and I wasn’t disappointed. There’s no substitute for witnessing 18,000 people in one room display unconditional love and support for Israel. Seeing Jews of different backgrounds and ideologies come together to discuss some of Israel’s greatest challenges and accomplishments has showed me that indeed, Jewish unity is a realistic goal. Despite our differences, the Jewish people share desires for meaning, identity, and peace. AIPAC helps bridge the gap among the various pro-Israel groups in the U.S. by giving them one home and one stage from which to execute their ideas and help Israel.
Attending the conference as a shaliach enriched my knowledge of the U.S.-Israel relationship. Our delegation of shlichim heard from some of the top political leaders in America and Israel, and from social entrepreneurs. We connected with American Jews who love Israel and are strongly dedicated to the country’s well-being. It really touched our hearts that so many American Jews (and also non-Jews) care so much about a country they don’t live in.
In my current role as a Shin-Shin (young Israeli emissary) at the Sinai Akiba Academy, the absolute majority of the children I work with already support Israel. Nevertheless, I believe that when these students go to college, they’ll face major dilemmas when it comes to Israel. Some will be confronted with opinions or facts about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that they never heard before.
As a shaliach, attending the AIPAC conference reinforced the notion that it’s my responsibility to give these students the fullest and most diverse story possible about Israel. They need not only the superficial facts, but also the in-depth historical knowledge to empower them in debates on the issues. For instance, besides knowing that an Israeli singer won the 2018 Eurovision content, they should also know what happened at the U.N. on November 29, 1947.
I returned from D.C. with a better understanding of the importance of strengthening the bonds among Jews around the world — and more specifically, of how any Jew can connect on a deeper level with Israel in a variety of ways. You can study Jewish history, learn Hebrew, or watch Israeli TV shows. You can interact with Israelis on social media and make new friends from abroad. You can participate in different Israel education programs, conferences, and immersive experiences like Birthright Israel or Masa Israel Journey. The possibilities are endless.
If you build authentic connections, which is my goal each day as a shaliach, then Israel is no longer an abstract idea. Israel is real and tangible. Israel’s story is written not only by the people who live there, but also by those who support the Jewish state in America and worldwide. By strengthening the personal relationships among the Jewish people, we can create a much-needed sense of Jewish unity — with Israel at its center.
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Yonatan Spitz is a Jewish Agency Shin-Shin (young Israeli emissary) at the Sinai Akiba Academy in Los Angeles.