1.
As a boy in Israel in the 1970s, I lived in a neighborhood far from the thick of things. The only thing I had was books and my imagination. During the week of my birthday one year, I sat in front of the television and watched eagerly the sight of the Entebbe hostages returning from the end of the world. What did I know then about selection of Jews and terrorism? One thing I did know: the operation came at a heavy cost as its commander fell on foreign soil. Since then, Yoni, as everybody called him, has been a part of me. For me though he was Jonathan. And when they changed the name of the operation to "Operation Jonathan," as the years went by, the historical and literary images that introduced me to his character and inspired me, would come to mind.
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In the youth movement, we became acquainted with "The Letters of Jonathan Netanyahu." It's hard to believe that such a young man wrote like this. "Although I am still young," he wrote in a letter to his parents, "still strong and confident of myself and my ability, I can't ignore the fact that a sense of old age has taken hold of me." He added: "I've never been old, not in years, and I, therefore, don't know whether this feeling I have is the same that comes with advanced age; but it is a form of old age no doubt – an old age particular to young men."
I felt that he was talking to me. A young man bearing a heavy burden that he will never be freed from, not a burden of growing up, finding a direction in life, or earning a living, but the burden of his people's history. This is how he saw himself: "as an inseparable part, a link in the chain of our existence and Israel's independence."
My daughter is about to become a youth movement counselor. This week she asked for a reading list for the holidays. We talked about classical literature, but I added that as a counselor in charge of young scouts "The Letters of Jonathan Netanyahu" should be on her list. Take inspiration from the pure idealism of a young Hebrew boy and pass it on to your charges.
2.
Here is the historical perspective in which I see the figure of Jonathan Netanyahu looking at us from the distance of generations: When the Kingdom of Israel was established in the tenth century BCE under the leadership of Saul, our first king, we were still ruled by the Philistines. The Vilna Gaon points out that the Philistines' interest was not religious or economic, but rather sovereignty over our land was what motivated them. Whenever they heard that the Israelites were planning to rule and create a government, they immediately got together to prevent us from doing so.
To gain our freedom, a rebellion was required. Jonathan, son of Saul, killed the governor of the Philistines. In response, they concentrated tens of thousands of soldiers for war. Terror befell the camp of Israel and many fled to hiding places. Few remained and were up against many. How could we strengthen the spirit of our warriors and make them believe that the battle could be won?
Jonathan decides to move against the Philistine forward outpost at Mikhmas, about ten kilometers north of Jerusalem, hoping to sow panic with a surprise attack. When he saw that the Philistines at the outpost were not aware of his plan, he charged at them with the eternal cry of Israel's commanders throughout the ages: "Follow me!" or in the language of the Bible: "Follow me, for the Lord will deliver them into the hands of Israel." Indeed, the first blow dealt by Jonathan, together with the fog of battle and the growing rumors, caused terrible anxiety and demoralization that spread through the Philistine army until it disbanded. King Saul got word of this, and his men attacked and defeat the stunned Philistines.
3.
Some 800 years later, another Jonathan arose to fight for Israel's freedom. Judah Maccabee, who purified the Temple, was defeated in 160 BCE, seven years after the outbreak of the revolt. The achievements of the rebellion were erased; the Seleucid Empire regained control of Jerusalem and its decrees against the Jewish religion were renewed. Of the five sons of Matityahu only Jonathan and Simon were left alive. They fled to the desert and discovered that the Nabataeans had murdered their wives and children. All hope seemed lost, but not for Jonathan. He encouraged his people to put aside their grief and fight. They punished the Nabataeans and then fought a guerrilla war against the army of Bacchides, who after two years despaired of the situation and returned to Antioch.
Jonathan did not head straight for Jerusalem; he learned from the fall of his brother Judah. He established a headquarters in Mikhmas – the same place where Jonathan, the son of Saul had fought the Philistines – and built a standing army of tens of thousands of soldiers. It took him seven years to liberate Jerusalem, and for another decade he cleansed the country of foreign rule and renewed his alliances with Rome and Sparta. Eventually, he was killed, but his achievements enabled his brother Simon to establish the Hasmonean Jewish state in 142 BCE (read about this in Haggai Ben Artzi's book, "The Chanukah Scroll")
4.
Every Jewish state and its Jonathan. In our first sovereign era, the period of the United Monarchy, Jonathan son of Saul was a towering figure, who despite being heir to the throne, nobly transferred the monarchy to his friend David, recognizing that he was more worthy of the position. In the Second Temple era, we had Jonathan the Hasmonean, who was also known as Jonathan Apphus. Apphus in Greek means diplomat and he was so called for his clever stratagems, while in the Book of Maccabees, he is referred to in the Hebrew as chafush from the root chapes, to look or search, and the translator Avraham Kahane explains that this is "a name they used as they searched to get to the bottom of his wise mind but could not." It is Jonathan Apphus to whom we owe Hanukkah. Today, in the third era of sovereignty that we are privileged to live in, it is the figure of Jonathan Netanyahu that towers high.
When I read the books of Samuel and Kings with my son, we wondered how wars were fought at the beginning of the first millennium BCE. The Bible does not usually tell us how the battles were waged. To do this, we went to Homer and read his detailed descriptions of the battles of the Greco-Trojan War. In a letter to his brother Benjamin about a test on The Iliad and The Odyssey, Jonathan Netanyahu wrote: "If you think there are men among you, read Homer. You're sure to become humble."
But what did Jonathan son of Saul and Jonathan the Hasmonean think? What were the ideals that guided them, their mood, their understanding of their people's history, and their commitment to their people's freedom? The Bible and the Book of Maccabees skimp on details. This gap was filled by Jonathan Netanyahu in his letters. This is the chapter that was missing in our history and literature, and it is given to us through Yoni's personality and writings.
5.
The man who would later become Major General Shai Avital once spoke about a battle he participated in against a Syrian commando unit on the Golan Heights in the 1973 war: "We received information that in fact, we were the last force defending the place... Suddenly, we came under heavy fire... We were exposed... I was very scared. What I saw then was a picture I will remember for the rest of my life; Suddenly, Jonathan Netanyahu stood up in complete silence, as if nothing had happened. With his hands, he gestured to the others to get up with him... He walked erect, handing out orders right and left. I remember my thoughts then as a soldier under his command: 'If he can do it, I won't give up!' I got up and started fighting."
Now read in the bible about Jonathan son of Saul: "They both showed themselves to the Philistine outpost and the Philistines said, 'Look, some Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have been hiding.' The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his arms-bearer, 'Come up to us, and we'll teach you a lesson.' Then Jonathan said to his arms-bearer, 'Follow me, for the Lord will deliver them into the hands of Israel.' And Jonathan clambered up on his hands and feet, his arms-bearer behind him; [the Philistines] fell before Jonathan, and his arms-bearer finished them off behind him."
Just as Jonathan son of Tzila and Benzion Netanyahu did 3,000 years later.
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