"When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream … our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy" (Psalm 126).
My grandfather, like his grandfather before him, prayed for the Messiah to come and to reach the Land of Israel. He did not know which would happen first, if at all. Secretly, he hoped to see the miracle coming to pass: "This is the generation of the days of the Messiah / He is sleeping and late to awaken / He needs a prophet / Or at least an alarm clock," in the words of poet Nathan Alterman.
But David Ben-Gurion, who decreed, "In the land of Israel, anyone who doesn't believe in miracles is not a realist," understood that the Zionist dream of Theodor Herzl, Berl Katznelson, Zeev Jabotinsky, Yehuda Halevi, and Abraham the Patriarch – as well as our grandfathers and grandmothers – could come true. Like Menachem Begin, his political rival, he understood that the Land of Israel would be built not through force but by our right to it, even if that demanded a lot of force.
It is heartwarming to see how 70 years later, we are still moved by the flag, the national anthem, the coinage, postal stamps, hummus and falafel, by traditional "biblical" leather sandals; it's as if the young nation just came into being. As if our blue and white were still a vision.
Seventy years on, we still wonder not only at our economic, urban, agricultural and cultural development, but also at our sovereignty over the Promised Land. We are privileged to live in the generation that so many others dreamed about. We are living the dream.
Show me another country that is thrilled and moved by its very existence. One that not only exists, but that every day gives thanks for the "miracle of the routine."
Maybe the fact that the Promised Land has had to face enormous tests and overcome obstacles that looked insurmountable to become a recognized sovereign state – and whose eternal capital is still the subject of international conflict – makes the Zionist dream into an unending event. With all its achievements, 70 years later, Israel is still coming into being. Maybe this is why we have a boundless desire to advance in every field. Maybe even the soccer too – who knows?
And this is where the magic lies: Every Israeli baby, like every new immigrant, has a role and a mission. Show me another country in which simply being there is an accomplishment.
I have not forgotten about the national sport, complaining. This isn't the day for it. A moment after the Exodus from ancient Egypt, our forefathers began to complain. We're used to it. Despite our advanced technology and medicine, flourishing agriculture, strong military and enchanting literature, we like to whine. It's legitimate. A country of Jews, after all.
True, things can always be fixed and improved. But if we compare our age as a people (at least 3,200 years since the tribes of Israel crossed the Jordan River in the 13th century BCE) to the age of the state, we find that we are just a baby with the achievements of a 70-year-old. This should make us proud, and encourage us to be patient.
After 70 years, we can see that we have a healthy people in a strong country, despite the threats, hardships and limitations, and especially despite the internal disputes. Disputes – even deep-seated ones – are also deeply rooted in our history and our character as a nation. We have a wonderful country, even if its borders aren't completely finalized (our neighbors had historic opportunities to celebrate independence with us, but they chose another path). We aren't handling calls to boycott us and attempts to rewrite history too badly. So we should dial down the complaints and the bitterness.
Lest we forget, we are all brothers
Religious, traditional, and secular Jews, with views from across the political spectrum, all attend events marking Memorial Day for Israel's Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism. We are all brothers, in case we managed to forget. We want to keep on being a healthy people in a healthy country. We may disagree, but it is important not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The main thing is to not slander the country that defends our lives and gives us hope, pride and a living.
My grandfather was privileged to make aliyah. At the Shabbat meal, he would wonder aloud, where would we be without wars? Indeed, Israel in 70 years, surrounded by enemies, has managed to achieve things that other countries do not in perfect conditions.
It's true, in moments of anger we like to underscore how some Israelis desire to move to America or purchase an apartment in Berlin, but please explain how – after Jerusalem – the most exciting place in the country is the arrivals hall of Ben-Gurion International Airport? Tell me about any other country where so many people wait to welcome their loved ones back from abroad. I've been at enough airports in my life to tell you that there isn't one.
Today, we all remember those to whom we owe all this goodness. We all have an obligation to acknowledge the good to those who died so we could live. Today we will weep with sorrow, and tomorrow from joy. This has been our life for 70 years, thank God.
My great-great-grandfather dreamed of returning to Zion. His grandson – my grandfather – fulfilled that dream and made aliyah. I can only imagine my own great-grandchildren celebrating the 140th anniversary of the state, and giving thanks every day for the "miracle of the routine" – that after 2,000 years, praise the Lord, we have a country.
