In
response to an unparalleled barrage of rockets, followed by a groundswell of
anti-Semitism, old-school Zionists swung into action and dusted off the old map
in response.
You
know the one where we point at the little dot and say, "Israel is just
this one teeny Jewish nation surrounded by a vast sea of Arab countries. Why
can’t you all just leave us be in peace?!" And the Arabs say, "What
is this small speck of dust doing in what is clearly our region of the world?
Can't we just blow you away already?" [an aside: You Horton fans
should note that even Dr. Seuss is under fire these days]
Roll
up the maps Baby Boomers, because Generation "Z" suffers from myopic
vision and, as Bill Maher succinctly explained, "You can't learn history
from Instagram".
Ironically,
the international community can thrill at Gal Gadot as "Wonderwoman"
miraculously deflecting thousands of enemy bullets with her iron wristbands and
shield in that celebrated "no man's land" scene, yet they can't seem
to wrap their heads around Israel being able to do the same thing in actuality.
And rumor has it that Warner Bros. may be a wee bit uncomfortable with their
fantasy Diana Prince advocating for her nation, people and region in reality.
Is
it only anti-Semitism at work or something more inane? It seems Europe and
America, although far removed from the realities of war, still need to satiate
their appetites for extreme action and entertainment. And so there are spectator
sports, fantasy war play, virtual gaming, Tik Tok and Netflix to fill the void.
Even
seasoned geopolitical pundits now speak of looming Mideast confrontations and
strategies in terms of Queen’s Gambit vs Sicilian Defense, and one US historian
recently likened the Israeli political scene to an Avengers movie.
It’s
a given that when one side perpetually “wins,” or refuses to lose (stalemate is
no fun either,) the game becomes boring and new rules and challenges are
created to “level the playing field.” Israel’s 73 year winning streak deeply offends
the modern gaming culture’s sense of fair play. It’s simply no fun without
electrifying risks, hazards, doomsday suspense and the possibility of total
defeat.
Israel
simply cannot play the game to the satisfaction of the world arena, because we
can’t afford the luxury of losing. In
fact, we don’t understand the concept altogether. Historically and spiritually
the Jewish nation does not perceive setbacks and tragedies as curses, but
rather as challenges and opportunities to rise to the occasion. We perceive
history as a process and a journey - a springboard toward the future. The
endgame or the “game over” message may indeed be off of the radar for us. And
that is what gives us an “unfair” advantage. Israelis set the bar very high. The
standards are placed where a simplistic perception of “proportionality” does
not correspond with evolving morality.
So,
who will eventually win the land in the long run? Judaism’s number one Biblical
commentator, Rabbi Shlomo Yiztchaki (“Rashi”) penned the remarkable answer,
while sitting in the Diaspora in the 11th century.
Why
does the Torah begin with “In the beginning…?” (Genesis 1:1)
...For
should the nations of the world say to Israel: "You are thieves, because
you conquered the lands of the seven nations of Canaan," Israel may reply
to them: "All the earth belongs to the Holy One, Blessed be He. He created
it and gave it to whomever He saw fit. By His will He gave it to them, and by
His will He took it from them and gave it to us. (Rashi, Bereishit 1:1)
This means, according to my teacher, Rabbi Dr.
Sholom Gold, that before the birth of the State of Israel, while on a death
march to the gas chambers in Auschwitz, little cheder boys would
theoretically turn to their rebbes and ask, “Why are they doing this
to us?” “What did we do?” “What did we take from them?” “And, with a
bittersweet smile and vision, the rebbe would respond, “If Rashi said it, it
must be true.”
And
it’s this positivity bias that will keep Israel on the high ground and out of
the tunnels and mire of victimhood. Even when we do tragically fumble or, in
desperation, attempt a reckless “hail Mary” pass, the playing field will never
be leveled because hypercreative Israelis will keep striving to find ethical,
redemptive solutions in a world gone mad. And we will especially thrive when
faced with the challenges and limitations thrust upon us by an unappeasable
international community.
With
a 90% save rate, the minds behind Israel’s “Iron Dome” likely dream of a
welcome “play-break” where they can teach their children the skills needed to
be incredible goal keepers. And there must be numerous Israeli Air Force pilots
who would rather be performing delicate life-saving surgical procedures than
targeting terrorists with surgical precision.
But
we are surrounded by peoples engaged in a time-honored tradition of
saber-rattling, who champion and perpetuate the warrior and warfare.
Israel
is a nation condemned to eternal survival, and all of the agony and the ecstasy
that goes with it. We perceive that as a blessing and we long for the day when
our Arab cousins will pick up the ball, take a giant leap up for mankind and
join us in the real game of life, with all of its challenges.
The
writer is an artist and author of the “Oslo Years: a mother’s journal”
