(Independence Day) יום העצמאות

On Wednesday evening, as Israel's Memorial Day came to a close and its Independence Day began, flags were returned to full mast and the mood changed from somber to festive. The transition is an abrupt and jarring one for a visitor, but the sharp contrast serves to remind people of the cost of independence and what the country's fallen soldiers have achieved and preserved. Israel is not perfect, of course, and there are many worrisome aspects of Israeli society and politics (see the superb article by Leonard Fein in the spring 2008 issue of Dissent magazine), but there are also many admirable and impressive accomplishments here that provide ample reason for celebration. To paraphrase Barack Obama's recent remarks about the United States, it would be a profound distortion to elevate what is wrong with the country above all that we know is right with it. This Independence Day was celebrated with special enthusiasm because, as The New York Times put it, "the Jewish people are marking the 60th anniversary of their national rebirth, the founding of Israel." As The Forward noted in 1948, "it is already the third time that Jews have made a Jewish state in the Land of Israel."

In Tel Aviv, the Independence Day festivities began Wednesday night with fireworks and a big light and music show in Rabin Square. Among the thousands of people filling the square were A. and me. Here we are wearing the colors of Israel's flag, blue and white, to get into the holiday spirit.

The sign below reads "Independence Israel."

The celebrations continued Thursday afternoon with a sea and air show by Israel's navy and air force. A. and I were again on hand to take a few pictures (the last one is an AP photo).

The Israeli press reported that the Independence Day celebrations were "held under tight security, due to warnings received on terror organizations' plans to carry out attacks." Happily, the tight security ensured a safe holiday for everyone. The only thing we saw that marred the occasion was an accident during the air show, when a paratrooper missed his landing spot and collided with spectators.

So what is the state of the nation in 2008? As part of its coverage of Israel's 60th anniversary, The Jerusalem Post carried an interesting story about "The Demise of Ideology" in the country. "What we're seeing," it quoted Israeli sociologist Oz Almog as saying, are indications "that Zionism is waning. The whole Zionist ethos no longer resonates for Israelis, with the exception of the religious nationalist camp." As evidence, Almog and The Jerusalem Post pointed to changing attitudes about aliyah (immigration) and yerida (emigration). Chaim Waxman, another sociologist, disagreed: "I don't see these changes as an ideological post-Zionism. It is a natural course of events. To a large extent, Israel has become a normal country. That was the goal of Zionism. In a normal country people travel and some will leave." Judging from the enthusiasm and the multitudes of flags that A. and I witnessed on Israel's Memorial Day and Independence Day, I'm inclined to think that reports of Zionism's demise have been exaggerated. Emigration has indeed been rising, but the number of emigrants each year remains lower than the number of immigrants and returning Israelis. Moreover, as The New York Times noted in a story about a special conference capping this year's Independence Day festivities: "Today Israel’s Jewish population of 5.5 million is the world’s largest, just ahead of that of the United States, which is slowly declining through low birth rate and intermarriage. Israel has in fact become the center of Jewish life and is increasingly being asked to act like the older brother to Jewish communities elsewhere." This sounds to me less like the demise of Zionism than the fulfillment of Ahad Ha'am's vision. He never envisioned Israel as a home for all of the world's Jews, but rather as a cultural center for the Jewish people that would reinforce Jewish life in the Diaspora. I look forward to returning to that center again for Israel's 100th anniversary.