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May 6, 2008

Israel Office

• Special Independence Day Edition

SHATIL

• Getting Social Issues on Candidates’ Agendas
• Ethiopian Domestic Violence Coalition at Inter-Cultural Sexuality Conference

Weekly Message

This week, Israel celebrates 60 years of independence. And, there is much to celebrate: a high-flying economy; a diverse, multi-cultural society; and a politically active population. Outside Israel, most Jews and supporters of Israel will revel in the many community celebrations and will view with pride the fact that so many political and community leaders will compete to join in the festivities.

Yet, despite the best efforts of the government to generate enthusiasm, a profound malaise exists within Israeli society today. Secretary Rice’s most welcome efforts notwithstanding, a peace agreement between Israel and Palestine, not to speak of Syria, seems a distant dream. The presentation of a written constitution as part of the 60th anniversary celebrations has not materialized. Israel’s Jewish and Arab citizens appear further apart than ever in forging a common vision for the state of Israel. The income and education gaps between rich and poor continue to grow at an embarrassing rate. And, the stench of official corruption continues to rear its ugly head, as exemplified by reports of another police investigation into the dealings of Prime Minister Olmert.

These circumstances require a willingness to reflect both on the significant achievements of Israel since independence was declared in 1948 and the challenges confronting Israel as it charts a path for the next 60 years. Bernard Avishai’s recently published book, The Hebrew Republic, provides an insightful analysis of the challenges, and a surprisingly optimistic presentation of Israel’s future. Avishai’s thesis is summarized in the book’s sub-title: How Secular Democracy and Global Enterprise Will Bring Israel Peace At Last. He argues:

The challenge of the new economy is integration into global markets, corporations and universities, which today’s Israelis are really good at. Israel’s technology entrepreneurs, scientists, designers and artists provide their country with a staying power more impressive than anything the Israeli armed forces could ever achieve for it. The cosmopolitan economic and intellectual power reduces to insignificance any fight over tracts of land. It should also reduce anxieties about Jewish cultural survival in Israel’s immediate vicinity.

Avishai is not blind to the many obstacles facing Israel today. For example, he forthrightly acknowledges and addresses the place of Israel’s Arabs: “The danger of alienating a million and a quarter Arab citizens is imminent and very serious.” Countervailing pressures notwithstanding, he suggests that the “pressure exerted by the force and grandeur of secular Hebrew culture” is contributing to their integration into Israeli civil society.

Avishai’s vision for the future is one endorsed by many New Israel Fund supporters, even as they may debate some of the specifics and become nervous regarding the terminology. The important point, however, is the need to engage in a serious discussion regarding the challenges facing Israel, and for Diaspora Jews to include themselves among the participants in the discussion, even as their ultimate role in the actual decision-making process is appropriately limited by their choice of residence.

In this context, I am excited by our first international Town Hall webcast, which is scheduled for Sunday, May 18 at 1:00 PM EST, and which will address the question of “Religion and State: Fundamentalism or Freedom.” We have organized an excellent panel, including: former Knesset Deputy Speaker and NIF-President elect Naomi Chazan; author and journalist Gershom Gorenberg; the director of Mossawa, Jafar Farah; and Professor Frances Raday. The event will be moderated by Michael Greenspan, a former CNN journalist in the Middle East. Please visit our web site to register for the program and to participate in an interactive discussion regarding one of the issues most critical to Israel’s future.

In this week’s NIF News, we bring you a special edition to mark Israel’s 60th anniversary of independence. We take stock of the national situation by asking four members of the NIF family to look ahead to the coming years and speak about their fears and hopes and the challenges facing the country. SHATIL highlights its campaign to get social issues on candidates’ agendas in the upcoming election and a conference to raise awareness and advance solutions to the growing problem of domestic violence in the Ethiopian community in Israel.