All holidays are felt like this in Israel. They are immersive. And normal. A normal people was Zionism's greatest goal. The normalisation of the Jews.
The sight of the totality of a country wedded to an ancestral rich cultural world, a world no sane person can deny has existed for millennia, as it is documented in all its evolutions and dispersions, make it so supremely absurd to witness the vociferous outlandish claims that Israel and Hebrew were artificially created. That others ,later alien peoples and cultures are the true owners of the land.
"Resurrection " comes to mind, each and every time Israel recreates its past and its very nature, stronger with every blow - o, if the Jew-haters understood that , they might leave us alone- and always sure of its roots.
Vanessa, you’ve described this difference between a Jew living in Israel and a Jew in the Diaspora perfectly. I’ve never stopped longing for it after returning from a year in Israel decades ago.
To delightfully twist the words of a recent book about the Bund that was supported by the non-Jewish JVP, here where we live is our home - away from home.
I loved this piece. Vanessa's observations so resonated with my own experience of living in Jerusalem for the academic year 2014–2015. The logic of the Jewish calendar finally dawned on me, and for the first time the sequence of holidays and the seasons felt integrated. I loved being on Jewish time. And I especially loved the social institution of Shabbat, from it flowed the rhythm of the week.
Fantastic article.
All holidays are felt like this in Israel. They are immersive. And normal. A normal people was Zionism's greatest goal. The normalisation of the Jews.
The sight of the totality of a country wedded to an ancestral rich cultural world, a world no sane person can deny has existed for millennia, as it is documented in all its evolutions and dispersions, make it so supremely absurd to witness the vociferous outlandish claims that Israel and Hebrew were artificially created. That others ,later alien peoples and cultures are the true owners of the land.
"Resurrection " comes to mind, each and every time Israel recreates its past and its very nature, stronger with every blow - o, if the Jew-haters understood that , they might leave us alone- and always sure of its roots.
What a wonderful description of the miracle that is Judaism in the land where it was born 😊 and now thrives …
Shana tova mevurechet umetuka
I was born in Israel--and you are exactly right.
Thank you, Vanessa! Great insight. Shanah tovah.
Shana tova metuka!
Vanessa, you’ve described this difference between a Jew living in Israel and a Jew in the Diaspora perfectly. I’ve never stopped longing for it after returning from a year in Israel decades ago.
Welcome home to our brothers and sisters in the diaspora. 🙏
Fabulous point!!
To delightfully twist the words of a recent book about the Bund that was supported by the non-Jewish JVP, here where we live is our home - away from home.
I loved this piece. Vanessa's observations so resonated with my own experience of living in Jerusalem for the academic year 2014–2015. The logic of the Jewish calendar finally dawned on me, and for the first time the sequence of holidays and the seasons felt integrated. I loved being on Jewish time. And I especially loved the social institution of Shabbat, from it flowed the rhythm of the week.
Love this article. I felt this many years ago when i lived briefly in Israel.