From the jazz-filled halls of Jaffa to the record-breaking success of Arab-Israeli students, this is the vibrant, messy, and resilient reality that the global protest movement chooses to ignore.
I’m in the USA. There is such ignorance about Israel here. So I get a wonderful essay such as this and what do I do? I forward it to several non-Jewish friends and colleagues. It’s a way to educate non-Jews about Israel. We should not keep this information to ourselves.
Wonderful article. I wonder if the same could be written about Gaza, Judea and Samaria? What could they have had if they weren’t filled with hate? And that hate is not Israel’s fault. It is the fault of the UN, UNRWA, Qatar, Iran and others obsessed with eliminating Israel.
'The dogs bark, but the caravan moves forward.” This attitude shows Israeli unwilliness to stop normal life despite the loony Islamics in their region. In the '90's I skydived in Arizona with Shlomo Pearl who ran a commercial dropzone IN Israel. Life goes on and long live Israel!
I appreciate your essay but you are preaching to the choir. Those for whom hatred of Israel is their life mission and reason for being, will not even glance at this essay. For those of us who have been to Israel many times and have worked with the "regular" folks, I would rather acknowledge that Israel is a country, acting in its own self-interest and self-defense. As the caravan moves forward, those barking dogs are vicious, will bite at the slightest opportunity, and many carry Kalashnikovs. If their behavior cannot be changed, they should be destroyed.
Agreed. My typical answer to those who bemoan Israel as an “apartheid state” or a “war zone” is this: Go to Israel, to TA, to Jerusalem. If you still feel the same way when you return, I’d be surprised.
Words from my own mouth. I leave for Israel this Sunday (for the umpteenth time) for a three-week visit combined with a one-week "Water Mission" with the JNF as a member of the JNF-Water Task Force. Helping the people in the so-called "danger zones" secure funding for their projects that secure access to fresh water and maximize their use of recycled water is our goal. As members of the task force, we are not in charge of allocating JNF funds for these projects; however, we are the people whose eyes and ears see and hear what is needed and make recommendations to those who do make those decisions. The Israelis who live way up north and those who live in the desert (Negev and Arava) are the salt of the Israeli earth. They are my kind of folks. They also have "troublesome" neighbors. My personal mantra, "Water is the oil of the 21st century. Wars will be fought for its control. One better be ready for the coming conflict."
From 2000 until 2023, I took Interfaith groups of Jews and Christians to
Israel and seeing people
go from love of Israel unseen to LOVING Israel as much as I do. I’m a conservative Christian now too old at 83 to travel
so go ASAP.
Life passes so very quickly - In 2013 (my last trip to Israel) I could still run up the 99 steps at the Western Wall up to the Jewish Quarter. Today without my walker, I walk like a “drunk penguin” but with such wonderful memories of a country I love so much.
P.S. I took groups every year during the 2000-2005 Intifada when the terrorists were blowing up buses, restaurants, etc. and felt safer there than I do even here in America!
I’m in the USA. There is such ignorance about Israel here. So I get a wonderful essay such as this and what do I do? I forward it to several non-Jewish friends and colleagues. It’s a way to educate non-Jews about Israel. We should not keep this information to ourselves.
Thank you, and please encourage them to subscribe to LaKoom for more!
I've seen it, and it was definitely a real country, and I loved it and still do! 🙏🇮🇱❤️
Wonderful article. I wonder if the same could be written about Gaza, Judea and Samaria? What could they have had if they weren’t filled with hate? And that hate is not Israel’s fault. It is the fault of the UN, UNRWA, Qatar, Iran and others obsessed with eliminating Israel.
'The dogs bark, but the caravan moves forward.” This attitude shows Israeli unwilliness to stop normal life despite the loony Islamics in their region. In the '90's I skydived in Arizona with Shlomo Pearl who ran a commercial dropzone IN Israel. Life goes on and long live Israel!
Oh how I wish I could go to Israel!!! I pray for her many times a day and wish you all the very best. 🙏🇮🇱🇺🇸❤️🙏🦋😺
Great Article and great news about the Israeli Arabs as well.
I appreciate your essay but you are preaching to the choir. Those for whom hatred of Israel is their life mission and reason for being, will not even glance at this essay. For those of us who have been to Israel many times and have worked with the "regular" folks, I would rather acknowledge that Israel is a country, acting in its own self-interest and self-defense. As the caravan moves forward, those barking dogs are vicious, will bite at the slightest opportunity, and many carry Kalashnikovs. If their behavior cannot be changed, they should be destroyed.
Agreed. My typical answer to those who bemoan Israel as an “apartheid state” or a “war zone” is this: Go to Israel, to TA, to Jerusalem. If you still feel the same way when you return, I’d be surprised.
Words from my own mouth. I leave for Israel this Sunday (for the umpteenth time) for a three-week visit combined with a one-week "Water Mission" with the JNF as a member of the JNF-Water Task Force. Helping the people in the so-called "danger zones" secure funding for their projects that secure access to fresh water and maximize their use of recycled water is our goal. As members of the task force, we are not in charge of allocating JNF funds for these projects; however, we are the people whose eyes and ears see and hear what is needed and make recommendations to those who do make those decisions. The Israelis who live way up north and those who live in the desert (Negev and Arava) are the salt of the Israeli earth. They are my kind of folks. They also have "troublesome" neighbors. My personal mantra, "Water is the oil of the 21st century. Wars will be fought for its control. One better be ready for the coming conflict."
From 2000 until 2023, I took Interfaith groups of Jews and Christians to
Israel and seeing people
go from love of Israel unseen to LOVING Israel as much as I do. I’m a conservative Christian now too old at 83 to travel
so go ASAP.
Life passes so very quickly - In 2013 (my last trip to Israel) I could still run up the 99 steps at the Western Wall up to the Jewish Quarter. Today without my walker, I walk like a “drunk penguin” but with such wonderful memories of a country I love so much.
P.S. I took groups every year during the 2000-2005 Intifada when the terrorists were blowing up buses, restaurants, etc. and felt safer there than I do even here in America!
So GO ASAP!!! It will change your life.
Monica McMillen
Fort Worth, Texas
Best of luck on your trip. Perhaps on your return, you would like to write a guest essay for my Substack!
Perhaps.
All I can say is MEHTA WHO?