Why Jews Are So Obsessed With Israel

Only through empathy and intellectual honesty can the world begin to grasp why Jews so fiercely defend and cherish our homeland.

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I recently read something interesting: “Antisemitism is not a result of Zionism. Zionism is a result of antisemitism.”¹

If Zionism is “a movement that advocates for the establishment of a Jewish state in Israel, and is based on the belief that all Jews are one nation,” then Zionism is not simply the result of antisemitism.

It is the result of remaining faithful to the covenantal promise about “the land that I will show you.” Saying that “Zionism is the result of antisemitism” contradicts Rabbi Dr. Abraham Joshua Heschel’s explanation of what the modern nation-state of Israel represents in his book, “Israel: An Echo of Eternity.”

According to Dr. Heschel, the presence of Israel has tremendous historical and religious significance for the whole world: “Israel is a personal challenge, a personal religious issue. We are God’s stake in human history. We are the dawn and the dusk, the challenge and the test. The presence of Israel is the repudiation of despair. Israel calls for a renewal of trust in the Lord of history.”²

For Jews, Zionism — and by extension, the connection to Israel — is not merely a response to historical persecution. It is a reaffirmation of a millennia-old relationship with a specific land, steeped in religious, cultural, and existential significance.

The perceived obsession with Israel among Jews is not about blind allegiance or political fervor. Rather, it reflects a deeply ingrained understanding of the precariousness of Jewish safety in the world and the enduring importance of Israel as both a sanctuary and a cultural home.

The Jewish connection to the land of Israel predates modern notions of nationalism by thousands of years. The covenant described in the Torah and the centrality of Jerusalem in Jewish liturgy have always positioned Israel as more than just a place — it is the spiritual heart of the Jewish People. Yet, for centuries, the Jewish connection to this land was theoretical, as Jews lived in diaspora under the shadow of systemic persecution.

The establishment of the modern State of Israel in 1948 was not just a geopolitical achievement, but a fulfillment of a long-held yearning. It provided a tangible answer to the devastating consequences of statelessness, made all too clear by the horrors of the Holocaust. The systematic murder of six million Jews was not an aberration; it was the culmination of centuries of antisemitic violence, from expulsions in Europe to pogroms in Eastern Europe and massacres in the Middle East.

Israel emerged not because Jews sought power or dominance but because they needed a place where they could live without fear of annihilation. To this day, Israel remains the only country where Jewish identity is central to national life, offering a critical safeguard against the cyclical nature of antisemitism.

For those outside the Jewish community, Israel may appear as a strong, militarized state, but for Jews, its existence feels anything but secure. This perception is shaped by history. For centuries, Jews lived as minorities at the mercy of rulers and neighbors. Security was always conditional and could vanish with a change in leadership or a shift in public sentiment.

Even today, Israel exists in a neighborhood often hostile to its presence. Calls for its destruction, terror attacks, and international scrutiny that sometimes borders on obsession all serve as reminders of the precariousness of Jewish safety. Jews worldwide see in Israel not just a state but a shield — a place that stands as the ultimate insurance policy against a recurrence of statelessness and vulnerability.

Critics of Israel often argue that its presence in the region is a provocation, suggesting that the existence of a Jewish state disrupts regional harmony and antagonizes its neighbors.

However, this narrative oversimplifies and distorts history. It ignores the hostility faced by Jewish communities in Arab lands long before the establishment of Israel in 1948. Far from being a post-statehood phenomenon, this hostility was deeply rooted in ethno-religious prejudice, and it manifested in exclusion, discrimination, and violence against Jews who had lived in those lands for centuries.

Before Israel's founding, Arab countries were not bastions of tolerance for their Jewish populations. In many places, Jews were subject to legal and social inferiority, barred from certain professions, confined to specific neighborhoods, and forced to pay special taxes as dhimmis — an Arabic term for non-Muslim minorities living under Islamic rule.

Periodic violence and expulsions punctuated Jewish life in these lands, from the Farhud pogrom in Iraq in 1941 to massacres in Yemen and Libya. The formation of the State of Israel did not create hostility toward Jews in the Arab world; rather, it provided a focal point for animosities that already existed dating centuries back.

The hostility that Israel has faced since 1948 through today is thus not solely about statehood, but also about deep-seated ethno-religious tensions. The rejection of Israel’s right to exist is, in many ways, an extension of the historical rejection of Jewish equality and sovereignty. Calls for Israel’s destruction often echo with the same intolerance that once rendered Jews second-class citizens or sought to expel them entirely.

For Jews around the world, these dynamics reinforce the understanding that Israel is not a luxury or an optional project; it is a necessity. The Jewish state represents the ability of the Jewish People to defend themselves, to dictate their own destiny, and to provide a safe haven for those who face persecution elsewhere.

This understanding is not rooted in paranoia but in the lessons of history. From the Spanish Inquisition to the Russian pogroms to the Holocaust, statelessness has proven to be a lethal vulnerability for the Jewish People.

Critics who frame Israel as a provocation often fail to grapple with the implications of their arguments. If the existence of a Jewish state is the problem, then the solution they implicitly propose is the eradication of Jewish sovereignty. Such a proposition is unthinkable to Jews who have seen the cost of statelessness. For them, Israel’s existence is not about dominance or defiance; it is about survival and dignity.

Moreover, the international scrutiny that Israel endures — scrutiny that often borders on obsession — further highlights the double standards applied to the Jewish state. While many nations operate in complex and contentious regions, few face the level of delegitimization directed at Israel. This scrutiny often ignores the existential threats that Israel faces daily, from terror groups committed to its destruction to states that openly call for its eradication.

Israel exists in a difficult neighborhood, but its challenges are not of its own making. The historical and ongoing hostility toward Jews in the region reflects a broader pattern of rejection that predates the state’s founding. To frame this hostility as a response to Israel’s actions is to overlook the ethno-religious roots of the issue and to unfairly hold Israel to account for a prejudice it did not create.

For Jews worldwide, this reality underscores the necessity of Israel as a safeguard of Jewish life and sovereignty. It is not merely a place on a map but a promise: that Jews will never again be powerless in the face of those who wish them harm. Israel is, and must remain, the shield against the vulnerabilities of the past and the uncertainties of the future.

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Beyond its role as a sanctuary, Israel serves as a wellspring of Jewish cultural and spiritual life. The revival of Hebrew as a spoken language, the flourishing of Jewish art and scholarship, and the embedding of Jewish traditions into national rhythms are all testaments to Israel’s role in revitalizing Jewish identity.

For Jews in the Diaspora, Israel serves as a living repository of their heritage. It reminds them that Judaism is not just a religion or a set of practices but a vibrant and dynamic civilization. In an age when assimilation poses an existential threat to Jewish continuity, Israel provides a counterbalance — a place where Jewish culture thrives in ways unimaginable in a minority context.

Judaism, while profoundly spiritual, is not merely a religion confined to personal belief or ritual observance. It is an expansive civilization encompassing language, art, music, philosophy, ethics, and governance. Israel, as the only Jewish-majority state, uniquely embodies this holistic vision of Judaism, integrating ancient traditions with the modern aspirations of a dynamic society.

In the Diaspora, Jews often live as minorities, adapting their identities to coexist within the dominant cultures of their host nations. This coexistence can dilute certain aspects of Jewish life. Observance of Jewish traditions, while deeply meaningful, can become limited to homes, synagogues, and occasional communal gatherings.

In contrast, Israel offers an environment where Jewish identity infuses every layer of society. From the national language being Hebrew (the revitalized language of the Torah), to the celebration of Jewish holidays as public holidays, Israel transforms what is often private and peripheral in the Diaspora into public and central.

This cultural vitality is particularly significant in an era where assimilation threatens Jewish continuity. In many parts of the world, intermarriage rates are high, and younger generations often lack the knowledge or desire to engage with Jewish traditions. For Jews in such environments, the pull of assimilation is powerful, offering inclusion and convenience at the potential cost of distinct identity.

Israel provides a counterbalance to these pressures by demonstrating that Jewish life can be both authentically preserved and dynamically modern. In Israel, one sees the interplay of ancient and contemporary Jewish expression — archeological excavations alongside cutting-edge innovation, biblical poetry inspiring modern art, and Talmudic debate informing ethical conversations in the public sphere. This synergy between the past and present serves as a source of pride and inspiration for Diaspora Jews, reminding them of the richness of their heritage and its capacity for renewal.

Moreover, Israel offers a communal sense of belonging that can be harder to achieve in the Diaspora. While Jews living outside Israel often face questions of dual identity — balancing their Jewishness with their nationality — Israel eliminates this dichotomy.

In Israel, Jewishness is not just an identity but the foundation of the nation’s character. This normalization of Jewish culture is profoundly validating, particularly for those who have experienced marginalization or invisibility as minorities.

For Diaspora Jews, Israel also serves as a bridge to the broader Jewish world. It fosters a sense of connection to Jewish communities that might otherwise feel distant or disparate. Birthright trips, family visits, and cultural exchanges offer opportunities for Diaspora Jews to witness firsthand the vibrancy of Israeli life and to see themselves as part of a global Jewish peoplehood.

In this way, Israel is not just a place for Jews to turn to in times of danger; it is a beacon of Jewish resilience, creativity, and continuity. It stands as a testament to what is possible when Jewish identity is given space to flourish collectively, offering inspiration to Diaspora Jews striving to preserve their heritage in increasingly complex and secularized societies.

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Many Jews feel that the disproportionate criticism Israel faces on the global stage reflects a continuation of historical double standards. While every nation should be held accountable for its policies, Israel is often singled out in ways that ignore the complexities of its situation or the existential threats it faces.

For Jews, this relentless scrutiny feels personal, as though the world is once again questioning their right to exist on their own terms. The conflation of “anti-Zionism” with antisemitism is not merely rhetorical; it stems from the reality that denying the legitimacy of a Jewish state often entails denying the Jewish people's right to self-determination.

The Jewish connection to Israel is not an obsession in a weird sense of the word; it is an affirmation of survival, identity, and continuity. Zionism is both a reaction to antisemitism and a deeply rooted expression of the Jewish People’s covenantal bond with the land of Israel.

Understanding this connection requires moving beyond simplistic narratives and engaging with the historical and spiritual realities that make Israel indispensable to Jewish life. Only through empathy and intellectual honesty can the world begin to grasp why Jews so fiercely defend and cherish our homeland.

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1. Reuben Salsa on Substack

2. “Israel: An Echo of Eternity.”