Kachol Velavan - Blue and White.It's a flag.
A song.
An ideal.
A dream.
To each and every person, it means something different. Now, it's also the title of a blog.
As an introduction, let me just say that I plan for this to be a small cog in a huge wheel. This will be a blog of my views, my feelings and my experiences living in a world that struggles to cope with the idea of Israel, its many successes, its continuing growth against all the odds and whilst defying all logic. Instead of yelling at the TV, the radio and the internet, becoming more and more frustrated at their often one-sided views of the complex issues, I have decided to attempt my own media presence, humble as it may be.
I spent half my life in Israel, learned in its schools, served in its military, worked in its economy. Now, whilst living overseas, I still hope and pray for, and am actively working towards, the day I go Home.
I'm proud of Israel, of my roots there, of what it stands for. Having returned recently from a short visit, I realised that I have to do more to tell its story to an increasingly ill-informed (or mis-informed if you wish) world. There are bigger and better blogs out there that do the same thing, some of them are linked to at the side of this page, and I have decided to join their ranks.
I only hope I do as good a job, and make Israel as proud of me as I am of Israel.
2 comments:
This blog raises the question (for me) what is Israel? Who is Israel, what does she feel, think. What does the name Israel say to me?
I see Israel as a western country, one of us, in the middle east surrounded by hostile states.
The thing with 'being one of us" is that it imparts the ability to disappoint. I can be disappointed with the actions of Israel in the same way that I can be disappointed with the actions of England.
The occupied territories disappoints. The growth of the settlements in the occupied territories disappoints.
Almost everything I know about Israel come from the media so I have no doubt that it is distorted. Israel has had some amazing military victories but now appears to be sitting back in arrogance on her military might and not solving the problem.
I look forward to being educated.
Israel for me is more than just another Western country. It is more than a simple bastion of democracy in the otherwise dictatorial, monarchical and autocratic Middle East. It is more than a series of military victories and contended territories.
It is home. It is the place that will welcome me with open arms no matter what.
Like the family home, it has the ability to disappoint. But like home, I will address those disappointments internally. I will show my displeasure at the polls. And like home, like family, I will always support it in public. I will always stand up for my home and family against those who try to disparage and destroy - emotionally and physically - as any loyal family member would.
What is Israel? It is me, my family and community. It is much more than the sum of its parts. It is hope. It is home.
PBM
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