Remarks by William D. Hess, President of AZM
60 years later
Several things strike me simultaneously as consideration is made of the Jewish State at 60, my own age and no doubt that of more than a few here this evening. The first striking fact is that we have a state at all! When was the last time you recall unanimity or even a strong majority view on an important question among the Jews? Not recently? Of course not, we are a contentious not consensus loving people. Still there is little disagreement among the Jews about the inherent need for the State of Israel and its importance in our lives. At the same time we tie ourselves into knots about how to run the state: economic policy, foreign policy, religion and state, constitution and borders. Yet we unite in defense of the country against the horrific and cynical enemies confronting her. On top of that, there are those who remind us that we Jews have not been able to maintain control of our own state and thus our destiny, for more than 70 years at one time. Does that mean we only have a decade left? I don’t think so, in any case, don't tell Hamas or Hezbollah.
No, we have a state and we are bound and determined to keep it a Jewish and democratic state. That is the Zionist answer. There can be no post-Zionism. Not as long as there is housing to be improved, desert to be brought to bloom and Jews who need the refuge of a homeland for whatever reason. That is the Zionist answer and it resonates as strongly today as ever in Jewish history. Our state is not perfect despite the optimism and naiveté of its founders. Nonetheless our state remains a miracle. It is a declaration to the world of the ability of the Jews to withstand the most brutal attacks humanity can throw at us and overcome them with ingenuity, imagination, tenacity, skill and humor.
How we and our children work and help to develop that state and utilize its benefits in high tech and in Talmud exegesis as much as possible for the betterment of the Jewish people and the world at large is the opportunity, the challenge, the open question for the future. If it is at is at all realistic or possible to see Israel as the cultural and intellectual center for the Jewish world in centuries 21 and beyond, I do not know; but one must have dreams for oneself and for the world beyond oneself. What Israel can be remains truly in our dreams.
Second only to the foremost Zionist imperative, Aliyah, is the up building and betterment of the land. If you have any doubts about what that means contact the JNF and check out Project Negev, or AMIT to find out how schools manage to stay open in Sderot under fire. As an aside, AZM's Purim Connection 2008 raised enough money to send mishloach manot to over 1,000 members of the IDF and school children in Sderot. AZM Chicago undertook that project some 20 years ago and you should shep much nachat at its success. Kol ha kavod.
