I hope everyone got a chance to celebrate Israel’s independence yesterday in some way; especially this year it’s important to appreciate the bravery and sacrifice of our people who unshackled a portion of Israel from colonization.
Yesterday, among many posts, I saw too many that described Yom Ha’atzmaut as Israel’s ‘birthday’ and so I share my response on social media, below:
Yom Ha’atzmaut is not Israel’s birthday.
It is not celebrating Israel’s 76th year of existence.
It is not celebrating Israel as a ‘modern’ ‘state.’
Israel was not ‘re-born’ ‘re-established’ 76 years ago.
76 years ago, Israel won independence after 1,812 years of occupations. 76 years ago, brave Jews, after nearly 20 years of armed struggle against the British, who did everything possible to prevent Jews from living with dignity in the Jewish homeland – who ethnically cleansed Jews from Gaza, from Hebron, who imprisoned Jewish resistance fighters in as far away as Kenya, who hung Jews, who built detention camps with barbed wires for Jews they deemed ‘illegal’ coming back to their homeland trying to escape the evils of Nazi Europe— achieved independence by driving out the British with sheer force.
How dare any Jew say ’birthday’ and erase Jews’ mighty victory over an oppressor. An oppressor which turned a philosemitic Mandate into an occupation when they stole 78% of the Jewish homeland in 1922 and enacted antisemitic White Papers the very same year, violating the Mandate and turning their presence into an occupation.
Israel is over 4,000 years old, formed by Jews who literally emerged from within the Semitic tribes of Israel. Jerusalem has been Israel’s capital for over 3,500 years when King David conquered the Semitic Idumeans who lived in Jerusalem. King David was the second King of the United Monarchy and before the United Monarchy, Jews for a long time were ruled by various judges who provided civil guidance but no military protection.
4,000 years is conservative with many historians dating our nation even older.
Israel is therefore not 76 years old. Israel is celebrating 76 years of independence.
**Spring/Summer Zionism education classes coming up! (Online classes; Wednesdays May 22nd – June 19th)**
- Feeling like you need more info to push back against Jew hate?
- Want to learn how to correct the anti-Israel media?
- Need actual historical info to back up pro-Israel facts?
- Want to understand the lies from the ‘other side’ and how best to change people’s minds on Israel?
- Learn which common terms even many Jews use are actually antisemitic
After 5 sessions, you will be a Zionist expert and will be able to dispel lies and fast. Slogan Zionism does not work. Zionism education does.
All live sessions are recorded. After each class, a recording link along with supplemental materials are sent.
To register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2fjCCWB9QESkHe4yQQC4JA#/registration
Registration ends May 21st.