Der Judenstaat: It's German for "The State of the Jews." More than a century later, Theodor Herzl's vision of a democratic and Jewish homeland as described in his 1896 book "Der Judenstaat" has not only been fulfilled, but also exceeded the most optimistic of expectations. Despite being one of the world's smallest countries and having to constantly defend itself against existential military threats, Israel has truly thrived. Israel has managed in 60 years to have the highest per capita rate of university degrees and museums and the third−largest number of companies in the NASDAQ Stock Market, to develop the origins of the cell phone and maintain state−of−the−art desalination capabilities, among many other miraculous achievements. In recent years, Israel has been at the forefront of humanitarian missions around the world, with journalist Anderson Cooper of CNN recently praising the Israeli−run field hospital in earthquake−torn Haiti, which is estimated to have performed 140 life−saving operations in the matter of a week.
Though dissent may be stifled throughout the Arab world, Israel boasts one of the most transparent and multifaceted civil societies in the world. The State of Israel is highly ranked in civil liberties and was labeled as "Free" by the non−partisan organization Freedom House, a feat no other nation in the Middle East can boast. Domestic freedoms within Israel manifest themselves through exceptional women's and gay rights, freedom of the press and a vibrant political process. Israel is the only country in the Middle East to adopt gay rights legislation, such as recognizing foreign same−sex marriages and allowing gays to openly serve in the military. Furthermore, Tel Aviv is considered worldwide to be a hub for what the Israeli Ministry of Tourism calls "gay tourism," drawing in thousands of visitors yearly. With regard to women's rights, Israel was one of the first nations to have a female prime minister (the late Golda Meir), many female CEOs make up the ranks of Israel Fortune 500 companies and its first Olympic medal was awarded to female athlete Yael Arad in 1992 for judo. Within the political system, women have held critical leadership positions as speakers of Parliament, Supreme Court justices and prominent cabinet members. Freedom of the press is widely respected throughout Israel, with all newspapers privately owned and unrestrained in critiquing their own government.
Although Israel enjoys full diplomatic relations with only two members of the Arab League, Egypt and Jordan (20 out of 22 members refuse to recognize Israel's existence), it has attempted to make the most out of its relationships with its neighbors. Just to note a few recent examples, Jordan and Israel just established a joint emergency response team in preparation for a natural disaster. Dr. Bruria Adini, head of the collaborative team, hopes to one day bring the pilot program to the Palestinian territories, Egypt and Syria — envisioning concrete normalization of relations in the region. In addition, Israel also plans to construct a mega−solar plant in coordination with Egypt to supply alternative energy sources.
Moreover, Israel's contributions in the cultural realm are abundant. For example, nine Israelis have been awarded Nobel prizes, ranging from achievements in the promotion of peace, chemistry, literature, biology and economics. Tel Aviv's White City is composed of 4,000 Bauhaus−style buildings, and its architectural splendor is protected by its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In a matter of a century, Hebrew has been revived from an ancient Biblical language to the spoken tongue and written vernacular. The first Prime Minister of Israel, David Ben−Gurion, devised a method to create a cultural melting pot within Israeli society by creating an Israeli Defense Force and a pluralistic education system that incorporate citizens from any background or heritage.
In understanding Israel today, one must return to the roots of the Zionist movement. Zionism originates from the national liberation struggle by the Jewish people who sought refuge in their historical homeland in the face of persecution, state−sponsored pogroms and ultimately, the calamity of the Holocaust. In 1947, the United Nations overwhelmingly approved the Partition Plan, thus enabling the State of Israel to be founded with the full backing of international law and the global community. Since its founding, Israel has absorbed more immigrants per capita than any other nation worldwide. A shocking three million immigrants have been integrated into Israeli society in the last 62 years. Zionism has always aimed to provide Jews from all corners of the world with a sense that they can find protection and refuge in their ancestral homeland, even implementing covert operations to rescue tens of thousands of Ethiopian Jews in the 1990s. The State of Israel will continue to fulfill its promise to provide a protective umbrella for the Jewish Diaspora worldwide, and for this reason, Israel's purpose continues to be not only relevant, but of pressing and critical importance. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. could not have prophetically depicted Israel better when he stated in 1968, "Israel is one of the great outposts of democracy in the world and a marvelous example of what can be done, how desert land can be transformed into an oasis of brotherhood and democracy." Daniel Bleiberg is a freshman who has not yet declared a major. He is the political vice president for Tufts Friends of Israel.
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Daniel Bleiberg is a freshman who has not yet declared a major. He is the political vice president for Tufts Friends of Israel.
