If, in the first decades of Israel\’s existence,American Jewish support was through charitable contributions, trade and investment is now the name of the game.
I was in the back seat looking in theother direction, so I did not actually see the young Palestinian who,from an elevation at the side of the road, lofted a block of concreteabout 10 inches in diameter in our direction. He made an almostperfect hit, near midpoint on the front windshield. Thunk!
And why, oh why, entreat the Americans, did weever leave a country full of discount stores to move to one withbadly made goods at high prices, a 17 percent sales tax, a separateannual tax on your television, and fees for the \”free\” publiceducation of your children?
The histories of nation-building are never simple.The place of the Indians within the American experience reveals themoral ambiguity of that nation\’s struggle for sovereignty. Facing thereality of the past often means facing the reality of moralcompromise.
Underneath the headline were threestories – one dealing with President Truman\’s announcement, one withthe opening hours of Israel\’s War of Independence, and the third withJewish reaction in Los Angeles (\”with a spirit of solemnity,\” wrotethe Times reporter) to the news from the Middle East.
As the American Jewish community celebrates the50th anniversary of Israel\’s independence, those of us who went overto fight as volunteers in the fledgling country\’s armed forces canlook back with special pride and remembrance.
You get thesense that Israel at 50 is like a bar mitzvah boy who doesn\’t want aparty — not until he gets taller and his acne clears up. Not untilhe feels normal.
This was thestory that had everything: a suffering, underdog people, outnumberedand surrounded by enemies, old and new, battling insuperable odds totriumph in a desert they had made bloom. It was \”Rocky\” before\”Rocky,\” and Hollywood knew a good story when they saw it.
Even the Jewish institutional mainstream beganopenly challenging Israel\’s policies, with delegations expressingconcern over everything from peace talks to religiouspluralism.
In 1854, 30 self-described \”Israelites of this city\” founded the Hebrew Benevolent Society to serve their religious,social and philanthropic needs. Not only was the society the city\’sfirst Jewish organization, but it was also the first charitable groupof any kind in Los Angeles.
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