I live in Herzliya, and every time I enter the city, I feel ashamed by the gigantic sign that has been posted at the entrance. It’s a quote from Golda Meir from the 1970s, when she said, “Israel has a secret weapon – We have nowhere else to go!” Why do I cringe every time I see that sign? I’ll answer that in a minute, but first let me tell you that I have the same feelings when I hear the famous song, “Ein lanu eretz acheret” (We have no other land). Here’s why:
The root of those sentences stems from weakness and begging the world for sympathy and mercy. “Please don’t kill us. It’s not our fault. We would gladly go somewhere else, but this is all we have.” How tragic for a Jew to speak that way about the precious gift called Eretz Yisrael.
That’s why we are here? Because we have “nowhere else to go”?? What has our land become…a soggy tuna fish sandwich? “Well, I better eat this for lunch because that’s all I have!” How degrading to our Father in Heaven who gave us this incredible Land? Hashem personally picked this spot – from everywhere else on Planet Earth! – and gave it to His children as an eternal inheritance… and our only comment is that we might as well stay since we have nowhere else to go??
Why the negative? Always the negative? Hashem didn’t speak that way when referring to the Land of Israel, so why should we? The Torah says that Eretz Yisrael is “a good and spacious land… flowing with milk and honey” (Sh’mos 3:8) and that it is “a land where you will not lack anything” (D’varim 8:9) and that it is “a cherished land… coveted by the nations of the world” (Yirmiyahu 3:19). This is how we need to feel about Israel and nothing less!
The problem is that many people – including our famous leaders – do not feel that way. They focus on the problems instead of the opportunities. They are so blind and confused from 2,000 years of exile that they cannot see nor appreciate the priceless gift Hashem gave us.
I urge you: Do not fall into this trap! Do not apologize to the world for not having another country. Instead, make sure you value the one and only land we do have – the one given to us by Avinu Malkeinu – our Father and King! Come home and live in this beautiful land. Build your home here, plant trees, and irrigate the fields. Start new communities and build yeshivos, shuls and centers of Torah. Open businesses, factories, and camps for kids. And – when necessary – defend our precious Heavenly gift with every ounce of strength and all the courage you have. This is the land of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. It’s where we had – and will have once again – the Kingdom of David and the Beish HaMikdash.
We have one G-d, one Torah, and one Land. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Am Yisrael Chai!
Shmuel Sackett was born and raised in Queens. He made aliyah with his wife and children in 1990 and lives in Herzliya Pituach. He is the founder and director of the Am Yisrael Chai Fund (www.AmYisraelChaiFund.org). Shmuel would love to hear from you: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
