Visiting Israel is best support

DEENA LEVENSTEIN

During my annual visits to Israel, I am always amazed to see how much has changed since the previous year in Jerusalem, the city where I lived for 16 years. It continues to be built up, beautified and I always notice many new businesses around the city.

It is a wonder that Israel flourishes as it does, even while so much of her resources are directed towards security. To be a bustling country – as opposed to a sulking one – through all the difficulties is no easy task. And Israel needs all the support she can get. That is where we, Diaspora Jews, come in.

At the pro-Israel rally at Schara Tzedeck Synagogue in Vancouver, an emphasis was put on ways Diaspora Jews could support Israel during the mission in Gaza by the Israeli army. The two main ways mentioned were sending funds and fighting the "virtual war" of Israel's public relations with the world. But I think there was not enough focus put on what may be the ultimate support for Israel – going to visit. Or, as Miriam Schwab, a 32-year-old Jerusalemite, mother of five and founder of Illuminea, an Internet marketing firm, put it, "Voting with your feet."

Schwab said that, "All the PR in the world won't make a difference if we are not 100 per cent sure of what we're doing here, if we're not 100 per cent sure of our right to be here and the justice of what we do." Schwab said she thinks that visiting Israel helps strengthen people's understanding of "the justice of our actions and our defence of ourselves." Probably most people who visit Israel are afterwards better equipped to join the "PR war." Visiting also gives much needed emotional and financial support to Israelis.

When a person is going through a difficult time in their life, "It makes it worse when you feel lonely," Schwab said. "But if people are actually showing up and being part of it with you, you feel like people haven't forgotten about you and that they're willing to share in your good times and your bad times." This is why in Judaism we have the shivah call – visiting people in mourning – and bikkur cholim (visiting the sick).

Gadi Selig, 24, said that when there are fewer tourists, Israelis feel more down and don't get out as much. "When you see tourists, it means Israel is alive," he said.

Selig started a fast-food meat restaurant, Gepeto, with a partner, in Jerusalem's downtown area two years ago. He explained that Israelis get out less when there are fewer tourists because many feel down. So, though he estimates that 30 per cent of his business comes from tourists, fewer tourists means fewer Israeli customers as well.

When we go to Israel, the visit is no less for the tourist than it is for the Israelis.

Devora Mason, a mother of four living with her family in Efrat, in Gush Etzion, said that she found that even though she had lived in Israel for seven years before her move to Toronto, "When I couldn't come visit for a long time, I lost my desire that I'd always had to come back as soon as I could. And when I finally came, my love and desire of being here was refreshed."

Mason, who made aliyah with her family two and a half years ago, said that when someone comes to visit, if they have a personal connection with Israel, they don't need a pat on the back for coming. This is important because, though it is wonderful to visit (many people could choose to go elsewhere on vacation), it is so important that the Canadian Jew visiting Israel doesn't get caught up with thoughts about how wonderful it is that they've decided to make the effort to visit the Holy Land. Not everyone is going to get a big thank you from an Israel representative.

Israel needs as much support as she can get. It is so important that we don't get desensitized to Israel's struggles. We almost get used to the idea, along with most of the world, that Israel living under such constant threat is "normal." We are just happy that not too many Israelis have been injured or killed from the rockets or other forms of terrorist attack. Many of us never even hear about so much of the struggle that takes place behind the scenes.

Visiting Israel is the ultimate support, always, but especially during tumultuous times. It helps contribute to positive public relations. It strengthens the tourist. It also strengthens Israelis, both emotionally and economically. And it is the ultimate kind of economic boost since it focuses on giving parnasa (livelihood), not just funds.

If I were to try to define Israel in two words, I might say it is a struggling-flourishing country (or maybe a flourishing-struggling country). As Diaspora Jews, we must support the struggle and support the flourishing so that Israelis know we care, we believe in the cause and we are there for them, while they continue to make the ultimate sacrifices.

Deena Levenstein is a freelance writer from Toronto, Jerusalem and now Vancouver. You can read her blog at www.deenascreations.wordpress.com. She also works at L'Chaim Adult Day Centre.

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