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What We Learned From the 1970's

(Sh'ma 10/184, DECEMBER 28,1979)

At Sh'ma's annual meeting of the contributing editors last June, a symposium was held on the implications of the past decade on Jewish life. Opening, prepared remarks were made by Nora Levin, Arnold Jacob Wolf, and David Novak. A lively discussion followed. As we now wind up the 1970's and move forward into a new decade, we would like to share with you the highlights of last spring's exchange. Although recent world events have been such that if the symposium were held today it would undoubtedly include additional material, the contents of the June discussion remain current and provocative.

We will present the symposium in two issues. This issue features the three initial presentations as well as the first part of the discussion which followed, remarks by Michael Wyschogrod. Further discussion by Balfour Brickner and Eugene Borowitz, and the concluding remarks of the three speakers will appear in our following issue, 10/185.

What we learned from the 1970's

Michael Wyschogrod

Now, finally, for the good news. We heard some rather bleak reports this evening. Israel has achieved a peace treaty with its most powerful Arab neighbor and this went almost unmentioned. To the extent that it was mentioned it was mentioned as about to collapse. I think the opinion grouped around Breira was convinced that in the absence of a Palestinian state, no Arab country could possibly make peace with Israel. So much for that.

Now to come to David Novak's point - the negation of the Golah. This is not a Zionist idea. The Golah has negated itself since the year 70 A.D. We have always felt that we were in Exile. We were where we didn't belong, and we were getting up every morning praying to God that today is the day we will be redeemed. The moment the Jew who lives outside of the land of Israel does not feel that he is not where he belongs, I think he ceases, in a sense, being a Jew. This is not an Israeli plot. The Israelis built the land and drained the swamps. And to this day, they fight and die. And how do you expect them to feel? Do you expect them to send their sons into battle feeling that it does not matter where a Jew lives? Do you think they stay in Israel because they like the climate? I think it's inevitable that these people feel that we shouldn't be here and I feel that I shouldn't be here. And to hold this against Israelis is, I think, unjustified.As far as the pessimism that Arnold reflects, I think it is understandable. Jewish history passes him and Steven Schwarzschild by. Their point of view will be an interesting footnote to Jewish history but the peace with Egypt will grow, it will not collapse. Judea and Samaria will not be given back. We will work it out. And just as of one thought that there could be peace with Egypt while the Jewish flag flew over the Old City of Jerusalem and over Hebron, so there will be peace in those territories. We will not give up our claim to those lands and we will prevail. We will over-come.