Israel's Independence Day that wasn’t

Today is Israel’s 77th birthday, but there won’t be the usual celebrations, fireworks or picnic in the forest, as is the custom every year. 

That is because much of the Jerusalem corridor is on fire with imposing flames, threatening the cars on Route 1, the main road to the capital city. The video clips of people abandoning their cars on the roads, running to escape the rapidly spreading billows of smoke, overtaking the area is reminiscent of a doomsday film.

Many local communities, adjacent to forests, have been evacuated, and orders have been given that nature areas and reserves will be off limits for merrymakers who wanted to have their annual Independence Day barbecues.  

But it wasn’t only the bizarre weather conditions, where hot winds easily facilitated wildfires, apparently the work of an arsonist. The usual display of fireworks had also been nixed due to the somber mood in the country. It’s just hard to joyfully celebrate when 24 live hostages are still holed up in the Gaza tunnels, with no hope of being released any time soon.

Add to that the sobering warnings that Iran is only weeks away from obtaining nuclear weapons, so the dark foreboding sky is not the only spirit dampener. All of these events, not within our control, seem to be pointing to the fragile situation which is growing more ominous by the day. You would almost think that someone is trying to capture our attention. And maybe that’s not so far-fetched.

Israel, established as an independent nation, 77 years ago, was done so in large part through the efforts of secular men and women who worked hard, fought tooth and nail for the land they were finally granted and relied solely on themselves to build a flourishing and vibrant country which would be the envy of all.

Just yesterday, on our annual Day of Remembrance (Yom HaZikaron), dedicated to the memory of our fallen soldiers, we watched a number of ceremonies, where our leaders gave impassioned speeches, each one reiterating the self-reliance which got us to this point. The same slogan, used throughout this war, was repeated over and over, reminding us that “Together, we will win.” Our President, Isaac Herzog also stressed the importance of unity which brings strength, as the vital commodity to ensure our victory.

All of these men wore kippas (skullcaps). Beautiful prayers were offered up and the cries of our IDF cantor, whose heavenly voice elicits goose bumps, sang the most heartfelt chant of comfort (El Ma’leh Rachamim – God full of mercy) to which the Almighty, Himself surely must have inclined His ear. Yet something was missing, glaringly absent from these ceremonies which are the expressions of the people who inherited the land promised to them by their Creator.

There was a startling absence of invoking the presence of God, so desperately needed at this point in time, when Israel is plagued by a devastating war which has no end in sight, by multiple ravaging fires, exhausted soldiers, tremendous in-fighting between the religious and the secular, the refusal of ultra-Orthodox young men to serve their country while still demanding that the State furnish them with monthly stipends and, finally, by a population which is frustrated from a government that isn’t listening but, instead, trying to manipulate societal and legislative changes in order to recreate a country which reflects the image they envision.

In short, these are days of great unrest, uncertainty and anguish for many who have suffered the loss of loved ones, the confidence that they would always be protected by the military who promised to defend them, by leaders who have let them down and by the constant threats they have been feeling ever since our world was turned upside down on October 7th.

Now, the giant steps and massive advancements which were achieved, through our great intellect, innovative character and unrelenting determination have been overshadowed by the undeniable admission that we are not the supermen that we thought we were. Some things are just beyond our grasp, comprehension or prevention, because they are reserved for the One who authored all things.

Our mistake was believing that we could manage without Him.  

At age 77, most people have amassed enough wisdom and insight which they are able to impart to others, in order to help them avoid the many pitfalls of life.  But countries which reach the same age are still considered young, lacking the maturity that comes with more experience and years of seasoned management. Sadly, Israel may not have the luxury of waiting around to garner what she is lacking, and that is why, more than ever, she needs to call on the only One who can come to her rescue.

By totally relying upon the God of Israel, we acknowledge our limitations. We cop to the fact that even together, it’s not enough. Because the level of wickedness and deception which has invaded the world, just in the last few years, cannot be curtailed or extinguished through even the greatest human effort since they are demonically originated.  

It takes a supernatural response to provide answers and solutions to the most perplexing dilemmas, which are beyond our capabilities to resolve. The evil in the heart of man was never meant to be assuaged without a divine touch. And that is what is needed most by Israel on this 77th birthday as she finds herself embroiled in too many struggles and hardships which she is unable to handle. 

Yes, a united people is a great source of strength and solidarity, but we cannot seem to get there on our own. Nor are our spiritual leaders facilitating that path for us. Instead, they are busy trying to maintain their power base while looking down on the citizens they see as undeserving heathens who aren’t worth their time. Theirs is not a heart of compassion or a welcoming hand that seeks to embrace, so it’s likely that we will not be guided by them to reach the potential of our spiritual destiny for which we were meant.

They say that 7 is God’s number, symbolizing completion or perfection. The age of our country has two sevens, so, perhaps, this will be the year that redemption will make its entrance to the Promised Land, giving us the hope we need to live as the Chosen People with a message of hope to a world that has none!