Real Americans Defend Israel
January 20, 2011
Tu B'Shvat is the new year for the Trees. While not a major holiday, "the custom on Tu B'Shvat is to eat fruits from the seven species for which the Land of Israel is praised: ...a land of wheat and barley and (grape) vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and (date) honey (Deut. 8:8)". (For more insights into Tu B'Shvat, see Aish.com)
This year, during the celebration of Tu B'Shvat, two friends were speaking - an Israeli and an American - and the Israeli agreed to plant seedlings and dedicate the plant to his American friend. What an honor and blessing, and just as a friendship grows, so does the plant on the Land of Israel.
However, during the discussion of the variety of plants that grow well in the Middle East, compared to the cold winters of New England and the brief growing period during an even shorter Spring, the American brought up the subject of politics. Well, the change of subject was abrupt and probably not the wisest thing to do, and the response from the Israeli was, "Politics do not grow in my garden." In plain English, he was asking, "why are you discussing politics in the middle of our conversation about plants?!"
Now, I'll add one more subject which will seem quite bizarre, since the conversation began about plants and now, the topic changes to the growth of Eichmann's in non-Democratic nations.
This evening, I watched a movie entitled "Eichmann", a well documented (from Israel's reports) on the arrest, deposition and trial of Eichmann. At the end of the movie, while the Credits were running, a voice said, "There are many dictators and Eichmann's growing throughout the world, but Eichmann's do not grow in countries which are democratic."
Immediately, I thought of my friend reminding me that "politics do not grow in his garden" and he is absolutely correct, as the State of Israel is a democracy. How many Eichmann's are in this world today? No one could give an accurate answer, but while all eyes are on the Middle East this week, one thing is for certain and that is, no Islamic country is a democracy. Riots in the streets of Egypt, Jordan and recently, in Iran by the people wishing to overthrow dictators will only bring more misery upon its citizens, unless these same nations abandon the ideology of Islam and decide to choose a way of life that does not teach hatred towards all non-Muslims.
In the mean time, Israel is the world's conscience. What happened to six million Jews during the Shoah pricks at the conscience of the world, as the survival of the Jews is a constant reminder that planting seeds of hatred was the beginning of one of the worse devastations in the history of mankind.
While the State of Israel plants trees, the world is too quick to once again plant seeds of hatred. Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East, much like Custer's "last stand". Therefore, it is time America began building upon that relationship and stopped supporting the demands and wishes of every dictator who wishes to undermine the safety and security of the Land of Israel and its citizens. What happens to Israel, happens to each of us.
