Grandma's army

Even before we had a country of our own, Jews believed in man’s ability to change the world for the better. That is the reason they have made such notable achievements in the arts and sciences – why so many win Nobel Prizes. This is also why Jews are at the forefront of almost every revolutionary movement. The concept of Tikkun olam ( fixing the world ) is somehow embedded in the Jewish consciousness.   It means to do something with the world that will not only fix any damage, but also improve upon   any activity that brings it closer to the harmonious state for which it was created. Tikkun olam implies that its Creator purposely left room for us human beings to improve upon His work. Human beings are the creatures who find materials in their raw, natural state, and with vision, ingenuity, creativity and wisdom fix them up to a whole new level. We take sounds and make music, colors and create art, wild places and develop farms and gardens, etc. Although the missio...

The Five Books of Moses (Pentateuch/Torah) – the basis for the Jewish religion, is meant to be practiced in the context of national existence   in the land of Israel. The Torah anticipates residence upon the Land, as well as exile from it. As opposed to all other religious phenomena in the world, the whole of Israel is both a Holyland and a Homeland . Zionism is Israel’s national ideology. Judaism is a nationality as well as a religion. The text of the Torah reveals that, not only the agricultural and cultic elements are preceded by the introduction: “When you come into the land”. Even commandments such as fairness in business etc., are set in the frame of national existence - with specific reference to the Land. There is also the clear threat of expulsion from the land if these “personal” commands are not carried out. Modern Zionism , building on the longstanding Jewish yearning for a “return to Zion”, began in the 19 th century – right about the time that nationa...

ZIONISM - SPIRITUAL Jews often trace their nationhood back to the biblical kingdoms of David and Solomon, 950 BCE. The word  Zion  is used in a theological or spiritual sense in Scripture. In the Old Testament  Zion   refers figuratively to Israel as the people of God ( Isaiah 60:14 ) . –ism is a suffix added to the end of a word to indicate that the word represents a specific practice, system, or philosophy - accepted as an authority by a group or school of thought.  Often these practices, systems, or philosophies are political ideologies or artistic movements.  After the destruction of the Temple and their defeat by the Romans, the Jews passed beyond the realm of politics, becoming a nation of the spirit. They managed to construct a political strategy so creative that they could linger on as a nation after losing the three building blocks of nationhood: land , central authority , and the means of self-defense . In every place they settled, they ...