"LIGHT UNTO THE NATIONS"

The prophet Isaiah said in the 8th century BCE:

 “I the Lord have called to you in righteousness, and will take hold of your hand and keep you and present you as the people of the covenant, a light unto the nations.” (42:6)

“It is too light a thing for you to be My servant, to establish the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the scions of Israel, and I shall submit you as a light unto the nations, to be My salvation until the end of the earth”. (49:6)

In his writings and speeches, Israel’s first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion (1886–1973) emphasized his vision of the state of Israel as a moral and social beacon to the whole world, thereby implementing the vision of the prophets. 

The selection of the Menorah (candelabra) as the Emblem of Israel was derived from the image of the state of Israel as a Light Unto the Nations.  

The present Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has referred, more than once to this image in his speeches. When he  addressed the 2010 Herzliya Conference, he said:

“The greatest change that came with the establishment of the Jewish state was that Jews became more than just a collection of individuals, communities and fragments of communities. They became a sovereign collective in their own territory. Our ability as a collective to determine our own destiny is what grants us the tools to shape our future—no longer as a ruled people, defeated and persecuted, but as a proud people with a magnificent country and one which always aspires to serve as a Light Unto the Nations."

This biblical term can be interpreted in many ways. Apart from theologically, it also refers to the moral and social aspect - which is to shed light on any place where humanitarian aid is called for.

Although I have written in the past of some of the humanitarian projects carried out all over the world by Israelis, it can’t be stressed enough. We are constantly hearing of a new Israeli invention in scientific technology, of benefit to the whole world.

Apart from technological innovations, one of the most praiseworthy missions is giving aid when tragedy strikes. Usually the first on the scene are Israeli doctors, nurses and medics ready to set up field hospitals at the scene of natural disasters anywhere in the world.  The Israel Center for Disaster Medicine and Humanitarian Response teams, which have saved many lives in Haiti, Mexico, Zambia, Papua New Guinea, and recently in Guatemala and India, is constantly expanding their crucial operations all over the globe. They have the capability to mobilize and recruit people and equipment at short notice, and to be first responders in times of crisis.

Erin Zimmerman’s documentary “To Life, How Israeli Volunteers are Changing the World, she says: “You see Israelis doing amazing work. When asked why they do it we get these wonderful answers: “We’re supposed to be…” or “God made us this way.” From secular and religious alike, it’s amazing to hear.”