Posted on 05/08/2008 3:08:16 PM PDT by knighthawk
On Sept. 10, 1945, I landed in Palestine. Why was I there? The truth is, I didn't really have any other place to go. I'd lost my entire family to the Nazis so it was unthinkable to go back to Germany. I'd found safety in Switzerland, but once the war was over, all the refuges there had to find a different homeland. The United States was a place I dreamed of, but getting there was an impossibility. But the Jews were founding a new state in Palestine where I was not only wanted, but needed.
I went to a kibbutz, a collective farm, called Ayanot. About 300 people lived there growing olives, oranges, apples, grapes, grapefruits and tomatoes. Life was hard. I shared a tent with three men. I was forced to drop my German name, Karola, and took my middle name, Ruth. But at 17, I was a true believer, a Zionist, and I did my share willingly.
When the time came to fight for Israel's freedom, I joined the Haganah, the freedom fighters. I was trained as a sniper, and, while I was an excellent sharpshooter, I never actually shot at anyone.
Then, on my 20th birthday, during an air raid, instead of going straight to the shelter, I went to get one of my presents, a book. As a result, when a bomb went off, I was severely wounded. I almost lost both legs but I was lucky, as several people around me died.
On June 4, I turn 80. It's a milestone for anyone, but perhaps more amazing for me considering both what I had to endure early on as well as the success I attained subsequently. But it's my history that makes me appreciate all the more the history of Israel.
First of all, Israel, which thousands of years ago was called Judea, is the birthplace of my religion, which in turn is a foundation of Christianity and Islam. Second, both Israel and I had to battle to survive but because of our determination, we not only survived, but thrived.
And then there's the issue of size. As everyone knows, I am only 4-feet-7. When I was a young girl, I was convinced my height would mean that I'd never find a husband or make any kind of impact in this world. Today I'm a proud grandmother who's recognized worldwide.
If you look at a map of the world, Israel is but a little speck of land. Not only is it tiny, but it's so dry and barren that you would never imagine that it could produce very much of anything.
But, as everyone knows, not only did the Israelis make the desert bloom, Israel also supplies the world with so much more in terms of culture and technology.
The dream of Israel may never have been realized had it not been for the horrors of the Holocaust. By trying to wipe out the Jews of Europe, Hitler left those of us who survived with few options of where to settle down, which led many of us to gravitate to the birthplace of our religion. And so just as I treasure my children and grandchildren a little bit more because I know Hitler did not want them to be born, I also treasure Israel for that same reason.
And we should all treasure Israel. Because just as the United States is a beacon of hope to the world, so is Israel. America was vast and filled with riches, as was the world at one time. As the world's population has risen, it's as if our planet has shrunk. There's a struggle for resources of every type, from food to fuel. Little Israel has led the way in developing ways to be productive and fertile in harsh surroundings. Israel is an example of how we can make the world a better place.
So Happy 60th, Israel. You deserve it.
Westheimer, a psychosexual therapist, has written 32 books and teaches at Princeton and Yale. She serves on the board of trustees of the Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
There is no place like Israel. After high school, I spent 6 months in a kibbutz in Israel..Bror Chail. What a great experience (and also a crash lesson in the good, and the bad, of socialism).
The kibbutz was a large one, Brazilian founded, so the languages were Hebrew, Portuguese and English. Not only was it agricultural in nature, dehydrated vegetables being the biggest export...the kibbutz was also known for its ceramic giftware. I worked in that factory alongside arabs. Everyone got along. The point being the Arabs needed Israel in order to survive. And still do.
There is no place like Israel. After high school, I spent 6 months in a kibbutz in Israel..Bror Chail. What a great experience (and also a crash lesson in the good, and the bad, of socialism).
The kibbutz was a large one, Brazilian founded, so the languages were Hebrew, Portuguese and English. Not only was it agricultural in nature, dehydrated vegetables being the biggest export...the kibbutz was also known for its ceramic giftware. I worked in that factory alongside arabs. Everyone got along. The point being the Arabs needed Israel in order to survive. And still do.
Ping
High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]
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On Sept. 10, 1945, I landed in Palestine.
I don't know Dr. Ruth's history, but my guess she landed "illegally" per the Brits, and yes, Palestine, the Jewish homeland. At the time everyone would have known what Palestine was about.
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