Israel as defender of the Jewish people

Professor Sergio DellaPergola, perhaps the most authoritative scholar on Jewish demography, has long sounded the alarm that the Jewish Diaspora is shrinking and may disappear because of increased assimilation and intermarriage, which has reached 60% in the United States. DellaPergola warns that there may no longer be an American Jewry in 300 years.

Demographic projections are not exact science, but it would hard to argue with DellaPergola when it comes to the overall trend. If Israel, the state of the Jewish people, would like to avert this catastrophe, it must address this strategic matter with paramount importance and step up to the plate.

In light of DellaPergola's analysis, I have three conclusions:

First, Zionism, the national movement of the Jewish people, saved the Jewish people from annihilation. In this modern era, only a secular movement could do so. Had Zionism not existed, at best Jews would continue to live as scattered religious communities.

Second, Israel's continued existence means the existence of the Jewish people. It also means that Jews who live in it remain Jewish.

Third, the two biggest obstacles facing intermarriage in the U.S. is the existence of Israel and the central role of Reform Judaism and Conservative Judaism, whose existence has helped keep millions of Jews within the fold. Those obstacles may help slow the trend and buy time, but they cannot turn things around.

As the Jewish people's nation state, Israel's first and foremost obligation is to secure the future of the Jewish people. From this commitment, a strategy can be formulated for saving the Jewish people. This strategy should be founded on the notion that the future of the Jewish people is dependent on having as many Jews as possible in Israel. That is why Israel, as the Jewish national home, must do all it can to encourage aliyah and discourage emigration. Israel should do all it can to bring here more Jews and tap every available monetary or human resource, and should not be deterred by the potential impact this may have on our relations with friendly countries.

Another component of this strategy is bolstering the sense of connection Jews around the world have with Israel and its culture, as well as with Hebrew and Judaism. One could be forgiven for thinking there is a contradiction between bolstering aliyah and working to strengthen the Jewish affiliation overseas, but this is a false contradiction. The final destination may be aliyah, but this can not happen unless those who make it are Jews to begin with. That is why this is so important. Zionism and Israel should be front and center in this strategy, which would be similar to that adopted by Taglit-Birthright and other programs.

A third part of this strategy should include a radical shift in the way Israel treats non-Orthodox streams, to which a majority of the world's Jews belong -- including some 90% of American Jews. Turning our back on those two streams is a form of malpractice on the part of Israel. This confrontational approach, which was adopted after Israeli authorities buckled under the pressure of an ultra-Orthodox minority, must come to an end. Things should change dramatically in this regard, to ensure that Israel would no longer be dependent on haredim, if the Zionist parties join forces in an attempt in realizing this central objective, while putting aside their differences on other matters.

A fourth component is ensuring that Israel continues to be the Jewish people's national state for generations to come. This principle should be cemented in Israel's basic laws, its de facto constitution. We must realize that Israel's existence guarantees the continued existence of the Jewish people and Judaism. This is why the post-Zionist assault aimed at undoing Israel's Jewish character, under misleading slogans calling for Israel being "a country for all its citizens," must be stopped. Israel's borders must be drawn in a way that would ensure it has an overwhelming majority of Jewish residents, even if this means relinquishing areas that have a sizeable Palestinian population. Israeli society must be exemplary and a magnate for many Jewish youths from around the world.

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