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Ambassador Ayalon's Letter to Jewish Students
September 09, 2002Comments (0) | Add | E-mail this to a friendDear Students,
On behalf of the State of Israel, it gives me great pleasure to extend New Year's wishes to you and your families as we celebrate Rosh Hashanah and prepare ourselves for the challenges in the year to come.
During the High Holiday season, we pause to reflect on the events of the year that has passed. Israel is in the midst of fighting a fierce battle against terrorists who are committed to eroding the values that Israelis and Americans hold dear - democracy, freedom, security and peace.
Jews outside of Israel are inevitably drawn into our conflict because the fate of the Jewish people, regardless of where we reside, is inextricably bound to the nation of Israel. We are one people with a common heritage, culture and religious tradition. Our rich history is a story of perseverance and triumph. It is a story of which we are all proud. But it is also a story that constantly reminds us of the moral and existential need for an independent Jewish nation in our ancestral homeland.
College campuses in America have become center-stage for the political debate surrounding Israel and the Middle East. As Jewish students, you have become participants in that debate. Blatant acts of anti-Semitism carried out under the guise of anti-Israel sentiment, academic boycotts of Israel, student rallies that call into question Israel's right to exist and smear campaigns that vilify Israel in the most offensive terms are just a few of the actions that are being perpetrated on campuses across the country.
As young Jewish Americans, you are the future of the Diaspora community and the task of supporting Israel in the public arena needs your commitment. Israel is our homeland and will always consider you part of our extended family. Regardless of the extent to which you identify with Israel, others will always identify Israel with you. While this burden is by no means light, it is one that you should embrace. Jewish history - your history - is being written today. You should learn your history so that you can play a role in shaping it.
The more you know, the more you'll understand that justice is on our side. You are living in an intellectually stimulating environment. Embrace this time in your life to learn as much as you can about your inherited gift of belonging to the Jewish people. Perhaps more than any other period in history, today, Israel needs your help. Visit our web site at www.embassyofisrael.org to learn more about Israel and www.israeloncampuscoalition.org to learn about ways to advocate for Israel on campus. Translate your knowledge into activism.
May you all be blessed with a healthy and peaceful New Year. Tikatevu V'Techatemu B'Sefer Ha'Chaim. May you be written and inscribed in the Book of Life.
Shanah Tova,
Daniel Ayalon
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