The Real Threat to Israel's Future Haggi Ben-Artzi Israel's longterm safety depends not only on its tanks and anti-missile systems, but also on the quality of its Jewish identity as a nation. Both Israel's current political leaders and their predecessors, going back to 1948, have consistently failed to recognize the importance of Jewish identity. As a result, a younger generation has arisen that --to a significant and frightening degree-- feels only the slightest connection to Judaism, Zionism, and the Jewish people. The shallow and superficial history of Zionism that is taught in most secular Israeli schools leaves young Israelis with the impression that Zionism was just another nationalist movement that arose in the past century in response to anti-Semitism. Our youth do not comprehend the uniqueness of Zionism; they do not understand that it is 4,000, not 100, years old; they do not appreciate how extraordinary and unprecedented it was for national sentiment to remain alive in a people's hearts throughout 2,000 years of exile. The crucial ingredient that made it possible for Israelis to fight against seemingly insurmountable odds, and defeat their enemies in war after war was their common belief that the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people, not to the Arabs or anyone else. But this basic feeling, so essential to the success of Zionism, has not been conveyed to the generations born after 1948. Israel's educational system has failed to instill

Jewish consciousness in our youth. Israe has never invested sufficient resources in Jewish education, and has never regarded Jewish identity as a matter of top priority. Jewish studies were neglected; most efforts were directed towards science and technology. Those fields are important, and Israel must continue to develop them, but without first-rate Jewish education, Israel cannot survive. This paucity of Jewish identity played a crucial role in paving the way for the disastrous Oslo accords. Israelis had no trouble parting with Jericho, Bethlehem, Hebron--cities with biblical names, full of Jewish history, but cities to which most Israelis feel like strangers. These precious cities were of no significance to Israel's secular citizens. They had no motivation to put up any kind of fight to retain these vital parts of our biblical heritage. To ensure the future of Israel, there must be dramatic changes in the Jewish educational system. Judaism and Zionism must be made a central part of the core curriculum. And they must be taught with pride and conviction, not apologetics. The recently-established Jewish Leadership Movement believes that change is possible. Polls of parents of students in the non-religious schools reveal widespread dissatisfaction over the weak Jewish education their children are receiving. A recent survey by Dr. Mina Tzemach, one of Israel's most respected pollsters, found that 53% of Israeli parents want the schools to put more emphasis on Jewish identity. They have a right to expect more, and Israel's political leaders have an obligation to give it to them. Haggi Ben-Artzi, the brother-in-law of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayhu, is a leader of Israel's New Jewish Leadership Movement.

The Betrayal of Jonathan Pollard Helen Freedman Jonathan Pollard, convicted of spying for Israel, is currently serving his 13th year of a life sentence. The details of his betrayal by the Israeli government, which refused him sanctuary, his arrest by the FBI, the plea bargain that backfired, Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger's intervention, which closed the prison door on Jonathan--are all well known. The New Jersey Jewish News and Israel's Ma'ariv simultaneously published an article by Pollard on August 14, 1997, requesting that it be reprinted. Here is a synopsis of his plea: Esther Pollard, Jonathan's wife, has been spearheading efforts to get his case heard in the Israeli High Court of Justice. Jonathan believes the people understand that, "If one Jew is permitted to be sacrificed to serve political ends, and to protect private careers, then no Jew is safe, and neither is the State of Israel."

In Jonathan's article, he cites others who have been abandoned by the Israeli government, such a prisoner of war Ron Arad, and the other Israeli MIAs. He speaks of the Lavon Affair of the 1950s, when a group of Egyptian Jewish volunteers were allowed to suffer for 13 years in Egyptian prisons, because Israel did not insist upon their release. He refers to Israeli Army Major Yossi Amit, who was convicted of spying on Israel for the United States. Arrested in 1986 and sentenced to 12 years in prison, Amit was mysteriously released in 1993. Jonathan discusses an investigation by Edward Jay Epstein (published in Penthouse in 1988), revealing the degree of American spying on Israel. The report was received without a ripple. It corroborates the information that Jonathan himself disclosed, "that there were at least 200 or more well placed sources within the Israeli intelligence, defense, and political ranks that were illegally feeding Israel's secret information to the Americans." Another example is the case of Lieut. Michael Schwartz, who was indicted for spying on behalf of Saudi Arabia. Although he committed the same offense as (Continued on p.11)

Outpost               - 8 -               September 1997