Israel: I'm Loving It . A mutual shoutout

A moving, mutual Israeli-Jewish Diaspora shoutout over at Jblogosphere on this difficult morning:

“Those of us, who live in Israel are not isolated from the rest of the Jewish world. We in Diaspora, do care, and do think of Israel, and Israelis, as a nation (not just the Land, but the nation!) all the time. And for those of us, who live in Israel, we should not fall victims to illusion that once you become an Israeli, you forget about being a Jew. Wherever we are, we are one nation.

We have been separated through history, and wound up living in different parts of the world - but all those factors have not succeeded in breaking us, nor taking away our common identity. Israel, the symbol of our nationhood, stands strong, and whether you're religious or not, left-wing, right-wing, or somewhere in the middle, whether you're from Europe or the Middle East or the United States, you're all welcome there. And at the same time, whatever difficulties Israel experience, she is not alone. We're all here, ready to put aside our differences, the moment she needs our help.”

Read it all.

(In related news, later today I'll be posting a powerful, different take on this issue, and a disturbing cry of despair over Israel by an editor at a major New York Jewish newspaper, in an exclusive Israel At Level Ground Podcast with noted immigrant author, columnist and speaker Judy Lash Balint. Stop back here throughout the day and listen in. Meanwhile, Judy's latest: "Former Mossad Head: "Hamas Could Implode")