The 77th Independence Day of the State of Israel falls this year against the backdrop of political storms, a deep social fracture, and a prolonged war that leaves its mark on every home in Israel. In moments like these, the Declaration of Independence must once again serve as our moral, cultural, and Zionist compass.
It is not merely a historical artifact but a living promise – to liberty, justice, peace, equality, and to freedom of religion, conscience, and language for every citizen of this state.
The inherent contradiction between our being a Jewish state and our being a democracy is not a flaw or merely a given but a fascinating challenge, and perhaps even the secret of our existence.
Can we sustain a Jewish identity that is deep, vibrant, and renewing without excluding others or enforcing a single interpretation? Can we continue building a thriving democracy, even amidst disagreement and pain?
It may be that from this very tension, a new moral and social vision can emerge – one that reshapes how we tell our collective story, both to ourselves and to the world.
The world of education is a sphere that necessitates engaging with these questions. The Israeli National Education Law guides us to educate for the love of the nation, the land, and the state – but no less than that, for the principles of democracy, for the equality of human worth, and for the realization of the values of Jewish and human heritage together.
This is a profound educational mission: to shape a pluralistic, sovereign, and relevant Jewish language that will enable graduates of the education system to see themselves as partners in identity, culture, and destiny – not only as Israelis but as part of a broad, diverse, relevant, and inspiring Jewish people.
One way to achieve this is by living the commandment “Love your neighbor as yourself.” We must equip young people with the tools to engage with their communities, support the vulnerable, build relationships across differences, and take action for the greater good.
These are the seeds of a new generation of adults – sovereign individuals who feel a deep sense of responsibility and shared ownership in Israel’s future and the destiny of Jewish culture. Judaism is not only rooted in a proud past but – as poet Leah Goldberg wrote – “a gaze, a window, and a mirror” for our lives today and for the generations to come.
Another powerful path is through meaningful journeys and personal encounters with the Jewish communities in the Diaspora. These moments reveal a rich and moving mosaic – Jewish communities that flourish in secular and liberal environments, living their identity proudly and by choice.
These journeys teach that there are many ways to be Jewish, that Judaism belongs to all of us. It is a spiritual, cultural, and personal inheritance that no one owns exclusively, and no one can define for another. Geographic distance can sometimes draw us closer to our roots, to one another, and to a Judaism that can serve as a home rather than a boundary.
This Independence Day, we are called to make a choice – not necessarily between political views but rather between voices that narrow Judaism and those that expand it. Between democracy as a mechanism of governance and democracy as a meaningful way of life, one that can carry the Jewish-Israeli story into the future.
May we find the wisdom to truly listen to one another – to remember that, just as wholeness is made of many parts, peace emerges through differences.
May we bear together the vision we once wrote for ourselves: to be a free people in our land.
We just celebrated the Festival of Freedom. Yet, on our Independence Day, hostages are still held in captivity. We pray for their safe and swift return home. Our independence depends on their freedom.
The writer, a rabbi, is executive director of the Leo Baeck Education Center.