They are Not Different

The Destruction of Heroes

How many people can honestly say that they are proud of their country's founders?

by Dorli Prober, Amal Comprehensive High School, Safed

It seems as if all the Israeli myths are being destroyed.

A while ago, a documentary about Herzel was broadcast. I haven't seen it personally but as I understand this presentation of the facts was in many ways unnecessary, and in many ways ruined all of what is left of our Zionist pride. Was it so important to show that Herzel went to prostitutes? Was it so hard to let the people be proud of their country's founders?

People are wondering why young men and women lack the enthusiasm to join the IDF. I will tell you why! They lost their past. They have nothing to fight for. They cannot understand the great passion, that tremendous urge to have a Jewish nation.

Do you remember the eternal myth about Joseph Trumpeldor? Well as it appears to be, it is not so eternal anymore. Different ideas had been made which suggested that instead of saying "it is good to die for one's country", Trumpeldor actually blurted out a Russian curse. I, for one, find it very sad that a story like this, which has been one of the strongest myths, could be destroyed like that.

Another immortal myth was the story of Masada. The story of a group of people, with a strong leader, who made a very difficult and brave decision - killing themselves and their families in order to die as free Jews.

This myth has also been damaged. People believe that their leader was actually a fanatic and a little bit "of the trace".

I have known no other country that helped bring down her heroes as fast as we have. I am not saying that the truth should be ignored, but there are some things that should be left unsaid. We don't have to pretend that our founders and heroes were perfect. It just hurts me to see how we ruin our pride, little by little, until some day there will be nothing left.

As one once said: "one can not love one's country, if one despises its founders and does not feel close to it and does not think of it in a nostaligic way".

So if people start leaving the country and going to any other place but staying here at the first threat of war - CAN YOU BLAME THEM???

This article previously appeared in TEN - The Youth Newspaper of the Amit & Amal Schools in Safed, Spring 1998.