Israel Education: Learning To Love The Land

The following is an op-ed that I wrote, which appeared in The Jewish Press:

 

Israel Education: Learning To Love The Land

 

By: N. Aaron Troodler

 

Published: January 30, 2015

 

As parents, we spend a tremendous amount of time focusing on our children’s education. We do whatever is necessary to ensure that they are well-versed in a wide array of academic subjects and make certain they have the tools necessary to succeed in today’s world.

 

As religious Jews, we also invest a great deal of time, energy, and financial resources ensuring that our children receive a quality religious education. Learning Jewish law, tradition, and philosophy becomes a critical element of our children’s daily lives, with the intended result being a deep understanding and appreciation of Judaism and a desire to further develop their connections to God, Torah, and the Jewish community on their own.

 

But there is another component to our children’s education that is crucial in the development of their Jewish identity – namely, their knowledge of and connection to the land of Israel.

 

As Jews around the world battle a virulent strain of anti-Semitism and a growing animosity toward the state of Israel, it is especially important that we teach our children about their roots in the Jewish homeland and our national responsibility to protect our birthright at all costs.

 

With its historical, religious, and cultural significance, Israel is an integral part of our “Jewish DNA.” It is the common thread that connects all Jews around the world and serves as a unifying force, bringing us together as a nation in furtherance of a common goal. Very often, the centrality of Israel in our lives is the only thing on which we can all agree.

 

Educating our children about Israel is not merely an exercise in familiarization with historical Jewish storylines. Rather, it is about helping them comprehend just how vital Israel is to our very existence as Torah-observant Jews. Armed with this information, our children are better equipped to observe the Torah's commandments and stand as staunch advocates and stalwart defenders of Israel.

 

Jewish students on college campuses across the United States face numerous challenges relating to Israel and their Jewish identities. Whether confronting university professors who express anti-Zionist sentiments in the classroom or fellow students who launch anti-Israel campaigns on campus, our children have to be ready, willing, and able to hold their ground on the front lines of the perpetual battle to establish the truth about the Jewish state. They must be prepared to combat the lies and vitriol with the facts, their resilience stemming from a love of Israel and a well-developed Jewish identity.

 

Though the physical journey to Israel is long and complicated for many, it is clear that the best way to strengthen Israel and ensure its survival is by populating it with Jews from all over the globe. At some point we need to stop simply defending and promoting the state of Israel and to start living the Israeli life. Otherwise, our pro-Israel advocacy will ring empty and our religious Zionist ideals will remain unfulfilled.

 

As a father and an ardent Zionist, I am exceptionally proud of my eldest daughter, who chose to spend her high school years in Israel as a participant of Naale (the Elite Academy Program), which is co-funded by the state of Israel and the Jewish Agency for Israel. She made this decision on her own, as a result of her incredible love for the Land of Israel, because she could not conceive of spending her formative years anywhere other than our homeland.

 

Now in her second year of the program, my daughter is totally immersed in Israeli life and engrossed in Israeli culture. She is thoroughly enjoying every moment of her ideals-driven and spiritually heightened Israeli life. She is truly living the dream.

 

While we can’t all take advantage of this particular program, we can agree that this type of education is essential in that it ensures the future of religious Zionist ideals. With the elections for the World Zionist Congress underway, we have an opportunity to advance religious Zionist educational programming by setting the agendas, priorities, and policies for the Jewish Agency, the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish National Fund, and Keren Hayesod. And all we have to do is vote.

 

My daughter's experience is a testament to the wonderful things that can happen if we focus on teaching our children to love the Land of Israel. As such, I have cast my vote for the Religious Zionist Slate (www.VoteTorah.org), a party committed to shaping the future of the Jewish nation through the continued growth of Torah and Zionist education worldwide.

 

As Jews, there are countless ways we can demonstrate our deep commitment to Israel. But, at this moment, none is as important as voting in the elections for the World Zionist Congress.

 

Israel is the heart and soul of the Jewish people, and we have an inherent obligation to teach our children about the central role the state of Israel plays in our history, tradition, and everyday lives. It is a lesson that will pay dividends for generations and help maintain Jewish continuity for eternity.

 

About the Author: N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and a principal at Paul Revere Public Relations, a public relations and political consulting firm. He also serves as director of communications and public relations for the National Council of Young Israel.

 

A Sense of Inevitability

The following is my latest column in The Jewish Link of New Jersey, in which I reflect on my recent trip to Israel:

A SENSE OF INEVITABILITY

By: N. Aaron Troodler, Esq.

During my recent trip to Israel, I spent some time at the Knesset in Jerusalem. In place of the heated rhetoric and tempestuous debates that often reverberate across the Plenary Hall, there was the sound of silence. With Prime Minister Netanyahu’s dissolution of the 19th Knesset, the lively and fiery discussions that generally take place there are on hold until the elections for the new Knesset are held in March.

The conspicuous absence of political dialogue was troubling to me throughout my two weeks in Israel. As someone who could be considered a “political junkie,” I was looking forward to speaking about the impending elections with Israelis during my stay and hearing different perspectives on how this latest episode of Israeli political drama may ultimately play out.

The fact of the matter is that but for a relatively small number of campaign signs and some talk on the radio about the primaries in the various political parties, there was little evidence of the upcoming election and politics was rarely discussed.

Yes, there was some talk of the snow that fell in Jerusalem and Northern Israel when I arrived. Yet, the leading topic of conversation while I was there was about the recent acts of terror in France and the frightening rise of global anti-Semitism.

With Jews in Europe being targeted simply because they are Jewish and terrorists in the Middle East intent on destroying Israel and murdering Jews, the reality is that we live in increasingly scary times.

My visit to Yad Vashem reminded me of the perils of anti-Semitism and the danger of getting too comfortable in our surroundings. As I watched people from all walks of life view the photos which document one of the most horrific tragedies known to mankind, I was reminded of how critically important it is that we continue to educate people about the dangers of bigotry and hatred. As I observed dozens of members of the Israel Defense Forces who were on a guided tour of the museum study the exhibits that detail the atrocities of the Holocaust with wide eyes and an apparent sense of wonderment, it struck me that they were comprehending why it is that they put their lives on the line every single day in order to defend the State of Israel and protect the Jewish people from the dangers that threaten their very existence.

In light of the intense focus on the upsurge of anti-Semitism, there was one question that I was asked repeatedly during my time in Israel. I heard it from the storekeeper in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, the Oleh from New York who moved to the city of Efrat twenty years ago, and the taxi driver in Tel Aviv. The question that was posed to me was not if I am going to make Aliyah, but when I am going to make Aliyah.

With the growing feeling that Jews in the Diaspora are facing an uncertain future, there is almost a sense of inevitability on the part of Israelis that we are all going to ultimately relocate to the Jewish State.

As I stood in the holy city of Hebron and prayed at the Mearat Hamachpelah, I had an experience that initially shook me, but which ultimately strengthened my resolve. While davening Shemoneh Esrei in view of the final resting place of our forefather Abraham with as much intensity and concentration that I could muster, the silence was suddenly shattered. The sound of the muezzin calling the Muslims to prayer over the loudspeaker from the nearby mosque was virtually deafening. As I prayed alongside my thirteen-year-old son, the thunderous cry of “Allahu Akbar” was ringing in my ears and sent a shiver up my spine.

After a moment, I smiled as I understood that the Muslim call to prayer, which shook the walls of the Mearat Hamachpelah, actually helped intensify my davening and bring me even closer to G-d. The loud call of the muezzin reminded me why it is crucial that we, as Jews, maintain a close and special relationship with G-d.

As Jews, we may be small in number, but we are strong in spirit. The fewer than 1,000 Jews who call Hebron home may be dwarfed by the hundreds of thousands of Arabs who also dwell in the city of Hebron, but that is of no consequence. We maintain a healthy and vibrant presence not only in Hebron, but throughout Israel, and nothing can change that – not the muezzin who is crying “Allahu Akbar” and not the Palestinian Arabs who wish that we were not there.

The idea that Jews moving to Israel is a virtual certainty is not so far-fetched when you take into account the world we live in and recent events that have shaken the core of world Jewry.

As an Orthodox Jew in the United States, I proudly wear my Judaism on my sleeve and relish the freedom of religion that we are privileged to enjoy. However, there is something special about being in Israel that always makes me prouder than ever to be a Jew. Israel is the land that Jews from every corner of the globe can always call home. It is a Jewish State where we not only feel comfortable, but where we truly belong. Some of us may move there next month, some of us may move there next year, and some of us may not actually have any plans to move there in the foreseeable future, but based on the sentiments that I heard while I was there, our ultimate relocation and eventual Aliyah is inevitable. It is not a question of if, rather, it is a question of when.

N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and principal of Paul Revere Public Relations, a public relations and political consulting firm. Visit him on the Web at TroodlersTake.blogspot.com, www.PaulReverePR.com, or www.JewishWorldPR.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: @troodler

Troodler's Top Ten of 2014

The following is my latest column in The Jewish Link of New Jersey, in which I count down the top ten New Jersey political personalities of 2014:

TROODLER’S TOP TEN OF 2014

By: N. Aaron Troodler, Esq.

‘Tis the season of the “Top Ten” lists. As we bid farewell to 2014 and close the book on yet another year, it is an ideal time to look back at the past twelve months and reflect on all that transpired during that time.

At year’s end we are subjected to an array of “Top Ten” lists. Movies, songs, sports moments, news stories – you name it, there is a list that ranks it.

Lest you think that politics is above the fray, you are mistaken. Politics is by no means immune to these seemingly endless “Top Ten” lists. And so, in that spirit, I present to you my top ten New Jersey political personalities of 2014.

10. Lou Stellato

The Chairman of the Bergen County Democratic Committee had a banner year. After the Bergen County Democrats took a number of electoral and political hits in the past, it appears that the Democratic representatives of the most populous county in New Jersey have completed their comeback. The incredible skill that Stellato displayed in unifying the various factions in the powerful Bergen Democrats is a testament to his inimitable leadership style that has greatly strengthened the party. In addition, he was instrumental in overseeing some big victories in 2014, including the re-election of Bergen County Freeholders David Ganz and Joan Voss, which ensured that the Democrats retained their 5-2 majority on the board, and the election of Jim Tedesco as Bergen County Executive. Stellato is a leader brimming with confidence, who has the ability to motivate his party’s base and generate real results at the polls.

9. Bill Pascrell

Very quietly, but quite convincingly, Bill Pascrell reminded us that he is a political force to be reckoned with. After redistricting led to a bruising primary battle in 2012 against then Representative Steve Rothman, Pascrell emerged victorious on Election 2014 yet again against Dierdre Paul, a former Democrat who ran on the GOP line. By easily winning a 10th term in Congress with an incredible 69% of the vote, the 77-year-old Pascrell once again proved his adeptness at bringing his supporters to the polls when it matters most.

8. Paul Fishman

Although his name may not be familiar to most New Jersey residents, Paul Fishman has the ability to drastically alter the Garden State’s political landscape in a manner that could almost singlehandedly shatter the political status quo. As the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Fishman is the prosecutor that is investigating the Bridgegate scandal, which came to light last year. In the event that Fishman concludes that Governor Christie and/or his administration violated the law in any way relative to the lane closures in Fort Lee, his office could unveil indictments that would presumably bring Christie’s political career to a screeching halt.

7. Scott Garrett

Was 2014 going to be the year that the Democrats finally defeat Scott Garrett? With a formidable and charismatic challenger in political newcomer Roy Cho, Democrats thought that they found the key to besting Garrett this past year. However, with Election Day looming on the horizon and his challenger closing in, Garrett went on the offensive and was successful in fending off an extremely spirited challenge from the seemingly indefatigable Cho. When the dust settled, Garrett had scored an impressive 13-point victory.

6. Loretta Weinberg

As the Senate Majority Leader, Loretta Weinberg wields a great degree of political power. Yet, in 2014 she flexed her political muscles and heightened her profile in an extraordinary way. Weinberg, who commands a tremendous amount of respect from the New Jersey political establishment, was one of the first to shine a spotlight on the lane closures and played a central role in putting the Bridgegate controversy on the front burner. As the co-chair of the joint legislative committee investigating Bridgegate, Weinberg has endeavored to uncover the truth behind the “traffic problems in Fort Lee,” and is in a unique position to continue digging deeper into what actually transpired.

5. Robert Menendez

Although he was not on the ballot in 2014, Senator Robert Menendez had a memorable and impactful year. As Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Menendez was an authoritative voice on a wide variety of foreign policy issues. From his strong and outspoken position on curtailing Iran’s nuclear capabilities and imposing stronger sanctions, to his emergence as a staunch and strident defender of the State of Israel, Menendez made news throughout 2014 and demonstrated that he is not afraid to stand up for what he believes is right.

4. Steven Fulop

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop is making his presence known well beyond Hudson County. The young and energetic Mayor of New Jersey’s second-largest city is quietly positioning himself for a likely run for Governor in 2017 and is generating a lot of headlines along the way. His strong support for the newly elected Newark Mayor Ras Baraka in 2014 further bolstered his position as a rising star in New Jersey politics. The former Goldman Sachs employee who enlisted in the Marines after 9/11 is clearly not one who is going to shy away from a fight. With his yeshiva background (he attended the Rabbi Pesach Raymon Yeshiva in Edison and the Solomon Schechter School of Union and Essex) and grandparents who were subjected to the horrors of the Holocaust, Fulop has deep roots in the Jewish community and a keen understanding of the issues that our community faces. Fulop is a talented politician whose ambition may very well catapult him to great heights.

3. Jim Tedesco

Jim Tedesco’s big win over the incumbent Bergen County Executive Kathleen Donovan in November was one of the bright spots for New Jersey Democrats. In defeating Donovan, who had not suffered a countywide electoral defeat in a quarter-century, Tedesco singlehandedly ushered in a new era for Bergen County Democrats. The former Mayor of Paramus and Bergen County Freeholder essentially shocked the political establishment with his victory and galvanized his party’s faithful, who rewarded him by showing up to the polls on Election Day.

2. Chris Christie

2014 came and went, and Chris Christie is still standing. When the news of Bridgegate broke last year, people all but wrote off Governor Christie. He was done, they said. There is no way that he is going to survive this scandal, they declared. Not only is Christie still here, but he is somehow in the mix for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. Despite all of the controversy that seems to follow him at every turn and the fiscal challenges that plague his state, Chris Christie is still laying the groundwork for a presidential run, and he is building a national network that would sustain such a campaign. As Chair of the Republican Governors Association, Christie had an extraordinarily successful year, both from a fundraising perspective and from a political standpoint. The fact that he has been able to successfully navigate a potentially catastrophic scandal thus far is a testament to Christie’s resiliency. Bridgegate (or some other controversy) may ultimately bring him down, but for now, Chris Christie is still standing tall.

1. Cory Booker

After winning a special election in 2013 to fill the unexpired term of the late Senator Frank Lautenberg, Cory Booker was once again on the ballot in 2014 as he sought to win a full term. With a big win over Republican Jeff Bell on Election Day, New Jersey’s junior Senator further reinforced the belief of those who feel that the sky is the limit for this one-of-a-kind political talent. With his charismatic and gregarious nature, incredible fundraising prowess, unique bipartisan approach, and larger-than-life persona, Cory Booker is a political force to be reckoned with. Booker’s command of the issues and ability to connect with his constituents have propelled him to great heights, and it would probably not surprise anyone to see his name on the ballot for higher office in the future. With a newly-won 6-year term ahead of him, expect to see Cory Booker continue to cement his position as one of the more high-profile members of the Senate.

N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and principal of Paul Revere Public Relations, a public relations and political consulting firm. Visit him on the Web at TroodlersTake.blogspot.com, www.PaulReverePR.com, or www.JewishWorldPR.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: @troodler