In this merry month of May, we celebrate the 60^th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel. Think of it! Is it not amazingly extraordinary to have established a modern state which, though it has had to struggle to survive, and continues to do so, has nonetheless not only survived, but has thrived as well. What do we call an event that is amazingly extraordinary? A miracle – even if God’s hand is not immediately visible. Witness Purim. It is an event to celebrate.

There is much that makes Israel unique, and instills me with great pride. i would like to tell you about my experiences one day recently that illustrates Israel’s uniqueness and my pride.

The day was Thursday, April 10. i started out that morning for Latrun to attend the tekes kumtah – Beret Ceremony – the second significant ceremony for newly inducted Israeli servicemen – for our grandson Naftali who is in the Tank Corps. (The first is the tekes hasba’ah – the Swearing- In Ceremony, which, because of inclement weather, we were unable to attend.) The ceremony was to take place in Latrun where there is a Tank Museum. It is the site of a famous battle during the 1948 war for independence. i took a metropolitan bus from our apartment to the Central Bus Station to board an inter-city bus for Latrun.

The first sight that, for me, contributes to Israel’s uniqueness is connected with that bus ride, specifically the bus driver. Not only was he obviously a religiously observant Jew, but with his black kippah, black pants, visible tzitzit, white shirt and full, bushy, relatively long beard, to American eyes he looked out of place. In the United States a Jew that dressed as he did might be found in front of a yeshiva classroom, or shechting (kosher slaughtering) or supervising kashrut at some big plant. But here he was driving a bus. That’s Israel for you.

The day’s pride came at Naftali’s Beret Ceremony. In a very impressive ceremony he, along with about 75-100 of his comrades had black berets – the unique beret of the Tank Corps – placed on their heads. The location, the ceremony, the singing of Hatikvah and the fact that it was our grandson who was “beret-ed” all added to the great sense of pride in him and the country he serves.

That night we attended a performance of the musical Tick, Tick…Boom, a show by and about the composer of the popular musical Rent, Jonathon Larson. Naftali’s friend, Matt (who is studying in Israel for the year) was the star. (btw, for those of you who might know him, former St. Louisan Marvin Casey was the choreographer). Here again, at the show, a sight which would appear quite strange in the United States was quite natural here in Israel. i do not believe anyone in the U.S. would ever expect to see a young man with long flowing payis (sidecurls, in the U.S., almost exclusively seen on Chassidim) drumming away at an off-broadway type musical show. But there he was. That too is Israel for you.

CELEBRATE!!!! There is much here for all of us to celebrate.

EZ