The Second Aliyah, in the first decade of the 20th century, gained a place of honor in Israeli history. It is possible that part of it stems from the more ideological wings of the immigrants: young, ideological and, in part, imbued with socialist fervor. Naturally, all these were not always enough to cope with the difficulties of life in the Land of Israel. Therefore, although some members of the Second Aliyah found themselves under the leadership of the young Yishuv, most eventually left the country and went looking for a more comfortable place to live.
Demographically, the contribution of the second aliyah was not equal to that of other, more resilient waves of increases. And personally, the second increase was known for its frighteningly high suicide rate — three times the rate for the general population, mostly young pioneers.
Life in Israel, a hundred years later, is much more comfortable than it was during the Second Aliyah (as well as the third, fourth and fifth), yet it was not meant for everyone. In any case, in each and every generation there will be those who prefer to live elsewhere, and once they will call the move "relocation" and sometimes "relocation." Everything is fine, no one is holding anyone in power here. Indeed, since the establishment of the state, about half a million Israelis have immigrated, about 70% of them Jews. Don't worry: the number of immigrants is higher. Much.
In 2012, a study conducted by the research firm Marketing Information C. For Haaretz, there is a significant difference between those considering decline – even without legal reform – and those who define themselves as right-wing, religious, and traditional: those considering decline are more left-wing and secular, while the latter see Israel as the center of Jewish existence. Because they are connected to Judaism on a daily basis, they are less likely to leave the country. These figures also correspond to data on actual declines since the establishment of the State. Not pioneers who despaired of the harsh conditions on the Kinneret farm, but a mobile educated class, free from the dignity of the Jewish weight, and therefore emotionally free to find an ecological niche that better suits its needs, which do not include living in a country surrounded by enemies that arose on the basis of a divine promise and hope of two thousand years.
Against this background, phenomena such as doctors threatening relocation because of the reform, or a new and initial movement calling for the separation of the State of Israel into two entities – Israel and Judea – are not exactly a historical innovation. The mass migration of doctors, meanwhile, is part of a determined campaign to deter the Israeli government, and along the way the wrong citizens, from making necessary changes to the justice system. Its scope is unknown, and in any case it is unclear whether it will materialize.
In the meantime, the separation plan has 35,<> Facebook friends (about the same number of immigrants as part of the second aliyah. coincidence?) and a very preliminary website. At the same time, it is puzzling that the anonymous leaders of the "separation plan" are nevertheless convinced that the more successful country will be secular, progressive and rich Israel. The State of Judea will be satisfied with Jerusalem, the Negev and the Judean Desert. There the religious zealots and followers of the messianic dictatorship will be able to do whatever they want, without bothering the citizens of the new Israel.
A split in Israel won't happen, and the emigration from the country – well, we've heard about you. You will have a good life and grandchildren who do not know a word of Hebrew
It is possible that even supporters of separation, like the participants in the Haaretz survey, have not succeeded in cultivating a national identity based on something deeper than "here I was born, here I had my children, and all this could have happened in Switzerland as well." Their Zionism, insofar as it exists, has less to do with the Jewish story and history and more to do with a utopian vision that is consistent with "good" values detached from a national context, a strong motif of personal comfort and perhaps also a tail of revulsion towards the people in whose vicinity they are forced to live by necessity of some geographical choice of their ancestors or grandfathers, which was good at the time but less so now.
Perhaps the depth of the utopia of those who threaten abandonment or separation is merely an expression of the disgust with which they see not only the dystopian Israel of their nightmares, but the real Israel. Not to mention the actual way in which they respond to their stated desire: a multicultural society. There are so many cultures in Israel. The educated, rich, leftist elite were supposed to rejoice in them. Instead, they threaten rebellion, or expulsion, when other cultures seek equal partners in government, in the court, in academia, in the top echelons of the military. This is already excessive. There are people for whom "multiculturalism" means a wide variety of animals in the zoo, which will be interesting to the zookeepers. And that they wouldn't even dream of getting out of the cages.
These are layers that pride themselves on Zionism, seek to grant constitutional status to the Declaration of Independence, repeatedly emphasize that their contribution to the state far exceeds that of other citizens. Yes, we are in favor of multiculturalism, but only as long as we are the culture itself. And all this contribution they are willing to throw behind them, and gamble on exile. And for what? Not because of malaria in the Hadera swamps, but because the exhibits in the Multicultural Museum they built came to life. This is not Zionism. It is a geographical coincidence, conditionally, that has built an ideology around it detached from commitment.
The decline and fragmentation may solve the immediate sense of disgust at "what's terrible what's happening in this country." But a split won't happen, and the decline - well, we've heard about you. You will have a good life and grandchildren who do not know a word of Hebrew. During their wanderings, the tribes of Gad, Reuven and Half Menashe stumbled upon a fine piece of land in the eastern Transjordan, and decided to stay there. They assimilated into the local culture, and who knows what their descendants are doing today. Jews are not. Just like most descendants of Jews who chose to emigrate to countries other than Israel, just like the descendants of the Kingdom of Israel from several kings. Just like what will happen to those who choose to disconnect from both the state and the Jewish story.
And what about the masses that tied their fate to the fate of the Jewish state, with all its flaws and madness? Well, not an easy story: the remnants of the Kingdom of Judah saw their temple destroyed twice, went into prolonged exile and in modern times half of them perished in the Holocaust, but they are still here, Jews in the State of Israel. The tribes that established the Kingdom of Israel are still being sought beyond Sambation. Turns out we did without them.
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