At 65, innovative Israel has much to celebrate
On Tuesday, Israel celebrates the 65th anniversary of its rebirth as a modern nation. As Jews across the world join to mark this historic milestone, thousands of Montrealers from all walks of life will gather in Phillips Square and march to Place du Canada for a rally in celebration of Israel’s remarkable achievements in the fields of culture, economic development, agriculture, technology, medicine, science and beyond.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, Israel’s history did not begin 65 years ago. Instead, my nation’s past is linked to the history and culture of a civilization that has withstood the test of more than 3,700 years.
As Jews, our roots and ethos are tied to our past, and our past to our present, because a nation that fails to remember its past has no future.
For more than three millenniums, the Jewish people’s bond with its historic homeland has remained unbroken. Despite nearly 2,000 years of exile, we managed to preserve our national language, Hebrew, while maintaining a spiritual and physical bond with the land of our fore- fathers and its ancient capital, Jerusalem.
Even after its fall to the Romans in 70 AD, the memory of Jerusalem was never erased from the soul of the children of Israel.
Every city in Israel, from Tiberius in the north to Beersheba in the south, and from Ashkelon in the west to Hebron in the east, draws its roots from thousands of years of continuous Jewish history.
Today, our nation’s pioneering spirit of innovation is derived from the longstanding Jewish tradition of putting everything into question and seeing setbacks and obstacles as mere challenges to overcome.
For thousands of years, my nation has produced count- less philosophers, scientists, doctors, politicians and Nobel laureates in every domain, who all contributed to alter the face of the world for the common good.
In the space of just a few decades, my country has transformed itself from a barren land with scarce resources into a launch pad for innovations, ranging from computer processors to artificial noses that detect cancer, and from drip-irrigation technology to nanorobots and the USB key — all “Made in Israel” in the spirit of “Tikkun Olam,” or repairing the world, a Jewish concept that connects social justice with a collective will to make the world a better place.
Since our nation’s rebirth, Israel has taken every measure in its power to strengthen its relations with all nations of the world.
Today, Canada and Israel are closer than ever, as both countries enjoy warm diplomatic relations and co-operate in a wide range of areas, from science to culture and economic development.
This co-operation is based not only on diplomacy and trade, but on shared values that are common to both our nations. Together we share the same will to innovate for the good of generations to come.
We also share a common will to see a peaceful solution to the conflict that pits us against our Palestinian neighbours: a solution based on two states for two peoples living side by side in peace and security.
As we celebrate the day marking our re-ascension into the family of nations, we can only reaffirm what our founding fathers declared on the very day of our independence in 1948:
“In the very midst of the onslaught launched against us … we extend our hand to all neighbouring states and their peoples in an offer of peace and good neighbourliness, and appeal to them to establish bonds of co-operation and mutual help with the sovereign Jewish people settled in its own land.
“The State of Israel is prepared to do its share in a common effort for the advancement of the entire Middle East.”