It’s a great piece simply for challenging the assumption I certainly grew up with that there is something essentially liberal about Jews, and that if only we lived up to our ‘Jewish values’ the state of the Jews would be a utopia because it is the state of the Jews. He takes a nice look at one of my favorite books–The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon–as a jumping off point for how surprised so many Jews are when faced with the reality of “seeing Jewish conservatives, fundamentalists, quasi-fascists and militarists…” I’m certainly pained when I read about Jews like Dan Gertler, profiting from the misery of others, the way non-Jews certainly have for centuries.

It is the shock that Jews can be illiberal (and he does also note the illiberalism of the Jewish State is often overblown, but read his piece to hear why) that leads so many to disillusionment with Israel. I imagine if Tibet ever gained its independence, those Tibetan utopians who hang on to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s every word, would experience the same shock when the reality of politics, power, and diversity of opinion gained their full national expression.

States, especially states founded on ideals rather than accidents of history and geography, always disappoint. Why should Jewish disappointment merit so much anxiety? Probably because Diaspora Jews in the 21st century, unlike Tibetans or Kurds or Chechens, can opt out of the national project if we want. Many do. I did for most of my life.

But I’m not now. And the reason is because I haven’t give up on the idealism of Jewish values I grew up with. No, these values are not being expressed by the policies are the government of Israel right now. But that doesn’t mean things can’t change.

There are other visions of Zionism than Bibi Netanyahu’s and Avigdor Lieberman’s. There is a lively debate forming over a rebirth of a cultural Zionism that draws in inspiration from Martin Buber and Ahad Ha’am, a Zionism that calls on  Jewish home in Israel without political hegemony. Critics note that these attempts all failed in the past and that cultural Zionism never saved the life of a refugee in need, whereas political Zionism has saved hundreds of thousands. But past failure doesn’t guarantee future failure, and progressives must grapple with the real politics of Zionism without losing sight of the why of Zionism. Do the Jews want a national homeland because we are an ethnic group like any other with national aspirations? Or do we want a homeland because we believe we are an historical people with an historical mission? Can these two ideas co-exist? No easy answers to these questions, but we need our best minds to grapple with them in the 21st century.

The most important argument Gorenberg makes in his piece is the argument that calls me back to thinking about, writing about, talking about, and caring about the Zionist project, even as I am angered and pained by how the Israeli government kowtows to the ultra-Orthodox and the Settlers, denies Arabs equal rights, continues to occupy the West Bank and to strangle Gaza (although that situation is changing a bit).

Gorenberg writes:

The only thing that a state of the Jews offers is an arena in which Jews can work for such a [liberal & just] society, without the excuse that other people are responsible for the failures. For American Jews willing to look at the illiberalism of Israel in 2010, turning away isn’t the only answer. There are organizations ready to harness your dissatisfaction. Don’t give up, get involved.

I was skeptical of this program for a long time, but, having watched a lot of these groups passing through Jerusalem, I’m fairly certain it’s a good thing, not necessarily because it’s “good for the Jews” or good for Israel, but because travel can only broaden a person, and cross cultural exchanges are vital to our interconnected planet.

I like Birthright for the same reason I like Encounter, which “is an educational organization dedicated to providing Jewish Diaspora leaders from across the religious and political spectrum with exposure to Palestinian life.”It’s the same reason I like the Congress-Bundestag program I did in High School, which sends German students to America and American Students to Germany. These sorts of exchanges of young people are invaluable. I only hope that more of them occur across more cultures. As the Birthright Israel program proves, there are no certain outcomes from travel and education–some students become passionate Zionists after their trip, some students slip into the West Bank and volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement–but there are countless intangible benefits and countless stories between these extremes. Everyone who has ever traveled beyond a kitschy tourist trap vacation knows that magic of encounter that cannot help but expand the possibilities of our world.

Also, traveling is a lot of fun. Wish there were more free trips for my age group…