Is Israel still the safest haven for Jews?

Among all the questions that which have been asked amid the present war between the State of Israel and Hamas terrorists, the one which may be the most sobering is whether or not Israel remains the safest haven in the world for Jews.

That is because one of the strongest justifications for the existence of the State of Israel has been the indisputable fact that as antisemitism continues to emerge and grow worldwide, Jews could always count on one certainty – that there was one place on the face of the earth were they could turn, if need be, knowing that they would be safe and protected. Has that reality suddenly evaporated?

According to David Brinn, managing editor of the Jerusalem Post, “Something in the concept of the Jewish homeland, as a haven for all those who want to live freely and safely, has mutated this week.”

He related that many of those who chose to come to live in Israel after the Holocaust did so knowing that they would “no longer be annihilated, beaten or bullied. We had a Jewish homeland that would be there as a haven for all Jews who faced danger. You’re home now, you’re safe.”

But given what’s happened over the past week and a half, has that reality changed? Could it be that Jews are actually safer in their host countries where, so far, no one is demanding their departure or threatening their very existence?

But ironically, if you live as a Jew in France, that may not be true because, according to a recent article, “French Jews are worried by a spike in hate crimes.” That particular community, estimated to number as high as 550,000 if you count those with at least one Jewish parent, contains the third largest Jewish population in the world. To accommodate such a large group, there are many Jewish institutions and schools that are presently receiving many threats, causing them to employ tight security measures. 

Given that kind of hostile atmosphere, young religious men are aware of the fact that they are unable to wear their kippot (skullcaps) or have any other identifying clothing or jewelry that may point to their being Jewish. In addition, many Jewish students are being regularly confronted by pro-Palestinian peers as it concerns the treatment of Palestinians in the Middle East. It doesn’t matter that French Jewish students have no say in Israeli policy or might not even be religiously observant. To those on the opposing side, responsibility for the decisions of the Israeli government is attributed to all Jews, making them no less vulnerable than if they, themselves, were Israeli citizens.

But it’s not France alone. Calls for violence against Jews have risen by 1200% since the Hamas massacre, according to a new report released by the “Anti-Semitism Cyber Monitoring System” (ACMS), a 450% increase from the four days prior. Of course, those numbers reflect an overall global increase in anti-Jewish sentiment. Some of the more concerning cities worldwide include Paris, New York, Bueno Aires and Los Angeles, but pro-Palestinian demonstrations have covered almost every country over the last few days – even those whose majority populations have been great supporters of Israel – such as Belfast, Ireland.

So, the question is, “Are Jews really safer staying put in their respective countries, outside the land of Israel?” When the war began, my husband and I were on vacation abroad. The initial reaction of one of our children in Israel was to tell us not to come home, thinking that it was safer for us to remain where we were – that is, until she heard about credible threats to Israelis outside the land.

Indeed, it was daunting to think about returning to a country at war, but once we returned, we felt completely protected, knowing that our very capable military was doing everything, within its power, to defend our homeland. We wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, despite the rockets, almost all of which are intercepted by the Iron Dome system.

Still, diaspora Jews, who feel more vulnerable than ever, knowing that even absent of a connection with the Jewish homeland, they believe they are being held guilty by association. That is why they must make a calculated and well-informed decision as to whether or not it’s safer to remain where they are or 'come home' to a country that has its own professional military focused on saving every Jewish life in a way that other militaries cannot. It's definitely something to think about. 

Brinn cites the “security lapse” of Oct. 7 as being responsible for having “upended the reputation of our intelligence agencies and military establishment as being the world’s elite.” But it is exactly that lapse in security and clear underestimation, of what was being planned by the enemy, which will serve us well in the future.  

They say that the site of a terror attack, after it has happened, is the safest place to be, since there is usually heightened security in that very area after such an event, and that is what will now, undoubtedly, happen in Israel. It goes without saying that once the dust has settled, our political leaders and intelligence agencies will be held to rigorous accountability as to why they were woefully unprepared to respond in a timely manner to savage attacks, as opposed to the many hours it took before troops were finally mobilized. 

This unprecedented, horrific attack will be analyzed on multiple fronts and from vast perspectives in order to “never again” see the repeat of such an inconceivable breach. Consequently, we can expect a much greater level of security, intelligence and military involvement than we have ever had.  

Does that mean that countries such as Iran, Lebanon or other hostile states will no longer pose a threat to us? Not at all, but it does mean that we will, likely, be much more sufficiently prepared to respond or even be able to pre-empt any dangerous action headed our way.

Brinn believes that “out of the depths of the nightmare which we have faced, that from that could emerge a more unified country, which signs are already apparent.” One of the things that he especially notes is our resilience as a people, which comes from having faced these threats, time and again, but also being secure in the knowledge that, with God’s help, we have prevailed and continue to exist in the country which He gave us. 

Brinn sees living in Israel as a destiny, and surely that was intended by the early pioneers, whose Zionist dream was to ensure a secure homeland for the scattered chosen people. God, too, has given us this wonderful destiny, as a people, and considering that He never “slumbers nor sleeps” on His watch (Psalm 121:3) the conclusion is that Israel, indeed, remains the safest haven for all Jews!