Being a young and progressive Zionist isn't always a walk in the park. There are always those people that want me to know that if I support Israel, then I'm a racist. That I support apartheid. That I "just don't know enough".
But you know what? I know a lot.
I know that Israel is (as annoying as it is to hear) the only democracy in the Middle East (though some sources consider Cyprus Middle Eastern, and in that case Israel would not be the only one). I know that Israel is a home to so many different kinds of people of all religions, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds. I know that Israel has made major strides in technology and agriculture. I know that Israel is home to music, television, movies, and art. I know that if I need a pick-me-up, there's nothing better than a plate of shakshuka and a good Omer Adam album playing in the background. I know that I bleed blue and white, through and through.
And I know that Israel has its flaws. I know that Israel doesn't always treat its non-Jewish citizens like they should. I know that, even though Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty assures that "there shall be no violation of the life, body or dignity of any person as such... [or] of the property of a person," Israel doesn't always execute it perfectly. I know that homes in many Palestinian communities living in the West Bank have been demolished. I know that there are some Israeli leaders that are planning to annex the West Bank, despite the majority of the public not supporting it. I know that Israel reduced the status of Arabic just a short while ago, along with prioritizing Jewish religion and peoplehood over those of its other citizens. I know about Deir Yassin and the Palestinian refugee crisis. I know it's not fair.
I know that Israel doesn't always work perfectly. It's a constant battle trying to balance being both Jewish and democratic. It's hard to run a parliamentary democracy in a country of such diverse opinions. Sometimes governments don't coalesce, and sometimes they form in such a way that doesn't always represent the will of the people. I know that Israel is not perfect.
But I know that Israel is not alone in this. Every democracy has its downfalls. In fact, as of January 2020, on the Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index, the United States itself is marked as a "flawed democracy" and is only ranked 3 countries ahead of Israel in the list of 167 countries (note also, the Palestinian territories are in the "authoritarian regime" category at number 117). No one is perfect, for sure.
But just as I am proud to be an American despite my frustrations with so much of its history and current policies, I am proud to be a Zionist and to love the State of Israel. I know that Israel has a ways to go, just like everyone does, but that doesn't give them less of a right to be loved than any other country. As a Zionist, I see Israel as a constant work in progress, and one which I hope to help or see helped along its path. When Israel's stumbling around and trying to catch their footing, I'd rather be the one to help them back up than the one to push them back down.
So I know Israel's not perfect, but that doesn't make me want to apologize for loving it. I'm not going to apologize for listening to Mizrachi music or enjoying a pita stuffed with falafel and salads and drizzled with tehina. I'm not going to apologize for reading countless books on the fascinating history of the state or for loving Theodor Herzl's determination to create it. I'm not going to apologize for waving my flag proudly on Yom Ha'atzmaut.
I'm a Zionist. And I'm not going to apologize for that.
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