Yom Ha'atzmaut
In 2008, David Hartman set out a seminal argument about the relevance of the State of Israel for the health of the Jewish people. He published it in Havruta, the journal of the Shalom Hartman Institute.
Throughout the history of modern Israel, many people, both living in the state and abroad, have believed that the fundamental purpose of creating the State of Israel was to solve the condition of Jewish suffering by providing a national home for Jews. Although persecution and suffering played a major role in the quest for Jewish political independence, treating Israel solely as a haven against persecution is, I believe, incomplete and inadequate for understanding the significance and importance of the rebirth of the Jewish state.
