INVESTING IN ISRAEL FUTURES

Now that life has returned to normal for the vast majority of delegates to this year’s AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) convention, I take this opportunity to reflect on the future of AIPAC.  As a Jew and as a member of the Dallas Jewish community, I should be especially proud of AIPAC, especially since Lillian Pinkus, a landsman is now serving as president. As one who has participated in an AIPAC convention, as one who was in attendance at a recently held AIPAC event here in Dallas and as one who means no disrespect to AIPAC, I feel that it behooves AIPAC leadership to address the following issue:
If it’s true that for everything there is a season, then one does not have to be an economist, a politician or even a prophet to realize that somewhere down the line, Uncle Sam will rethink as well as reevaluate American Foreign Aid.
Given the brainwashing that is occurring on college campuses with Israel committing “unspeakable atrocities” against “poor Palestinians”, one must consider that today’s college students are tomorrow’s congressman.  It doesn’t take a genius to deduce that as important as AIPAC conferences are, AIPAC leadership might be well advised to channel its efforts to taking college students to Israel – especially those who are majoring in Political Science and Government. Birthright is doing a remarkable job. But Birthright is for college students who want to visit Israel; the trips AIPAC leadership should be planning are for college students AIPAC leadership wants to visit Israel.
Given the change in demographics in this country, it might very well be only a matter of time that Muslim Americans, patterning themselves after American Jews will lobby congressmen for foreign aid. Should this happen, then all of a sudden there will be ASPAC (American Syria Public Affairs Committee – given the scenario however implausible, that Syria will by then have been rehabilitated from the cesspool of terrorism we know it to currently be) or similar. At that point, Congress will have every right to say that we’re doomed from the start, because each side (American Jews and American Muslims) will accuse Congress of favoring the other side, regardless of what we do. And so, given this scenario, Congress might very well reach the conclusion that with the exception of natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods, the United States of America will henceforth no longer grant countries foreign aid.
However L’Dor Va Dorish we may be, we must realize that while support for Israel is sacrosanct to our generation, the next generation of Jews may neither see things nor feel the way we do, even when it comes to Israel. We were the generation weaned on the fictitious Ari Ben Canaan (played by Paul Newman in the epic movie Exodus).  Mention Exodus to the next generation, and at best, the second of the five books of the Torah will come to mind. If Exodus no longer conjures up Jews attempting at all costs to reach the shores of a yet to be born Jewish country because they have no other choice, then it would do well for AIPAC  leadership to work out some sort of game plan for the next generation. Military superiority and political astuteness aside, keeping Israel safe and secure is non-negotiable. Shouldn’t a well-informed and properly groomed upcoming generation of Jews who will be concerned about their roots as well as their Jewish homeland be non-negotiable as well?
A big Yasher Koach to AIPAC, given their astounding accomplishments.
Hallevai (if only) there is a big Yasher Koach down the line, in years to come to AIPAC  in that the next generation of American Jews will have taken up the torch and carried out the task that has been given over to them and expected of them.