Should U.S. Jews Light Israel’s Independence Day Torch?

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By Nathan Guttman April 27, 2017

Lighting one of the 12 torches at the ceremony marking the opening of the country’s Independence Day celebrations is one of Israel’s highest honors, so this year’s decision to invite two Jewish American leaders to participate is proving controversial.

Philanthropist Michael Steinhardt and Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder of the Wiesenthal Center, were chosen to light together the torch representing the Jewish diaspora. But conservative columnist and author Irit Linur, writing in Haaretz had some choice words about the decision.

“I assume that both love Israel and wish it success. That’s gladdening, but they are American citizens,” Linur wrote. “In the torch-lighting ceremony on the day of the celebration of the one miracle of which there is no second, the proper place for anyone who’s not an Israeli is in the visitors’ gallery.”

The connection between Israel and the diaspora, she concludes, is similar to that of a spaceship and mission control in Houston. “The spaceship has to get to Mars safely, when all is said and done, whereas the folks in Houston will head home at the end of the day whether the spaceship lands or crashes.”

Contact Nathan Guttman at guttman@forward.com or on Twitter @nathanguttman

Nathan Guttman, staff writer, was the Forward’s Washington bureau chief. He joined the staff in 2006 after serving for five years as Washington correspondent for the Israeli dailies Haaretz and The Jerusalem Post. In Israel, he was the features editor for Ha’aretz and chief editor of Channel 1 TV evening news. He was born in Canada and grew up in Israel. He is a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

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