Israel
לְשָׁנָה הַבָאָה בִּירוּשָלַיִם הַבְּנוּיָה L'Shana Haba'ah B'Yerushalayim
We end each Seder with a prayer to be together next year in Jerusalem, which recognizes the centrality of Israel in Jewish life and identity.
How can we educate Canadians about the significant role the People and Land of Israel play in Jewish Canadian identity?
For most Jews in the Diaspora, Israel is a core aspect of their Jewish identity because:
- Israel, the Jewish homeland, holds its door open to all Jews. Since the establishment of the modern state of Israel in 1948, more than 3 million Jews have made Aliyah. There has been a 150% increase in Aliyah applications from Canada since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
- Jews are indigenous to the land of Israel. With a continuous presence for 3,500 years, the Jewish connection to the land of Israel has always been central to Jewishness and Judaism, with Jews calling themselves Am Yisrael (the people of Israel).
- Like Canada, the State of Israel is a vibrant, pluralistic democracy. Israel is home to many faith communities, including Jews, Muslims, Christians, and Druze.