I wrote this diary in response to perhaps a not well stated, and even an offensive question. It is not often that someone is very blunt about this but it gives me an opportunity as an American Jew to express some of my feelings on the matter.
This was the original comment that prompted me to think and write about it:
I have a serious question, one that has been on my mind for the longest.... Why is it that Jews in America, ones that were born here and no connection to Israel have more of a loyalty towards Israel than America at times? I'm a Black man, and care more about America than what happens to Africa. Just a question that I have been thinking about for awhile....
First of all it has nothing to do with loyalty.
The vast and almost universal majority of Jews in America are loyal citizens who love this great country. I love America and it is my homeland. I've also served in US Military and have no intention of serving in Israeli military.
Jews have been despised, pushed out, ethnically cleansed, crucified, abused, scapegoated, "genocided", etc for 2,000 years. They've been wandering the world without a home for almost as much time. And it is not that we didn't want to make home in many different countries - but those different peoples oftentimes did not want Jews to have homes in their countries and have done rather unpleasant things to us to make sure we didn't forget that we were just visiting.
After holocaust where more than a third of our people were destroyed, we were finally given a chance to recreate our ancient homeland where we originally resided and had a kingdom (some Jews of course kept living there but not in huge numbers). Persecuted and hated Jews finally have a homeland. While it might not be my primary homeland most of us see it as a dear and valuable land that keeps the spirit of our people alive while also welcoming all the broken and destitute and abused Jews from around the world.
It's easy for some to say that we Jews should stop thinking in ethnic or religious terms, that Jewish character of Israel represents discrimination based on religion and is racial apartheid, but it's something totally different for those of us who are aware of our history and what's been done to us precisely because of who we are and what we believe. I say this as an atheist but we cannot forget our history. I was born in USSR and my passport said that I was a "Jew" not a "Russian". People knew who I was and I was called a kike in school. My father could not advance in his job because of who he was. My family felt it first hand and this is at the end of the 20th century! And this is nothing compared to what was done to us as a people in the last few thousand years. So now we are supposed to forget who we are and give in to people who hate us?
Maybe some of you will finally understand why almost no Jew in Israel is interested in giving up the Jewish character of their State, no matter what. Maybe some of you will understand why we, the Jews in the diaspora (outside of Israel, scattered) support them there in Israel 100%.
Israel represents our spirit if not necessarily the home for every single Jew - though they would welcome us all if they could.
It is out of that connection and a deep feeling of protectiveness for other Jews around the world that most of us, American Jews, love and support Israel, the only Jewish nation. It does not mean that we love America less or less loyal to America - it's just that we also love our brothers and sisters in our ancient homeland. They have suffered enough!
So for me, someone who's never stepped on the soil of Israel, yet lost half of my family during the holocaust in Europe, the emotions and love for the Jewish state of Israel are comparable to the love I would feel for a little brother or sister. They are now married to the Land and while we don't involve ourselves in all the little intricacies of their relationship - and indeed have our own love affair with US - we still want all the best for them and support them in their struggles, through their ups and downs, and will do so forever.
This is not meant as part of an I/P debate and is just my feelings on the matter of Jewish loyalties. Thanks.
[update] I am going to bed as it is very late, but thanks for the kind words. I also did not mean to imply that all Jews feel the same way but mostly captured my own feelings, from my own experiences, and those of some others I've met and known.