Israel in Perspective: Viewpoints on the Land’s Identity
The Six-Day War had a profound and instant impact on Jews around the world. The remarkable victory raised the morale of Soviet Jewry and brought a surge of pride to Jewish America. Many Jews immigrated to Israel, while countless others experienced a spiritual reawakening.
Eventually, the dust settled to reveal extreme diversity in perspective and reaction to the war. Some saw it as a miracle of biblical proportions; for others, it was a chain of fortuitous events. Some experienced relief, while others were plagued by guilt. It was an act of Satan in the eyes of extreme anti-Zionist religious groups, but the beginning of the realization of the messianic dream in the view of religious Zionists.
This lesson explores the varied responses to the war and the manner in which these perspectives continue to influence Israel’s political process as well as its relationship with the Diaspora.