I don’t remember the me who was not yet a Zionist. But I do remember that my Zionism was born alongside an unconditional love for Israel. As a teenager enamored with my Young Judaea youth movement, I viewed Israel as a magical, far-away Jewish homeland that I looked forward to visiting someday.

Fast forward to my college years when I began planning for my junior year abroad at the Hebrew University. As I packed to leave, my only fear was that Israel, the reality, could never live up to my expectations for the country I so admired.

As it turned out, not only did Israel live up to my vision, it surpassed it. Did I have rose-colored glasses on? Not really. I simply was mesmerized by feeling so at home in a foreign country. Every experience felt like an adventure — unfamiliar, yet at the same time, feeding my soul. I loved it all unconditionally.

As the years have gone by, I have been forced to see realities about my Jewish homeland that upset me. I have been disappointed by some of the actions of those in power. What were these? The specifics don’t really matter because they don’t stop me from loving Israel unconditionally — the way I love my husband, daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren and even “grand-dogs.”

I find myself asking, “Does one have to love Israel unconditionally to be a Zionist?” I think so — but I quickly qualify that response by acknowledging that it doesn’t mean we won’t ever cringe at some of the things we witness; that we will never wish that our Jewish homeland would have chosen a different option in dealing with its enemies. But there is no need to shed our Zionist identity and withdraw our love for Israel because we don’t agree with every decision.

By the same token, I think it’s crucial that we keep two truths uppermost in our minds: First, the State of Israel was not born through a land grab. Israel was voted into being by the United Nations! Many anti-Zionists, I would bet, don’t even know that. Especially those born long after 1948.

And second: Israel, at no point in its history, has committed genocide. Article II of the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention defines genocide “as acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group.” This has never been Israel’s intention.

Since its beginning, Israel has had to fight for its very survival. Fighting against terrorists whose violence seems to know no boundaries is quite a complex challenge –a challenge that exacts an ineffable price. To accuse Israel of genocide in any of the wars it has been forced to fight is unfathomable to me. At the very least, it is inaccurate.

Whenever I used to sing Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem, I wondered, “Why do we still express the hope of 2,000 years to live as a free nation in our land? Israel is a free nation, living in her homeland! Why not update the words that began as the anthem of the Zionist movement way before the state was created?

But recently, it hit me that, though Israelis are technically a free people, they are yet to breathe freely, almost 78 years since the birth of their country, for there is always an enemy too close for comfort that refuses to accept Israel’s existence.

So, to all who have erased Zionism from their identity— or are even contemplating such a drastic move, I say: Don’t! Your Jewish homeland, fighting for the right to exist and preservation of its soul, needs your understanding, empathy and unconditional love.

As Israel Independence Day approaches, I hope you all join me in expressing unconditional pride in Israel’s accomplishments and appreciation for the valuable citizen of the world that Israel is.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)