Many Israelis note Independence Day with activities that start with bereavement and culminate in a barbeque; that’s only natural in our reality. For me, the day is also an opportunity to consider whether the rights guaranteed by our Declaration of Independence are truly being implemented.

When perusing that formative document, my gaze concentrates on the promise that Israel “will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex.” I also focus on the guarantee that “it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture.”

Before entering the holiday spirit, I attend annually a “Havdala” prayer marking the shift from Memorial Day. As a personal expression of my desire for Jewish unity in this country, my attendance varies between Orthodox and liberal services. We are all Jews.

Alongside that prayer of thanks for the miracle of Israel’s establishment, we need to take stock of whether in 2026 we’re implementing what the Declaration’s signatories – who belonged to the entire political spectrum – intended for us. While doing that, we should also find a way to duplicate throughout the country the model of the Declaration-reading event held annually by the World Zionist Organization........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)