As the Gaza (Hezbollah?) war continues to drag on, the question that haunts us is, “Why does the world care so much about the Jews?” After all, while the crisis is certainly an existential struggle for us, and governments are only now, belatedly, beginning to acknowledge it, it is certainly not the only crisis in the world at large. There are civil wars in Ethiopia, Myanmar, Congo and Yemen, famine in Somalia and Sudan, repression in Afghanistan, a brutal conflict in Ukraine, and weather-related catastrophes around the world.
And yet, despite all this, the world’s eyes seem firmly, if not exclusively, fixed on what’s happening in this relatively small country. While virtually ignoring other war zones on the planet, the press is fixated on what’s happening here. Tune into an international news station and you’ll see dramatic stories with an excessive emphasis on Israel. Cholera epidemic in Haiti? No medicine available in Venezuela? Two million people displaced in Burkina Faso (yes, it’s a real place)? Half a million killed by dictator Assad in Syria? Nobody cares about these unfortunate people. But children shot in Gaza in crossfire, rockets fired at Kiryat Shmona, protests on the Tel Aviv highway, the expansion of balconies in Efrat, etc., dominate the world’s airwaves.
And that was the case long before the modern state of Israel came into existence. Abraham, the first Hebrew/Jew, was a key figure in the cradle of civilization, and for that reason he is still revered by the three major world religions.
Jacob and his 12 sons were well known and received special honors and privileges from Pharaoh. Kings David and Solomon entertained world monarchs (in fact, David is one of the four kings depicted on standard playing cards to this day!). When the Temple of Jerusalem was built, visitors from far and wide, both Jews and non-Jews, came on pilgrimage there. We famously stood bravely against the Greek Empire and rebelled against Rome – no small feat. Our ancestors were academically prominent in Europe for centuries. And, of course, we were at the center of the fanatical, Nazi-led attempt at global domination that sparked World War II.
But why!? What is it about us that attracts so much attention? Much of it is unwanted. Why can’t poets, critics and politicians just leave us alone and ignore us, as they do in so many other countries? Why must we always be front page news?
The Chosen People
I believe it is because we were chosen by God to be His emissaries to the nations of the world to spread one central divine message to the masses: that there is a higher power that asks, indeed demands, that humanity act within a moral framework and strive to be higher than all other races. That is the deeper reason why we, the Jewish people, were able to spread to every corner of the globe and impact the wider world by teaching the ways of God. And that is why, as one mighty empire after another fades from history, we not only received the miraculous blessing of surviving forever despite overwhelming odds, but also the ability to rebuild our nation three times.
But this gift of immortality comes with heavy work and challenges. We must become what the Torah calls “exceptions.” We must embody a code of conduct that elevates ourselves and all humanity. Like it or not, in a word, we are to be divine prototypes, to light the way, to show the world that might is not always right, that truth always prevails, and that love between people is the glue that holds civilizations together. We cannot always be like everyone else. If we forget that, the world is ready and eager to condemn us.
This is never an easy mission. The world can be stubborn and rebellious. And, after all, we are only human. We are constantly in danger of falling prey to our mortal weaknesses: power, money, immorality, and perhaps worst of all, apathy. Part of us wants to be left alone, to blend into mainstream society, even as we feel we have a divine plan and purpose. We carry a spiritual burden on our shoulders that makes it hard to stand upright, and we often tire and collapse. But we also have an amazing ability to compose ourselves and rise again.
There will be times along the way when we stumble, producing Marx and Madoff instead of Moses and Maimonides, Deli instead of David, and incurring blame far out of proportion to that which is usually bestowed upon others. We are meant to be role models, and when we stumble and abandon our unique and godly nature and emulate the corruption and deception that permeates modern society, we disappoint those who expect higher standards of ethics and behavior from us, for deep down the soul of every good person is seeking salvation.
But when we live our better selves, we tug at the heartstrings of others. We earn praise when Jewish music heals the world, when Jewish ingenuity makes life more agreeable and peaceful, when Jewish intelligence informs the collective consciousness. When we dress modestly and act patiently—yes, even on the highway—we reduce greed and anxiety and promote civility. We earn grudging respect when Israel sends talented medical teams to help victims of far-flung earthquakes, performs sight-saving cataract surgeries in Africa, and saves the hearts of poor children around the world. And when our holy soldiers act with unparalleled morality in the most difficult situations and demonstrate Torah values ​​in terrifying tunnels, we show that even war can be fought in a godly way.
Cursing and blaming our critics is not the way we should spend our energies. At this cataclysmic juncture in our history, each of us must look inward to what we can do to restore God’s trust in us as his faithful messengers, rather than looking outward to what may certainly be a cruel and critical world. That is our strength. That is our service. That is the key to our survival and the world’s. It is up to the chosen people to make the right choice. 
The author is director of the Jewish Outreach Center in Ra’anana. rabbistewart@gmail.com
