LOVE OF THE LAND
Dr. Aaron Lerner
IMRA
Weekly Commentary
06 October '11
“I promise you - my little girl,
That this will be the last war."
The Last War - song performed during the Yom Kippur War – 1973
"We are the children of winter 1973
.....you promised peace"
WINTER OF '73 – song performed first in 1995
They were both lies.
I am from the generation that experienced the nightmare of the Yom Kippur War of 1973.
And while Yehoram Gaon certainly entertained the troops singing “The Last War”, it was not seen at the time as anything more than just a song.
When our children were born I had every expectation that would have to serve in the IDF when they grew up. And they did.
And I have every expectation that the generations that will follow will also serve.
It is catastrophically naive to think otherwise.
Now that’s not to say that our policy makers should not strive to reach agreements and understandings with our neighbors.
Just that we do not live in a “best case scenario world” and the efficacy of these agreements and understandings must be considered without any illusions.
No. We don’t promise our children peace.
But when considered from the perspective of Jewish history, what we offer today is pretty encouraging.
