HaTikvah vs. The Star Spangled Banner

By Stephanie King
Air Force Academy

A few months ago I asked a number of my friends a question: which song resonates more with you: HaTikvah or the Star Spangled Banner? Interestingly, the majority of them answered HaTikvah. When I followed up with the inevitable "why?" I received a wide variety of answers: a connection to a people whose lives are symbolic of dreams willed to reality, a commitment and belief in something higher than one person can do alone, an active part of am kadosh (a holy people), the remembrance of unparalleled bravery and perseverance and a people of faith and hope who defied all odds when faced with adversity and strife. What a list!

Coincidentally, those reasons are the same reason I made a commitment to serve in the United States military. Everyone has a gift to give to humanity, some reason for doing whatever it is we do on a daily basis and doing it well. My contribution is my commitment to believing in a free society where people enjoy "certain unalienable rights," where people can say whatever it is they want to say and where people can live their lives to their fullest potential however they wish! Additionally, my promise to uphold and protect our Constitution in the US military is not a solitary effort. Planes cannot fly themselves—maintainers ensure the plane can take off, suppliers fuel the aircraft, the chaplains provide moral support and the commanders provide the purpose behind the mission as well as the morale for the troops. Finally, my privilege of serving in the military, either as a cadet or as an officer in the near future, provides me the perfect avenue to finally transfer my gratefulness to all of those who have provided me opportunities to succeed in life. Now it is time for me to have my turn and return their kindness and support.

My commitment to and love for Judaism have been the most influential reasons for finding meaning in my military future as well as expressing my love for our country. Although the military does use force as a last-resort means of accomplishing an objective, a substantial component of the military’s operations include humanitarian missions—helping hungry people worldwide, the relief effort after the tsunami in Asia, building schools and water lines in Iraq, providing medicine to Africans with AIDS, building municipal governments in Afghanistan, as well as raising money for charities in the US. The list goes on and on. What better way to contribute to tikkun olam (repairing the world) than to, in Army-speak, get down and dirty with the task at hand? My spiritual purpose is fulfilled knowing that people, civilians and soldiers, depend on me to do my job. Together we contribute to the whole.

Nonetheless, profound differences exist between US and Israeli patriotism. The US remains sharply divided on the current military operations in the Middle East. Also, the terrorism we fight trains and operates in a place far away from our country. We struggle with political unity, which is evident from our last election and we fight a façade few recognize. Israel fights terrorism within her own borders, celebrates miraculous military victories in wars past, constantly defies the odds as a geographically small country with a virtually unmatched spirit and is never defeated by her foes. In spite of the political and philosophical differences, the US maintains an all-volunteer force. Israel, on the other hand, requires its citizens to serve in the military for a specific period of time. How and why would a country with its sharp dividing lines insist on maintaining a military solely reliant upon people satisfying their patriotic motives? This seems far-fetched to me... Or Israel, with her plea for freedom from terror and an unmatched hope for peace, depending on a draft to sustain the high tempo of defense?

The answer is this: regardless of a draft or a volunteer-type recruiting tool, all soldiers have made the commitment to defend their respective countries and to secure the rights and liberties of their citizens. Israeli and American troops alike are prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for the good of their countries, for ideals they believe in with a whole heart. We recall the historical significance of battles fought and struggles overcome. We remember those who have fallen in their quest to do what they truly believed was right. We are all young, trying to find our place in the world, trying to make our contribution to those who have influenced our lives, trying to preserve freedom and peace for our respective nations. We reflect upon our national songs, the songs in which we sharply salute the flag and demonstrate our gratitude. In the end, our Jewish soldiers fight the same fight, as brothers and sisters in purpose and in faith.

[Posted 5/6/05]