When I first came to Israel, well over 50 years ago, I really believed that in the Jewish land we could now be international. We could transcend religion and culture and become a part of the world.  

But the present wave of antisemitism has put the last nail on the coffin of that theory.  We’re not part of the world – we’re just Jews who are one step away from annihilation. And, as they say in Yiddish, noch mit a nigun – and with a song yet – with great enthusiasm and joy.

So it makes sense that we’re turning inward and examining our own literature, rather than the culture of the world.  And tonight I joined the launch of Lyre

https://www.biupress.org/index.php/lyre/article/view/101/81

initially because one of the editors who is a close friend, Chanita Goodblatt, forced me to write an article for the initial issue.  But it’s good – and I’m proud to be a part of it.