El Al Pilots and Crew at Rutgers Hillel

This past Monday there was an event on campus hosting employees of the airline El Al. I couldn’t help but be drawn to the event, as my opportunity to hear from such a diverse group of Israelis serving in an official capacity does not appear that frequently. I was not disappointed. In fact, I liked practically everything about it. I enjoyed the diversity that they had the foresight to bring to the event. I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of it all. I absolutely loved that it was not focused on the conflict. Too often discussions relating to Israel are forced into this corner. Certainly, the conflict is a feature of their life and culture, but I believe it to be a profound mistake to reduce Israel to such a narrow conception. These Israelis were a perfect reminder of how much broader and deeper Israeli society runs than a conflict.

Of particular interest to me were the Druze man, and the very cheery gay men. Though I'm sure I'm not the only one, I found all three of those participants to be of particular interest, as I have not had the opportunity to hear from individuals with such backgrounds. Obviously, my interest in the Druze fellow was his entirely positive attitude towards Israel. He noted twice how he had served in the Israeli army, as well as family members of his who had done the same. As a Jew, it is very inspiring to hear that there are people who willingly stand alongside us and fight our fight. Given our history, such people are nothing short of a miracle.

Rutgers students with El Al crew

More intriguing to me was the candid approach all of the panelists took to the event.  Sure, it's a stereotype about Israelis that they are unnaturally blunt, but it's hard to fully appreciate until you actually hear them. They were on what was essentially a P.R campaign for Israel, but still felt no compunction about criticizing what they saw as Israel's flaws. One of them openly admitted that they were involved in the protests over the summer. Imagine an American doing P.R abroad and saying they were part of OWS, it’s simply wouldn’t happen. Even more interesting was the willingness of the gay men to speak about themselves and how they live comfortably and openly in a country that was founded on a religious affiliation. But I think it serves as a testament to Israeli culture. They are open.

Too often this observation is dismissed by Israel's detractors as some sort of P.R. ploy. While I regret bringing such a lighthearted and pleasant affair back to politics, I believe it to be necessary. I think it's absolutely disingenuous to so casually dismiss the very real achievements  and progress that has been made on behalf of various individuals and minorities in Israel. It's a point that reveals the core values of a society.

The ability to freely criticize your country, or to be openly gay, or an ethnic minority provide valuable insight into the values and priorities of a nation. It’s especially telling when considering how rare these qualities are throughout much of the world.

After all, who else would send Arabs, Jews, and gays as their P.R team?

(Written by Alex Zeldin, 13’)