Well, I guess Israel is just one big brothel now. At least that's how it seems to be selling itself these days. The message is: Come to Israel and no matter what your sexual preferences are, we’ve got something for you. The two tourism ad campaigns that I’ve seen… one a few weeks ago and one in yesterday’s Jerusalem Post… have been promoting Israel in exactly that way.
I frankly don’t understand it. I realize of course that Israel’s tourism bureau is governed by secular Jews. And their job is to promote tourism which is one of their most important parts of their economy. Indeed tourist dollars should not be treated lightly. The economy needs all the money it can get and the income Israel receives from tourists are a big part of that.
But even if one is a secular Jew, one should understand that the very concept of Israel is entwined with its holiness and that is how most of the world sees it. Israel is the land of the bible… a land holy to all three major monotheistic faiths. That it is a creation of God’s is clearly demonstrated in the Bible. A Bible which secular Israelis study in the secular school system. They may not be religious but they do know what Israel is supposed to be all about. And it isn’t pornography.
The secular Jew knows that this is the land of the bible that flows with milk and honey. This is the land where the prophets lived. These government bureaucrats walk the very same land that Jewish kings and prophets walked. This is the land of King David, and King Solomon. This is the land that houses God’s presence in the Holy Temple. The remains of which can be seen to this day. Jews from all over the world come to pour out their hearts to God in prayer. For thousands of years... and today! It is where God chose to abide. In short it is a biblical land, not a brothel.
The Israeli government knows this very well. It is not a secret to them. As I indicated, they study Tanach. Regardless of their level of observance, they know what Israel is supposed to be and how it should be presented. And they in fact do present it biblically in so many ways. The biblical zoo in Jerusalem is but one example of that. The tourism symbol itself is taken right from the Bible in Parashas Shelach. It is incongruous and outrageous for them to say we are the land of the bible and then have a pornographic tourism campaign!
And lest anyone think that all secular Jews are all immoral and couldn’t care less about maintaining the biblical image of Israel, it’s not true. It isn’t only religious Jews that get upset about something like this. Here is what a prominent secular Labor party official had to say about it:
Labor MK and former New York consul-general Colette Avital quickly…denounc(ed) the campaign as "pornographic" and (told) Yediot Aharonot, " Israel's image has been tainted by sex scandals involving high-ranking officials as it is. I wonder if the best way to encourage tourism is by advertising sex."
She’s so very right. And I’m sure she is not alone. You would think her point would be obvious to these bureaucrats. But apparently it’s not. They don’t seem to care how people see Israel as long as they can make a buck out of it. I suppose some of it has to do with the sincere desire to make as much money as they can for the economy. Sex after all does sell! And it also has to do with the European mindset that so dominates the secular culture in Israel. Pornography in Europe, I’m told is a very common fact of life. Public broadcasts on European TV feature nudity quite freely. And no one there seems bat an eye.
I’m also told that there are topless beaches in Eilat. I guess that’s par for the course for this particular mindset. But I have to wonder if the common secular Jew in Israel feels the same way. I’m also told that most Israelis, though not fully observant nevertheless do believe in God and do observe many of the traditions of Judaism. And they appreciate the sexual mores that the Torah teaches us. I can’t believe that the vast majority of Israeli citizens approves of anything like this. And these government bureaucrats know it. They just don’t care.
