Though it was a short assignment, in two years as Israel’s deputy consul general to the Pacific Northwest I feel I experienced and learned more than I would have anywhere else in the world.
It’s hardly newsworthy to say that the Bay Area is an amazing place to live, but the beautiful scenery, the friendly, inclusive people and the warm atmosphere (despite the not-so-warm climate) made my family feel welcome soon after landing in San Francisco. I consider myself lucky to have had the privilege of serving the country I love in a country I adore.
The consulate’s most important mission is to maintain and upgrade the special relationship between the United States and Israel, and we did that by constantly identifying opportunities to bring Israel’s added value to the people in this part of the world. I concentrated on ways to engage as many groups as possible around exciting fields such as technology, innovation and entrepreneurship while building bridges and fostering relationships with different communities.
Alongside successful projects and achievements, there are ongoing challenges. This unique region is blessed with some of the smartest, sharpest and most innovative thinkers in the world, but it also constitutes a hub for some of the harshest, most hurtful and most negative activities against Israel. Questioning Israel’s right to exist, demonizing it and the ongoing efforts to discredit almost every move it makes are some components of a coordinated campaign to delegitimize and isolate Israel. The rise of anti-Semitism in the region, mainly on college campuses, did not come as a surprise to me; we long ago identified the strong connection between anti-Israel notions and activities and modern anti-Semitism. The fact that I personally encountered this appalling phenomenon for the first time in my life in Northern California — that is something I still find hard to grasp.
During my term in this region, Jewish communities were like a second home to me. On a weekly basis, sometimes more, I met and talked with congregants, rabbis, lay leaders, professional staff, board members and heads of Jewish organizations who opened their doors, minds and hearts to the official representative of Israel. Our discussions about Israel were often prodigious, and I felt the communities’ absolute love for Eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel), their deep involvement in life there and a profound commitment to ensure its sustainability and success. It made me proud that we’re mishpocha.
When speaking to various audiences, I often told people that considering what’s going on in the world today, and specifically in the tough neighborhood Israel finds itself, it’s doing pretty well. I’ve agreed with those who said Israel isn’t perfect and emphasized the point that we Israelis are our biggest (and loudest) critics, constantly trying to improve our ways.
I’ve encouraged my friends to broaden their views, and to see their home away from home as involved in an ongoing effort to build a better place for all its residents. I’ve recommended they visit the only place in the Middle East where people of all faiths coexist and religious persecution is nonexistent. Where nearly 200,000 people of all sexual orientations recently celebrated Pride in a spectacular festival. Where water technologies are being developed in the heart of the desert, helping to overcome horrible droughts, such as the one California is facing.
With my term ended, I head home with the knowledge that you’ve got Israel’s back. I have no doubt you’ll stay educated, involved and deeply attentive to what’s happening 7,000 miles away from the breathtaking bridges of the bay. Please come for a vacation (bring the youngsters; they’ll love it!), spend a semester in a world renowned university, invest in a leading tech-oriented economy or volunteer in one of many vigorous social change nonprofits. But whatever path you choose, please don’t ever see our destiny as anything else but united.
L’shanah haba b’Yerushalayim (next year in Jerusalem). Or, for that matter, anywhere else in our wonderful country.
Eyal Naor served as the deputy consul general at Israel’s San Francisco–based consulate for the past two years. In July he returned to Israel, where he is working at the Foreign Ministry.