Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
This iconic photograph of determined Zionists—still wearing their concentration camp
stripes as they labor to create their country in the late 1940s—stirs the Israeli soul.
After World War II, a generation of Holocaust orphans helped end the Jewish Di-
aspora. Back then, there was an inspiring slogan: “A land without a people for a people
without a land.” The problem was that this land wasn't empty—it was inhabited, albeit
sparsely, by many Palestinians. Still, when you look at a photo of the early Zionists who
came here and mixed sand, sweat, brain power, and a determined vision into a power-
ful nation, you can understand the passion Israelis have for their homeland. In the coun-
tryside, lush valleys farmed by co-operative communities called kibbutzes recall genera-
tions of patriotic Israelis who turned the desert into orchards.
I find the poignancy of nation-building most inspiring in the big coastal city of Tel
Aviv. In 1908, Tel Aviv was just a big sand dune. Today the city feels like San Diego. The
