Riff on the Single State Solution

Early days in Haifa. Trips to the mall. Making friends - as someone chatty like I can - with the clerks at the record store.

After discussions about DVD/TV technology - multi-system, multi-region, DVD, PAL, NTSC etc. etc. - the inevitable (I guess) came out. Yup, I was a rabbi from the States. Discussion - brief - ensued.

Well, he was in his late 20's or early 30's. He had a solution for ha-matzav - the situation - in Israel. After all, he says, I'm not religious. Why be wedded to this piece of real estate? Why not let the United States just give us a state, let us move in and give Israel back to the Arabs? Probably cheaper than U.S. foreign aid anyway. Right? Certainly a novel solution to my ears.

By the time I got on the phone that evening with a friend, the perfect plan emerged in my conversation. The riff on his idea - the variations on his theme - just sprang full-blown from who knows where.

Not a state in the United States. No, there are Mexicans leaving lots of empty space down South of the Border - right? Matter of fact - a state in Mexico makes more sense. We could find one that has a climate not unlike Israel and - there you have it - a great transfer. A three-way swap - Mexicans to the States and Israelis to Mexico.

Besides, most Israelis already speak English. They could learn a third language just as easily. Besides, Spanish is "so difficult" for those of us Americans who think everyone should speak English and just not give us any more problems. Right?

Matter of fact, I continued, there are temples in Mexico. And, there are scholars who think they have proved that North American Indians are part of the lost tribes.

I think there's a real case here. Maybe he's struck on the solution. Yes, yes, the original two temples are in the Land of Canaan - but with a little creativity - we could do like the pilgrims and create a New Canaan in Mexico. Right?

Well - it was worth a try. The riff was a fun way to blow off steam and nerves the first week I was in Israel. The clerk's bright idea holds much more interest, though, bespeaking someone tired of the tension - a tiredness about which we - for the most part - know nothing.

Riff away this summer - you never know where your might end up!!

Rabbi Heath