Ahad Ha'am, the father of cultural Zionism, believed that a consciousness of the connection between the individual Jew, previous generations, and the entire nation must be developed in every Jew. The rejection of this inextricable link does damage to the fulfillment of the individual, because this bond plays a vitat role in the development of Jewish identity. A religious Jew can survive anywhere, for his commitment to religion is personally important and already an expression of the connection between himself and a continuing tradition. It is more difficult, however, for the secular Jew to do so, to resist the forces of assimilation and maintain an identity. Devoid of a caring for Israel, the desire to learn Hebrew, a passion for Zionism, and any connection to Jewish tradition or culture, it is difficult to create or maintain a strong Jewish identity.

Ahad Ha'am, however, accepted assimilation and secularization as a natural consequence of the attractiveness of modern life. While Israel is the ideal place for a secular Jew to insure a strong identity for his children, making Aliyah is not always possible for the American Jew. Ahad Haam did not believe that moving to Israel was the only solution to the problem of assimilation, nor did he expect that every Jew would make this move. Instead he propagated the idea of Israel as a spiritual center for the Jewish people, to which Jews in the Diaspora could look to for cultural definition.

If secular American Jews want to survive, then they must espouse a modern cultural Zionism that encourages learning Hebrew as a means to relate to Israel and Jewish culture, focuses more on Israel and Zionism and less on other aspects of Jewish culture suchas the Holocaust, and supports Israel on a larger scale.

As long as Jewish existence is problematic in the world, a Zionist ideology and Israel are needed to hold together the Jews in the Diaspora. In order to give meaning to this relationship a common language must be spoken among all Jews. Even though the adoption of a modern Hebrew language was a necessity for national revival, it has always been a common denominator for Jews in the Diaspora. Language defines a national identity to an extent, but moreover serves to strengthen cultural identity.

It is not a coincidence that many nations, largely as the result of colonization, speak the same language and still possess some common culture. Conversely, nations with sizable groups of people who speak different languages (i.e. South Africa, Canada, Belgium, Former Yugoslavia) often risk balkanization because of differing cultures. Therefore it is to the benefit of Jews, regardless of their home country, to embrace the language that connects them with their cultural identity and Israel.

While Hebrew is still taught today in Jewish day schools and in major universities, the percentage of Jews that take advantage of or have access to these options is marginal. The benefits of knowing Hebrew are overshadowed by its limited global importance. While it may be more practical to learn Chinese or Spanish, the individual Jew will never have a connection to the culture of these languages. The denial of a rich, enduring, and diverse Jewish culture, estranges the individual from his or her place in the continuity of the Jewish people.

While the Holocaust undeniably contributes to Jewish identity, an identity based upon and sustained by the Holocaust will not endure without a connection to Israel in addition. The bond between the individual and both past generations and the present land of Israel is necessary for such sustenance. The Holocaust, as a past event, grows progressively more distant chronologically, and the strenghthening characteristics of the catastrophe diminishes with this growing distance.

The land of Israel, however, is culturally vibrant, economically booming, technologically and scientifically advanced and has so much more potential for further growth and development; it is a phenomenon in the present as opposed to an event in history. Merely observing Israel^Òs progress should give Jews hope and assurance that they have a similar capacity for growth. Focusing too much on the destructive elements of the Holocaust might counter this positive perception of both the capabilities of the individual Jew and the Jewish people. Observing such decimation might provoke a feeling of weakness in the individual, despite the many inspiring Ótriumph over tragedy" Holocaust stories. Utilizing a connection to Israel as a source of cultural and spiritual vitality, therefore, may assist in the bolstering of the secular Jew^Òs identity.

A factor which often forces Jews in the Diaspora to separate themselves from Israel, however, is the manner in which American Jews are often judged and measured by the behavior of the state. Due to the media^Òs frequent and critical coverage of Israel's role in the peace process, being a Zionist carries with it some unfavorable connotations that many in the Diaspora are inclined to shun. As a result, many Jews in America have sought to distance themselves from Israel, feeling that Israel's actions inadvertently reflect poorly on the American Jewish community. Diaspora Zionism becomes more tenuous, as a result of indifference, assimilation and shame, which in turn gives rise to Jewish anti-Zionism and reticence. Professor and lawyer Alan Dershowitz stated at the 1996 AIPAC conference in Washington D.C. that American Jews should always express support for Israel regardless of their views on the current political situation in Israel. The Israelis should, as part of the democratic process, debate publicly and criticize their leaders, but in America Jews must not give mixed messages to the United States government. American Jews cannot justify their opposition to the policies of the Israeli government as an excuse not to support Israel. Jews have to accept that their country, whether acting in accord or discord with their personal beliefs, is still their country after 2,000 years in exile.

The Jews that are ambivalent to the events in Israel often take it for granted that all Jews innately support Israel. It is careless to leave the duty to a few to go to Israel and act on the country^Òs behalf than to support it locally. How can secular Jews expect to maintain their identity if they have no model of what a secular identity consists of. Despite the quantity of money given to Israel by American Jewry, the actual number of people that care to give is marginal. In our consumer society, our possessions and the charities we support are a reflection of our identity. Giving to Israel, no matter the amount, is a sign of commitment to our identity and to our spiritual and cultural center.

The privilege of maintaining an identity should not be taken, for granted for it is not possible to resist assimilation without activity. In the poem "In the City of Slaughter," the Hebrew poet Chaim Nachman Bialik criticizes Jewish inactivity in the face of death. He gives expression to the frustration and powerlessness of the Russian Jews in the face of their oppressors during the Kishnev pogrom in 1903. However, as free citizens, in a modern country that encourages freedom of expression, we have no excuse to be paralyzed by passivity. From Bialik's poem, the Jews of Russia were emancipated from their own passivity and began to realize the importance of seizing their own destinies.

Similarly, we must also endeavor to maintain our Jewish identity and give direction to our future through a close, active connection to where the culture of this identity is most concentrated - Israel.