Sam – The Jewish community is constantly slapping labels on each other. We define a Jew by a million things. What type of yarmulke, streimel, sheitel, kercheif, hat, schools, skirt length, sleeve length, mixed seating, separate seating, dating style, wedding style………I’m not sure why you feel that this particular day is more divisive than all the issues that come up day after day in the coffee room and in conversation. I agree with you that the miracles that have happened in Israel over the last 63 years are truly Yad Hashem and it is only through Yad Hashem that we have been successful. Sometimes Yad Hashem is an event outside of nature, such as the splitting of the yam suf, but often people are required to put hishtadlus in for a miracle to manifest. We ask for nissim every day, yet people choose to ignore the day to day miracle of Israel’s survival. Politics have absolutely nothing to do with these miracles or the Jews that have died and suffered for Israel, those people deserve to be remembered and honored for what they sacrificed. It would be ungrateful to ignore them and a day of remembrance is appropriate. As for Hallel, half Hallel – davening is between an individual and Hashem. Celebrate or don’t celebrate with people who have similar views, even if that means going to a different shul for one day a year. I’ve been to two Yom Ha’atzmaut events this week and only felt solidarity and an immense appreciation for those that have died and for Hashem’s protection.
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