As we celebrate the 77th year of Israel’s independence this Yom Ha’atzmaut, the need for Israel’s existence as the world’s only Jewish state is paramount for the Jewish people’s survival. As we remember the brave men and women who died fighting to make the promised land a reality and celebrate all Israel has become, we must continue to push back against the rise of antisemitism and anti-Zionism that threaten Israel’s survival. To do that, we must not only advocate for a continued strong U.S.-Israel relationship and a secure Israel; we must fight antisemitism in the United States, and fortify and empower the Jewish community to take pride in our heritage.

Before 1948, many Jews returned to their ancestral homeland in support of founding a modern-day State of Israel and to escape the antisemitism and persecution they were facing across the globe. When Israel declared independence 77 years ago, new waves of Jews, especially from Arab lands, joined the pioneers and those who had continuously lived in the Land of Israel for millennia.

In the last 77 years, Israel has grown into a flourishing democracy, an economic powerhouse, and a leader in the fields of health care and technology. Israel is a haven in the Middle East for women’s and LGBTQ rights, with a robust judiciary and a diverse multiparty parliamentary system that offers the right to vote to all its citizens.