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They say that sticks and stones can break your bones but words can never hurt you. And yet, the country of Israel, despite its superior military, still suffers from the slings and arrows launched by the BDS movement and unabashed anti-Semites who seek to foster a bad impression of the Jewish Homeland. And that is why the group Ga-Ga for Israel—Put Israel’s Best Face Forward shines like a veritable light beaming from Zion.
Ga-Ga for Israel—Put Israel’s Best Face Forward is a grass roots movement started by journalist/author Aliza Davidovit with the singular purpose of showing all the great things coming out of Israel, such as its medical achievements, humanitarian missions, agricultural advancements, inspirational art and culture, and world changing innovations. The group has one main objective: to put Israel’s best face forward. This past week the group celebrated tweeting 1,000 positive tweets about Israel and posting over 40,000 items on Facebook where all members mine the news for positive articles coming out of Israel.
“When I first started the campaign with my Canadian administrator, Rhoda Sonken Shabinsky, I was nervous that I wouldn’t have things to post every day,” Davidovit shares. “But in our efforts to show all the great things coming out of Israel to others, I was super impressed by the fecundity of the Israeli people. Not a day goes by without some amazing, miraculous innovations and discoveries to brag about.” Except on Shabbat! On Shabbat Ga-Ga rests its case for Israel.
Here are some of the most recent posts: Israel’s New Orcam device turns the world into speech for the blind; for Syrian refugees in Jordan, aid from Israel comes in a whisper; Israeli made devices give diabetics freedom; Israel’s “Seraphim Sense” creates the “Guardian Angel” Wristband to monitor health; Israel’s GeneG’s App will make genetic testing as available as text messaging; DNA testing on your smartphone is just a download away, etc.
“Israel is not perfect,” Davidovit says, “but for a people living forever under the literal gun, it is amazing not only that the country has survived, but that it continues to thrive. If you don’t believe in God, just look at Israel and you will believe because that country is a living, breathing miracle.”
Davidovit uses her platform as a journalist to help spread the good word coming out of Israel to Congressmen, world leaders and influential individuals. She has recruited celebrities to support Ga-Ga for Israel, including comedian Jackie Mason, journalist Larry King, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, attorney Alan Dershowitz, model Cindy Margolis, boxer Yuri Forman, actress Valerie Harper, and Bon Jovi band member David Bryan and others…. Members on Facebook’s Ga-Ga for Israel group include Knesset member Silvan Shalom, Minister of National Infrastructure, Energy and Water ; Ambassador Yehuda Avner; Ambassador Danny Ayalon; Edgar Bronfman; author Aharon Leibersohn, author Talia Carner, Judea Pearl, father of murdered journalist Daniel Pearl, and journalists and Israel lovers of all faiths. Many of the members consider themselves “PR soldiers” who continue to disseminate the message to their respective worlds.
“I owe a great debt of gratitude to all Ga-Ga’s members, especially to our Christians members such as Scott Leikam and David Blaski, and others, who were first to join and are always the first to jump on board and to participate in our protests or signatory missions.” Some of those initiatives have included letters to singers Alicia Keys, Elton John, Alanis Morissette, Tom Jones and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and journalist Bob Costas thanking them for their support of Israel either by speaking up on the country’s behalf or by performing in Israel despite vehement protests not to do so. Other letters, including one in braille to Stevie Wonder, sought to edify and express disappointment in those who kowtowed to boycotters and Israel bashers.
Davidovit says that she has not even met most of the people in the Facebook Ga-Ga for Israel group, including her own outstanding administrator, but their love of the Jewish Homeland has brought them all together in a united mission and Davidovit says they are like one family with one heart.
Ga-Ga for Israel was founded in 2008 by Davidovit and pop artist Bec Eichler to coincide with Israel’s 60th birthday. It began as a T-shirt campaign which featured a slew of Israel’s heroes: Ga-Ga for Golda, Ga-Ga for Ben-Gurion, Ga-Ga for Moshe Dayan, etc… A slew of philanthropists, including Ben Weider, Gary Winnick, Bertie Lubner, David Steiner, David Asper, etc., funded the T-shirts which were given out by Hillel groups on campus across the country. “My mission then was to ‘Let my people know’ and to inspire college students to learn more and care more about the Jewish homeland,” Davidovit says. “Today the mission is to let everyone know. And though our enemies won’t soon be going “Ga-Ga for Israel,” but now the voices of detractors and kvetchers that echo in the blogosphere will not be alone. “For Zion’s sake we will continue to tweet our hearts out!”
So does the name have anything to do with singer Lady Ga-Ga? No! But the group will soon have something to sing about as a theme song for Ga-Ga for Israel is now in the works by Canadian song writer, Sam Rosenbaum. Beware BDS movement, Ga-Ga for Israel just might “rap” it all up!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/GaGaforIsraelGroup/
By Phil Siers
