I believe that we are living in unprecedented times for the Jewish People.

In the shadow of a day which was set aside to memorialize the worst crime against humanity in recent history, this week, Jews around the world turned that solemn, somber atmosphere into one of joy and jubilation.

Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day, is a time of unbridled joy and thanksgiving to God for this new chapter of the Jewish experience.

As miraculous as Israel’s reestablishment has been, we cannot afford, even for a moment, to take it for granted.

We are the legacy of hundreds of generations of defenders and cultivators of that invaluable, priceless piece of land.

We are the latest links in a chain of dreamers, who at the threat of horrible fate still clung immortally to their heritage and beliefs.

A major tenet in that system of heritage and beliefs was “L’shana haba B’Yerushalayim”—Next year in Jerusalem.

We end our Passover Seders with that same declaration.

Next year in Jerusalem. Next year will be our redemption. Next year all of our worldly worries will be alleviated.

We are THAT generation.

We have the ability that our dreamer ancestors who prayed and survived on this idea, could have only imagined in their wildest daydreams.

Israel has rebuilt an amazing society from the sand and swamp up.

The diversity, beauty, just, strong, cultural, technologically advanced, compassionate nature of the country is only outdone by the fact that this was all accomplished in less than 100 years.

I am so proud and privileged to be a part of this 4,000-year-old, 74-year-young miracle.

Both the continuance of our heritage at all impossible odds and the rebirth of our ancestral lands.

So what now?

We need inspiration.

Inspiration promotes pride.

Inspiration often promotes action.

Indifference stifles that positive reinforcement.

At a time that our voices of excitement and jubilation over our modern-day miracle are being drowned out by those trying to remove our historical and unbreakable connection to Israel, we must do all that we can to amplify our pride for ארצנו.

So I unabashedly wear my pride on my sleeve (and my head), because I believe that it makes a difference.

If that leads to even one person being inspired to pride, I feel that it has been time well spent.

I dedicate my time to advocacy for Israel and our heritage because I owe it to those who came before me.

I owe it to our ancestors who gave their lives to keep that chain intact.

May we all be inspired to loudly and proudly continue to support and defend Israel.

By Andrew Harary