The Ashkenazi Revolution

269civilization does not interest the writer of this book one iota. He is notprepared to raise a finger for it, and he lets the Sephardic leaders concernthemselves with it. The toil that this writer invests in this book comes fromhis faith that the civilization that will grow in the State of Israel will benone other than Ashkenazi. The wonderful creations of Ashkenazinationalism during British rule and in the State of Israel, the rich EasternEuropean tradition built upon the linguistic and cultural treasures within it,the love of the State of Israel by Ashkenazi communities in the Diaspora –all of these create a chance for a rich and blossoming Israeli Ashkenazicivilization. In the following sections of this chapter, the essentialconditions for the realization of this central goal will be laid out.4The Law of Return is pregnant with tragedy for the existence of the State ofIsrael. The birth of this law was not entirely out of love for immigrants orthe love of Israel. The Labor movement had perfect opportunities to savethe Jews of Europe. Even during the war, and until the Nazis completedtheir conquest of the lands of southwest Europe, there was still a possibilityof saving hundreds of thousands of Ashkenazim. But the Labor movementrefused to endanger itself. Everything it did was intended to save itselfafter the destruction of Europe. The few who desired to sacrificethemselves, like Hannah Szenes, received permission to fulfill their wishesonly after much trouble. Had Hannah Szenes preferred fighting against theEnglish, the quiet partners of the Nazis in the murder of European Jewry,her friends would have turned her over to the British police. At the time ofthe horrific tragedy that happened to European Jewry, the Labor movementenjoyed a more or less normal life. The organizational economy wasblossoming and the administration and offices functioned properly. Afterthe war, the Labor movement saved itself from the Arabs and employed, tothis end, means and methods that it had condemned as long as their use wassuggested in order to save the Jews of Europe. At a later stage thismovement, which always attacked Jewish business in all its forms, rushedto create an entirely new Jewish business branch, the business of paymentsand reparations based on the ashes that remained of the Jews of Europe.