Israel Needs a Unifying Pledge of Allegiance
[As appeared in The Jerusalem Post ] The role of public declarations of recognition and loyalty, such as national anthems and pledges of allegiance, are important both for personal identity and building a feeling of national unity. For Americans, it is an eloquent and short statement of only thirty-one simple words – “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” The pledge is subtlety designed to allow the individual to maintain their personal identity and religious beliefs (“I pledge”) yet be part of, and belong to, a national group (“…for all”). Furthermore, it directly reflects and re-enforces the foundational statement found in the United States Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life,