Israel@70
What Israel Means to Me: Russ Shulkes
Here’s what the Hillels of Georgia executive director has to say as we celebrate Israel’s 70th birthday.
![Bernie Marcus accepts the Visionary Award from the leadership of Hillels of Georgia — Rabbi Russ Shulkes, the executive director, and Michael Coles, the board president — and Hillel International President Eric Fingerhut (left). Bernie Marcus accepts the Visionary Award from the leadership of Hillels of Georgia — Rabbi Russ Shulkes, the executive director, and Michael Coles, the board president — and Hillel International President Eric Fingerhut (left).](https://static.timesofisrael.com/atlantajewishtimes/uploads/2018/04/ED-HIllel-Shulkes-Coles-Marcus-Fingerhut-640x400.jpg)
Bernie Marcus accepts the Visionary Award from the leadership of Hillels of Georgia — Rabbi Russ Shulkes, the executive director, and Michael Coles, the board president — and Hillel International President Eric Fingerhut (left).
I cannot understand the modern state of Israel as a separate phenomenon apart from Zionism. While Zionism enjoys many definitions, for me it is the movement that recognized the historical need to establish a home for the Jewish people based on the failure of the experiment of galut (exile).
![IS-70 shulkes russ](https://cdn.timesofisrael.com/uploads/2018/04/IS-70-shulkes-russ-305x172.jpg)
Rabbi Russ Shulkes
However, the state’s very existence has allowed it to become so much more. As the Jewish world for the most part is bifurcated between two Jewish centers — the United States and Israel — Israel many times plays the trump card in directing the future of Jewish thought and practice.
See all the reflections on Israel’s meaning on this special anniversary.
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