The very existence of the small democratic Jewish nation of Israel

thriving amidst a sea of Islamic dictatorships is truly a modern day miracle.

Emerging from the ashes of the Shoah1 this ragtag group of people was to

ascend to the heights in every area of expertise and professionalism ranging

from entertainment to cosmetology to science. In the inspiring words of Mark

Twain as recorded in Harper’s magazine in September 1899 he said “If the

statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one quarter of one percent of the

human race. It suggests a nebulous dim puff of stardust lost in the blaze of

the Milky Way. Properly, the Jew ought hardly to be heard of; but he is heard

of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other

people, and his importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallest

of his bulk. His contributions to the world list of great names in literature,

science, art, music, finance, medicine and abstruse learning are also way out

of proportion to the weakness of his numbers. He has made a marvellous fight

in this world, in all ages; and has done it with his hands tied behind him”

(Silbiger 2000). The intention of this discourse was to explore the role of the

miraculous in the founding and formation of the modern State of Israel through the vehicle known as Zionism2.

1 Hebrew word for holocaust

2 A word denoting the movement dedicated to the establishment of a Jewish home land