It's interesting that you're talking here exclusively about American/diaspora Jews-- it seems to me that both native Israelis and immigrants in Israel fall into a similar category-- not in the sense that is relevant to your Fiddler joke, but in the sense that their feelings toward the State are often muddled, contradictory and not-so-stationary. It's difficult to develop concrete feelings about a place (even when you live here, but even more so when you live abroad) that is so young (literally and ideologically) and that is defined, with conviction, in so many different ways by so many different people. A significant point, though, is the fact that even among a bunch of confused and simultaneously opinionated Jews, Israel still has adequate support to gain needed financial support, ideological support and prayer. Maybe a few generations down the line, they'll have a better clue as to what exactly we've been praying for all of this time.

Cori C

http://cori-c.blogspot.com

coriac@gmail.com