The title screams out, "Israel finally gets the Gap" (Jerusalem Post Jan. 22). Imagine, in desperate tones, 'finally'. We've waited 2,000 years to have an independent Jewish State with Gap clothing stores in it, and now 'finally' we're going to have them. Zionist fulfillment at last. Real 'Yiddishe Naches'.

We're informed that the Sakal Group will be selling Gap products in its soon-to-be-opened Surplus Outlet Mall in Haifa and that by the end of 2003 we'll have a full-fledged Gap store open in the Gush Dan area. What the article doesn't tell us, until near the end (paragraph 10 of 12), is that Sakal's Surplus Outlet Mall will be open on Shabbat, signaling a change in Haifa's 'Status Quo'.

Change of the 'Status Quo', that is, desecrating the Shabbat and holidays--negating the Jewish character of the state--by turning them into regular shopping days, gets directly to the point. Changes are afoot in the 'Jewish' State. Globalization is creeping in. McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Calvin Klein, Keds, and Reeboks, American food, clothes, movies, and music are here.

It's wonderful; Israelis don't have to go on vacation to the States anymore to experience America, they can live like in America and pretend that they are Americans, in Israel. The US I might add, has now imported a Middle East product too, Terrorism. So it's just one big, happy, global (that is) American village. To be completely honest though, it's not really 'only' American, but what I've called for years, 'International Consumer Culture'.

Yet it saddens me to see the Israeli drive to replace the Falafel stand with McDonalds, and a traif 'Big Mac' at that. You know, when I was visiting the US a few years ago, there was a Pizza Hut down the street from where I was staying. A big sign in the window read, 'Halal Meat'. For those of you who don't know, that means Islamic Kosher. Next-door was a Dunkin Donuts that was Kosher, under rabbinic supervision. Corporate America does know how to honor 'other' people's traditions. In fact, today in most American university international business programs, there are courses dealing with cultural differences and sensitivity toward the locals.

Today in the Muslim world, McDonalds, Pizza Hut and any other corporate food giant that sells meat products, sells 'Halal'. So why in the 'Jewish' State is there so laxed an attitude towards Kashrut and Shabbat. Partially, the answer is unscrupulous Israeli businessmen, who care little for Jewish tradition if they can make a buck...err...a Shekel.

But it doesn't end there. If corporations violate local norms through their local franchise agents, in the Muslim world, India, Africa or elsewhere; protests are mounted, both in the home country and abroad. I've seen pictures and read news of Muslim and Hindu protestors outside corporate headquarters or other branches of that same company in the United States, Britain, and elsewhere. Boycotts are used to put pressure on the companies to change their policies. Africans in America do the same. Why don't we Jews?

It's a sad commentary on the state of the Jewish people that neither in the Jewish homeland, nor throughout the extensive diaspora, enough people care about creeping globalization in Israel, to do something about it. While international corporations are becoming more sensitive to 'cultural diversity' abroad, Israelis are culturally assimilating at home. This is at a time, when 'Jewish Continuity' is the buzzword in federation circles, and the Jewish Agency.

Zionism was started as a solution to the 'Jewish Problem'. Because of Anti-Semitism in the diaspora, Jews demanded physical protection. Establishing an independent political entity, the State of Israel, became the answer. The Holocaust proved the 'Rightness' of this position. But many of the 'not-so-religious' early Zionist thinkers also understood the necessity of an independent Jewish state, to re-awaken a creative, independent Jewish and Hebrew culture. Put simply, given the sorry situation of late 19th century Jewry in Europe, the United States, North Africa, and the Middle East, Jews demanded a return to our ancient homeland, for the preservation of our physical, cultural, and spiritual needs. It was argued that an independent Jewish Civilization could thrive only in the Land of Israel. And we did return and start to build one!

But today, with global communications and media, global trade and transportation, assimilation is possible not only in the diaspora, but also in Israel itself, on a national scale. That's why today, one again has to raise the flag of Jewish Civilization. Today, one has to demand 'cultural sensitivity' from global corporations and their local quislings. Judaism, Jewish history, culture, and civilization, are at least as valuable to preserve from the encroachment of International Consumer Culture, as the mores of some African tribe or Islamic village. We owe it to ourselves, our children, and to all future generations of Jews, to continue to creatively develop Jewish Civilization in the State of Israel.

I'm not against free trade, free markets, and being part of the global economy. But we need to care about our unique culture and honor our own traditions, and find ways to develop, Globalization Israeli Style!

(c)2003/5763 Pasko