Older and Weiser

Rick Perry, the Governor of Texas, likes to draw parallels between his own state and the State of Israel.

He is right, of course, the two have much in common and, under Rick’s leadership, they are making common cause.  Large swaths of Texas and Israel are semi-arid and the two study solutions to this problem together, a process Rick began in the 1990s when he served as the elected Commissioner of Agriculture.  He admires desalinization technology that was developed in Israel and wants to bring it to Texas.  Rick actively courts Teva, the generic drug giant, and other Israeli companies to open manufacturing facilities in Texas, even as he encourages venture capitalists in his own state to make investments in Israel.

As important as these things are, Rick came to Israel with something even more important than economic cooperation on his mind; he came with moral support.  At a time when the President of the United States is critical of you and seeking dialogue with your mortal enemies, having the long arm of the governor of the second-largest state in the US draped around your shoulder feels good to Israelis.

Rick talks about the history of resilience that has defined both states.  He likens the stand made by Jim Bowie and others at the Alamo to the stiff-necked refusal of ancient Israelites to submit to the Romans on Masada.  He salutes the independence of Israel, even as he makes veiled references to the idea that Texas could again become an independent state.  It’s mostly kidding but Rick is dead serious about the need for Texas and other low-tax states to be a bulwark against runaway spending and the pernicious taxation coming from Washington, Albany and other US capitals.

Twice during the trip, our mission met with groups of on-duty IDF officers and enlisted.  Rick was an Air Force pilot, who flew C-130s, the giant planes used by Israel on its Entebbe raid.  His understanding of the mission of these Israeli soldiers was evident, as was his affection for them.  He spoke to them – some not yet 20 – with deep respect for the burden they bear of defending their land.  Their eyes never left him and his voice never wavered.

One of the most memorable moments (from the list that Julie and I made) of a memorable trip came when Rick handed a guitar to Francisco Cigarroa, the Chancellor of The University of Texas system and asked him to play for the Israeli soldiers.  “Cisco” is ultimately responsible for 180,000 students, nine universities and six health centers, including the famed M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.  He is a renowned pediatric and transplant surgeon, who still operates on weekends, and he is an accomplished flamenco guitarist.

As I watched this incredibly talented Texan play for the Israeli kids in uniform, it occurred to me just how right Rick is about Texas and Israel: they deserve one-another.  How bashert – providential – that the flags of both states should bear a single star.

Filed under: Israel by Michael Weiser