America, beware: Israel’s battle over identity could reach the United States

What happens when a person can no longer prove who they are? Jeffrey Kahn begins with that question, drawing on films such as The Matrix, The Truman Show, 1984 and The Net to argue that identity depends on shared ideas of truth.

Photographs can be fabricated, voices cloned and history rewritten, he writes. When institutions no longer agree on basic facts, the question changes from “How do I prove to you who I am?” to “How do I know who I am?” Individuals need mirrors, Kahn argues, and nations do too.

That brings him to Israel and the United States. Kahn describes himself as a proud fourth-generation American and a first-generation Israeli, saying both countries form part of his identity. From that position, he urges Americans to look closely at Israel because he sees the country increasingly becoming America’s mirror.

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How do I prove to you who I am?

The two states are not identical, he writes, but they share more than current political debate often acknowledges. Both are relatively young modern countries with much older civilizational inheritances. The United States marked its 250th anniversary, while Israel approaches its 80th.

Kahn contrasts the American revolution against monarchy, empire and aristocracy with Israel’s restoration of Jewish sovereignty in the Jewish people’s ancient homeland. He also points to a shared history of fighting Britain for independence and to both countries’ development as melting pots. The essay presents Israel’s struggle over identity and legitimacy as a warning that the United States should examine before similar conflicts reach its shores.

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How do I know who I am?