Cantor's Blog

AM YISRAEL CHAI!

בראשית ברה אלקים את השמים ואת הארץ
When God began to create heaven and the earth
והארץ היתה טהו ובהו

The earth being Tohu Vavohu, unformed and void, in total chaos, without pattern or meaning.

This past Shabbat, the Jewish world reverted to a state of Tohu Vavohu. As we all have seen, heavily armed Hamas terrorists crossed the border and descended upon Israel by land, sea and air, committing horrific atrocities upon our people. They carried out a series of pogroms, killing more than 1200 Israelis, wounding over 3,000 and kidnapping over 150 civilians and soldiers. In a cruel and murderous pogrom, the terrorist group shot entire families, took civilians hostage, burned down homes, and stalked innocents fleeing for their lives. It is difficult to find the words to express the depth of the emotions we all felt and continue to feel, reading about and watching the horrific scenes that have come out of Israel. We are rightfully devastated, worried, concerned, anguished, sad, angry, outraged, horrified, and heartbroken. This past Shabbat, our world descended into primordial chaos.   
    
We read in Deuteronomy – Zachor et Asher Asa L’cha Amalek – remember what Amalek did to you…they cut down those pulling the up rear, the stragglers. Amalek attacked not the warriors of Israel but the weak, the elderly, and the infirmed, those least able to defend themselves. Hamas has proudly adorned itself in the mantle, in the robes of Amalek. The problem is not merely that Hamas started a war on Shemini Atzeret, a Jewish holy day. The problem is not merely that Hamas slaughtered hundreds of civilians. The problem is not merely that Hamas kidnapped women and children. The problem is what Hamas IS – like Amalek – it is simply evil incarnate. These are not good people who do bad things. They are evil people who did and regularly engage in evil acts, debasing life itself. Only evil celebrates indiscriminate murder. Only evil decapitates babies and mutilates its victims. Z’chor et Amalek – remember Amalek.

This morning, we read in Genesis:
קול דמי אחיך צעקים אלי מן האדמה
God said to Cain: “Your brother’s blood cries out from the ground.”

My friends, listen carefully to the ground beneath our feet…the blood of our innocent brothers and sisters cries out once more. The attacks, the murders, the total disregard for human life cannot be allowed to go unanswered. This was the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Let that sink in!   Z’chor et Amalek – Remember Amalek!

We are Jews. We disagree by nature. As the joke goes: two Jews – three opinions.  NOT TODAY! NOT TODAY! Despite any disagreements we may have with the Israeli government, its leaders or its policies, at this moment, we MUST stand in unity, we MUST stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Israel. When our existential survival is at stake, there is no place for politics. Prime Minister Netanyahu has stated that we are in for a long war, one that will be different from anything we’ve seen in the past fifty years, since the Yom Kippur War.  The unprovoked, unjustified attack launched on Shabbat and Shmini Atzeret is a stark reminder of what Israel faces on a daily basis and why it must now do whatever is necessary to protect our fellow Jews.

As we’ve heard repeatedly, we all need to be prepared for what to expect in the upcoming weeks as Israel engages in an all-out response and seeks once and for all to defeat Hamas. While the initial press coverage in most outlets has been positive and sympathetic, we cannot expect the media support to continue as Israel responds. We know, from past events, the probability of how this will play out in the press. In response to the brutality, Israel will shortly invade Gaza with all its might with the intent of rooting out Hamas. As some point soon after, the world will be distracted by Taylor Swift, a Kardashian, or even the World Series and Israel’s suffering will recede from the headlines. The Hamas media machine will immediately capitalize and portray to the world what Gaza looks like after Israel’s response to their terrorist actions. Around the world, we can then expect to hear terms such as: “cycle of violence”, “a ‘disproportionate response’”, “standing down”, and “cease-fire,” etc.  In much of the world’s view, paraphrasing Golda Meir – Hamas unilaterally enjoys “the rights of war” while Israel has the unilateral “responsibility for keeping the peace.”

Israel cannot let these short-sighted calls detract from what she must do to keep her citizens, our brethren, safe. War is never clean. Despite Israel’s best efforts to harm as few innocents as possible, as civilian casualties mount, there will be efforts to evoke sympathy for those in Gaza, as Hamas hides behind civilians and uses schools and hospitals as launching pads for their rockets. Understand that this is part of their strategy - to gain sympathy and to label Israel as the aggressor and paint them as guilty of war crimes. Z’chor et Amalek – Remember Amalek

Let’s be very clear. Attempts to attribute Saturday’s attack to the frustration over the so-called “occupation” should be rejected outright.   It is a false narrative, for Israel vacated Gaza in 2005.  Israelis were dragged from their homes by the Israeli government, their property turned over to the residents of Gaza. Millions and millions of dollars were provided in an attempt to enable Gaza residents to build an infrastructure for a viable economy. The dove of potential peace briefly soared over Gaza – but it was shot down by a Hamas missile.  Did Hamas use the millions to rid the streets of untreated sewage?  Did Hamas assure running water in homes? Did Hamas attempt to alleviate the squalor in which the Palestinian people were and are living? Had they done so, the subsequent conversations about the West Bank might have been very different! Instead – they built bombs; they built missiles; they didn’t build bomb shelters to protect the Palestinians, but they did build tunnels; and Hamas continued its mantra – it is a central religious obligation to liberate all of historic Palestine from “Zionist occupation.” They continued to teach and they continued to vow holy war against Israel. Don’t be confused by the false claims.  There is no occupation in Gaza. At this moment, the only Israelis in Gaza are those currently being held captive as hostages by Hamas.

In the face of the enemies of the Jewish people who are online and today out on the streets in full force with their lies and distortions, we must stand strong and respond with truth and with strength. We will not be thrown into the Sea! Z’chor et Amalek – Remember Amalek!

And now, it is time for action. Here is what you can, what you should, what you must do. First - write to public officials at every level of government, national, state, and local.  If they have already come out in support of Israel, thank them for their steadfast support. If they have not come out in support of Israel and condemned Hamas, demand that they do so! Second, when a media outlet or social media posting misrepresents, misreports or distorts what is going on, speak up, respond, call or write and let them know the false narrative is unacceptable. Third, the cost of the war and the damage it has done will be significant, and the burden need not be only absorbed by Israelis alone.  The world must hear that we stand with our brethren, that we stand against terrorism, that we stand for the value of human life. We will not allow our people to be slaughtered by the Cains of this world; We will not play the role of Abel; We will not let Amalek emerge victorious.

Kol Yisrael Areivim Ze Bazeh. We are not merely responsible for our fellow Jews; tradition teaches that we are their guarantors! I urge you to fulfill your role as a guarantor by contributing to the Federation’s “Israel Emergency Fund” which will be used to provide: Food and financial assistance for those in need. Evacuation, housing, respite and support for front-line communities. Funds for the victims of terrorism. Trauma relief and psychological support. And Emergency Medical services and healthcare.

As it was in 1967 and 1973, and too many subsequent battles to follow, your support is a critical component of assuring the survival of the State of Israel, the survival of our fellow Jews, and conveying that Am Yisrael truly is one.  Dig deep and dig repeatedly – today, next week, next month.  We must stand strong; we must stand arm-in-arm with the people of Israel who need us NOW.

Assuming we will contact our officials, assuming we will fight false narratives, assuming we will offer our financial support, then let us turn to prayer. We must recognize our own personal suffering as so many of us have friends and family in Israel; loved ones facing the threats of Hamas’ evil, each loved one, a hero fighting to restore meaning and purpose into the sudden world of Tohu Vavohu.

On Thursday, we received a moving email from Nico Kreindel, one of our own young men spending the year in Israel. He began by saying “I am safe in Israel on Kibbutz Ketura, in the southeast Negev.” He continued: “I am so grateful to have been able to gain this experience but also so devastated that it had to come this way. This experience has made me feel more connected to my Jewish identity now more than ever and I will do anything to help the community and the Jewish people who are suffering.” May we all follow Nico’s lead by responding to the horrific acts of Hamas, the acts of Amalekites, with a commitment to help assure: Am Yisrael Chai!

Finally, we pray for the safe return of those being held captive, those taken hostage.  We cannot anticipate an Entebbe-like Israeli miracle. The Amalekites of the world have learned from the past – the hostages are dispersed among our enemies who are prepared to re-enact the Amalekite murder of men, women, children, elderly, and the disabled, showing no restraint in attacking the weakest among us.  Z’chor et Amalek – Remember Amalek.

תמהה את זכר עמלק מתחת השמים
May it be God’s will that the name of Hamas be blotted from under Heaven.

May it be God’s will that we will soon reach the day when we,
like God in this morning’s Torah reading, can say:

והנה טוב מאד
And it all is very good.

AM YISRAEL CHAI

Please rise for as we offer a prayer on behalf of all those being held captive.  

Mi Shebeirach Avoteinu Avraham, Yitzchak. V’Yaakov, Sarah, Rebekkah, Rachel and Leah…

• May God who blessed our ancestors, bless, protect and guard those being held captive by Hamas as we, the members of this holy congregation pray on their behalf.
• May the Holy One have compassion upon them and bring them out of darkness and the shadow of death.  
• May God break their bonds, deliver them from distress and bring them swiftly back to their family’s embrace.
• Give thanks to the Lord for God’s loving kindness and for the wonders done for all people.  
• May there be fulfilled the words of the verse: “Those redeemed by the Lord will return; they will enter Zion with singing, and everlasting joy will crown their heads.
• Gladness and joy will overtake them.”  And let us say…Amen.