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Chaim Y. Botwinick

An Island of Hope and Promise in a Sea of Daunting Uncertainty

Credit: Unsplash

I began to write this blog early Thursday morning, January 16th as we learned  following numerous false starts, that the hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas which was announced Wednesday evening, has yet to be approved. We then waited until Friday morning (this morning), to hear more promising news that the deal has in fact been finalized by both parties.

Just prior to completing this blog for publication (Friday morning), there are news reports (coming out of Jerusalem) that the first group hostages will be released this Sunday. Finally!

It is beyond comprehension how the relatives of hostages will be able to maintain their sanity and composure during these daunting defining moments over the three  agreed upon phases.

The imposed waiting game and the three prolonged phases of the hostage release agreement require and demand an inner strength and a super human disposition. May HasHem provide the hostages and their families with the ability to confront and withstand these challenges.

Over the past almost year-and-a- half, there have been many false starts in reaching any hostage deal or agreement. Many posit that an additional day of delay in the final analysis should not make a significant difference. But friends, as we know well, every day that passes, is a day our dear hostages remain in the evil, decrepit, life-threatening bacteria-infested Hamas tunnels of hell.

The purpose of this particular blog, is not to opine whether the agreement between Israel and Hamas is balanced, fair or equitable, or whether it is even sustainable. But rather to express and share a significant concern regarding the short, mid and long range impact of the phased agreement on the emotional and psychological well-being of the families of the hostages and by extension, achienu bnai yisrael.

We all know that the nightmare of the past 15 months was beyond torture and severe mental anguish and pain for the families of those being held hostage by a group of murders who are committed to Israel’s complete annihilation and destruction. The number of false starts for the safe release of our dear brothers and sisters in captivity, have continuously opened fresh unhealed wounds of the October 7th trauma. They are truly unbearable, painful, and incomprehensible for families of the hostages.

As strong and as stoic and resilient as we are as a nation, we all have our breaking and tipping points as well as individual and collective thresholds for this psychological pain. Nevertheless, we are all mitpallel to HaShem, that he will bless  the hostages and their families with the strength and resolve to get through this dark and difficult challenge which they and amcha have experienced and endured as a people, community and nation for decades and millenia.

Last night, I read the three-phased agreement at least four times. Each time I re-read it, I was shocked by the drip-drip nature of the deal, and how long it will take to secure all of the hostages – whether living or those who sadly and unfortunately have passed in captivity (may HaShem watch over them).

Although we are all truly grateful for this long awaited hostage and ceasefire agreement, the tremendous sacrifice and price Am Yisrael paid and will pay for this agreement is at best daunting and profoundly frightening, let alone disheartening. This does not include the over 400 IDF chayalim and chayalot who sacrificed their lives defending Israel since October 7th and the over 1200 innocent neshamot who were indiscriminately murdered in cold blood by Hamas on that sad, dark and cold morning of October 7th.

During the next several months, the three-phased  hostage release process will be traumatic for the families of the hostages. I just can’t imagine what it will feel like for family members who are so close to being united with their family members being held hostage, yet not knowing for certain anything about their physical, psychological or mental condition….. let alone if they will even be released and returned alive to Israeli soil.

Last night I heard an in-depth interview with a senior Israeli physician, specializing in psychological and emotional trauma. The interview was profoundly difficult to hear, given the multiple number of  hostages who may become scarred for life. His point was that the negative psychological and emotional impact of the released hostages may in fact be more difficult to treat than physical maladies, whether they be infectious diseases, malnutrition or life threatening medical disorders. HaShem Yerachem.

We do indeed have a very long difficult journey to travel before we as a people can even begin to heal from the October 7th tragedy and its long-term impact. Truth be told, even as an optimist, I sincerely question whether we will ever be able to overcome these dark and depressing harrowing events.

As opposed to letting events just take their course with no proactive reaction, I would like to humbly suggest that we as a community consider undertaking  a variety of responsibilities, obligations and commitments which are in fact in our control.

They may include, but are not be limited to:

  • Continuous tefillah and the recitation of tehillim;
  • Increased acts of ahavat yisrael and chesed;
  • An unswerving and unwavering effort to create and foster communal shalom bayit and achdut;
  • Personal and communal commitments to the continuous study and learning of Torah and adherence to its mitzvot;
  • The education of our youth by continuously teaching them and exposing them to the critical importance and centrality of eretz yisrael, medinat yisrael and am yisrael;
  • Intensifying our public support and advocacy for the safety, security,  growth and welfare of Israel;
  • Participating in more volunteer opportunities both in Israel and in diaspora Jewish communities;
  • Reducing and even eliminating public criticism against Israel and its government leaders; and
  • Exhibiting true kindness and unlimited chesed to one another.’

These select commitments and activities may not necessarily or directly impact or ease the pain and anguish of families who are desperately yearning for positive news about the welfare of their families and loved-ones being held captive. But one thing is certain, the more we storm the heavens with goodness, prayer, mitzvot and chesed yisrael, the more it may increase the likelihood that HaShem will respond in turn with greater empathy and compassion for the families of those being held captive in Gaza.

Friends, the next several months for Am Yisrael will in all probability be heart wrenching, difficult and painful. We must stand together as a unified family in order to get through this most trying period in our history – not unlike the numerous times in history when we stood together and helped one another during times of existential danger and crisis.

We must stay strong, resilient, steadfast and optimistic for the families of the hostages and for ourselves; and, we must have bitachon and emunah that HaShem will deliver us from this dark and painful abyss.

Finally, we must commit ourselves to helping one another through increased levels of unswerving hishtadlut (steadfastness) in order to one other through these most trying times.

Together, with HaShem’s help and guidance, we can do it…..

Am Yisrael Chai

HaShem is close and near to those who are suffering and in despair (Tehillim, 34:18)

HaShem is a shelter for us and a source of strength; He is our help in times of trouble, and is very easily found whenever we need him (Tehillim,46:2)

About the Author
Dr. Chaim Botwinick is a senior executive coach and an organizational consultant . He served as president and CEO of the central agency for Jewish education in Baltimore and in Miami; in addition to head of school and principal for several Jewish day schools and yeshivot. As an Influencer, he has published and lectured extensively on topics relating to education, resource development, strategic planning and leadership development. Dr. Botwinick is Author of “Think Excellence: Harnessing Your Power to Succeed Beyond Greatness”, Brown Books, 2011
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