I Feel Sick
I really don’t feel well. Rewarding the butchers and rapists with a platform from which to conduct further atrocities against Jews is moral turpitude of the highest or should I say lowest degree. Recognizing a Palestinian state ahead of Palestinian statesmanship and while their leaders promote terrorism is plain and simple an inversion of justice.
As one enters 5786, one ponders how civilized societies in this day and age can act with such political depravity. Pandering to domestic voter blocs who also advocate for the elimination of the only Jewish state on the planet is in itself repugnant.
A week ago pro-Palestinian demonstrators assembled in a leafy suburb of New York outside our synagogue to hurl their vile invective against all Jews, regardless of their location. They were at least honest in continually chanting that they do not want a two-state solution. They aspire to one state and not the Jewish version- Israel.
What does this vocal local demonstration have to do with the moral bankruptcy of leaders in the UK, France, Canada and others? A good question.
Regrettably, the answer is one that we have absorbed over thousands of years. On all fronts we are confronted with plain old, undiluted anti-Semitism. The difference is that today we have Israel and never has it been plainer to see that when our courageous IDF soldiers defend their homeland, they are also defending the diaspora.
A few days ago, I was fortunate enough to attend a brief performance by Yuval Raphael. I hope that it will not be deemed sacrilegious that while in earnest prayer this week in synagogue, I shall have in mind this inspirational young lady who emerged from under a pile of dead bodies at the Nova festival to clinch first place in the popular vote of the Eurovision Song Contest. One can only pray that ‘a new day will rise.’ A new day that will return all our soldiers and hostages safe and sound to their homes and families. A new day with a world order that recognizes and does not forget who the victims were on October 7. Then perhaps I will feel better and so will all of us.
May you all be the beneficiaries of bountiful blessings from the Almighty. Shana Tova.
