Israel’s Incredible Ingenuity

What an extraordinary week it has been for the Mossad, Shin Bet, and IDF. Through meticulous planning and flawless execution, they successfully thwarted an assassination attempt on Israel’s leadership, infiltrated Hezbollah’s supply chain, neutralizing thousands of terrorists equipped with newly acquired pagers and tactical radios, and effectively dismantled the entire leadership of Hezbollah’s Radwan Special Forces.

Today, the rabbi shared a story in synagogue that perfectly illustrates Israel’s remarkable ingenuity in achieving these feats. The story goes:

One day, the world’s scientific community realizes that global warming is far worse than anticipated and announces that within two weeks, the entire world will be flooded and uninhabitable.

What do the world’s leaders do?

In the U.S. and Europe, they decide to open stores and warehouses, allowing everyone to take what they want and enjoy their last two weeks on Earth. In repressive countries like North Korea, they release all prisoners, granting them freedom for the short time remaining.

But in Israel?

In Israel, the cabinet and all the great minds convene and say:

We only have two weeks; let’s figure out how we are going to survive underwater!

This narrative underscores the distinctive perspective of the Israelites. For millennia, we have persevered as a minority, enduring persecution and even genocide. Yet, our resolve to exist as a free people in the land of Zion has never wavered. The cornerstone of the Jewish people’s success is our dual approach: first and foremost, our unwavering faith in G-d Almighty, and secondly, our recognition of the imperative to do everything within our power to triumph in the battle of good over evil.

In this context, this week, I also had a profound encounter with a prestigious doctor. She asked me how I was doing, and I responded concluding with, “Thank G-d!” She looked at me almost mockingly.

A moment passed.

While conducting medical tests, she explained the complexity and functioning of various human body systems to an advanced medical student she was mentoring. Yet, she turned to me and said,

Do you know that both my grandparents were murdered in the ovens during the Holocaust?

She then asked, rhetorically and angrily:

And where was G-d?

Taken aback at the brazenness of her question, I felt it was important to take this opportunity to positively affirm G-d’s omnipresence and said, “Yes, G-d was even there!”

In retrospect, this situation struck me deeply. On one hand, this doctor is a powerhouse, helping many people and understanding human physiology intricately. On the other hand, she expressed something that, to me, defies logic, given that we can see G-d’s hand in our lives if we just look for a moment. Who could design such an incredible living machine as the human body (or for that matter the vast and incredible universe that we reside in)? Surely she knows this.

My heart broke for her and so many others who suffered unimaginable losses at the hands of the Nazis. These losses are so profound that they can make one lose not only faith but also a sense of sanity. I’m not suggesting she is insane, but rather that she is marked by the horrendous trauma of the Holocaust.

At its core, this is one of the miracles of modern-day Israel: technology, science, and human ingenuity coexist and thrive alongside tremendous faith in the Almighty. With the literal miracles witnessed this week, I believe more and more people are recognizing the hand of G-d behind it all.