One proud Jewish woman

Growing up in communist Prague I was well aware of being Jewish, being special and being different. And I was proud being Jewish, but I did not flaunt it and did not hide it either. Getting older I understand better where my pride comes from. It starts in the Torah.

We can learn a lot from the Parshat Beshalach not only in regard to the current hostage situation, but also in regard to Israel’s rise among its enemies. First of all, as Rabbi Nachum Dovid Alpert pointed out Moses takes along bones of Yoseph to bring them for proper burial in Eretz Israel as a necessary part for Exodus from Egypt to happen. I think that this applies to the hostages held in Gaza as well – all of them, both living and dead must be brought home before Hamas can be finished. Second, we read in the Parshah that not all Jews had the courage to continue their journey once their reach the Red Sea. They were so afraid that they preferred to go back to their Egyptian masters. However, fortunately for all the future Jewish generations, the majority found the courage to enter the Red Sea and pass through its split waters under the leadership of Moses. And we can project and compare this part of Exodus to founding of the modern Israel and its travails since 1948 and especially since October 2023.

A tragedy of immense dimensions, incredible human losses, partly enabled by inexplicable failure of Israeli army and government descended on Israel in October 2023. Reading the essay The Unimaginable Requiem for the Bibas Boys by Thane Rosenbaum in Jewish Journal (February 6) brought tears to my eyes for two reasons – the first is obvious – the likely fate of not just the Bibas boys, but their mom’s as well. The second one is the profound sadness and despair permeating the essay – not just over the Bibas, but over the state of Israel. And it is sometimes hard to go through the day when I read about the hostages, both live and dead, released and still in captivity, and their families. But then the battalion of five female soldiers appeared on the scene, and my perspective has changed: these five girls – yes, girls as they are so young, full of life and hope for all of us – fascinate me (and I sure other people as well).

The energy, resilience and joie de vivre of Liri Albag, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, Karina Ariev and Agam Berger are incredible. Just look at Liri Albag, the presumed leader of this quintet, jumped into action even during the “goodbye ceremony” organized by Hamas during their transfer to Red Cross. And not just Liri, the other girls were beaming, proud of their Jewishness, proud of Israel, they appeared fearless, at least to me. And fearless they were. And we found out that Liri saved a life of another female hostage who was threatened and tortured during her Hamas ordeal. And it turned out that Agam, released a week later, kept Shabbat and kosher even in captivity – she refused to cook for Hamas on Shabbat. A true Kiddush Hashem! This battalion of women of valor is the future of Israel! Those are the new leaders.

And I realized thinking about all of this is what it means to be Jewish and to be an Israeli. And I was proud, proud of the girls, proud of being Jewish, proud of being a Jewish woman, and hopefully to become an Israeli one day.

And how about little Abigail Edan, who not only lost her parents on October 7, but also spent some time as a hostage – a four-year-old little girl. Look at her being held by then President Joe Biden shortly after her release, a happy rambunctious little girl – just looking at her you would not believe that she was ever held by Hamas monsters. And all the hostages so far released, none of them defeated or defeatist, did put up resistance to their captors as well, came home undefeated. Even the last three hostages, Eli Sharabi, Or Levy and Ben Ami, released starved and obviously tortured by their captors, have come home ready to fight for release of the remaining hostages and Israel even after finding out that they lost family on October 7.

And I realized how much Israelis have accomplished not only since 1948, but even during the war, in science, art, high tech, medicine and agriculture, just look at website en.globes.co.il bringing economic, technology and general development news happening in Israel – I am in awe, no matter what the circumstances, war or because of the war life, creativity and innovation go on. And because of the well known Israeli chutzpah they all came home undefeated and proud. We should all be proud. And it is sad looking at Israel’s neighbors, the ones who have peace treaty with Israel are stagnating, not able to embrace the real peace with Israel, afraid of the remaining neighbors, Palestinians who are drowning perpetually in their Naqba. And let’s do not forget Lebanon and its people. Though they had an opportunity to shake off the Hezbollah shackles their new president, Joseph Aoun, allotted five ministerial positions to Hezbollah – did Lebanese miss another chance for better life? And Hamas? Do not believe their elation, they lost- if sitting on top of mountains of rubble in Gaza is their victory, let them enjoy it, keep the rubble there.

And I know one thing for sure I am one proud Jewish woman so proud of being Jewish that I am bursting in my seams – and so should you, my readers.