The Blogs: Rediscovering Our Purpose

People often ask me: Don’t you ever run out of material for your blog? After all, the themes seem to repeat—Israel is under attack, the world hates us, and we have lost our way. But my purpose in writing The Soul of Israel is not just to document our struggles. It’s to bring the eternal essence of the Torah into today’s world, making sense of our challenges through its wisdom.

Take this week’s Parashah, for example. The Israelites are commanded to build the Mishkan (Tabernacle) in the wilderness, offering their material wealth to create a dwelling place for the Divine. The act of giving is central, reinforcing the values of generosity and communal responsibility—values that have defined us for millennia. But beyond charity, the Mishkan represents something deeper: purpose. It was a physical and spiritual centre, a reminder of why we exist as a people.

Have We Lost Our Purpose?

Fast-forward to today. Our enemies are frighteningly clear about their purpose. They speak of an Al-Aqsa Flood and wage war with singular determination. It is clear that removing our presence and control of Jerusalem (and ethnic cleansing the Jews from the whole of Israel from the River to the Sea – Palestine will be free of Jews) is their focus. And yet, before October 7th, we were consumed by internal divisions—arguing about judicial reform, government disputes, and misguided priorities. We took our eyes off the ball, and our enemies saw an opportunity in our confusion and weakness.

Some say that the horrors of October 7th are divine punishment, a harsh reckoning for losing our way. Whether or not one believes in divine wrath, one thing is sure: Israel’s global standing has suffered, and we must ask ourselves—what is our national purpose today?

Terumah – The Power of Giving of Oneself

The concept of tzedakah and giving, introduced in Parshat Terumah, resonates deeply throughout Jewish history. After the devastation of the Holocaust, the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 was a modern manifestation of Terumah—a collective gift and a divine opportunity to rebuild not only a homeland but also a sense of purpose.

Just as the Mishkan unified the Israelites in the desert, Israel became a centre for Jewish renewal, offering refuge and an opportunity for Jews worldwide to contribute to a communal project on an unprecedented scale. But this gift of statehood came with profound responsibilities—to repair what was broken, innovate, and ensure that Israel reflects Jewish values of justice, compassion, and contribution to the global good.

The Power of Giving of Oneself

On October 7th, we found our way—our national purpose. I won’t dwell on all the horrors, but I want to touch on something crucial: the power of giving of oneself.

This lesson, found in Parshat Terumah, came to life during a casual conversation with a colleague, Yitz. He mentioned that it was cold, and I reminded him, “Hold on, Yitz, weren’t you on the Hermon in the snow for six months in the winter?” He nodded and described the harsh conditions—freezing cold, no concrete structures for protection, a relentless chill.

We tend to forget the sacrifices of soldiers—those who return to “normal” life, carrying their experiences silently. They go back to work and routine, but what they endured lingers. Their sense of purpose is exemplified by the young soldiers who gave up their lives, who were injured, who sacrificed their time, and who continue to do so. It is important to pause and reflect as we continue our daily lives.

A Personal Reflection

Stories keep us alive.

For 25 years, we have followed the same Friday routine—visiting Beit Yannai Beach, stopping at Kfar HaRoeh for Jacobs cheese, the bakery for challah, then visiting my aunt at a nearby Moshav. At the end of our visit, we often stop at a nursery.

Recently, we noticed a new coffee shop with pastries and outdoor seating next to the nursery. As my wife checked out the pastries, I ordered coffee and glanced around. A soldier’s picture caught my eye—Daniel Peretz, the son of Rabbi Doron Peretz, who gave his life in mesirat nefesh (self-sacrifice) on October 7th.

I asked, “What’s the connection to Daniel? Why are these pictures here?”

As Providence would have it, standing next to me was Daniel’s grandfather, Gil. He shared how Daniel’s family decided to open this coffee shop in his memory. The nursery, owned by Daniel’s aunt’s family, had been part of our routine for 20 years—yet we had never realised the connection.

Here is Daniels’s story:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Mua4KPzyxg

Some photos I took…

The bottom photo is of my grandson Eitan taken last summer at the “petting zoo” next to the nursery. Well, the secret of our Friday outing is now out. It is a highly recommended outing for locals and tourists on Friday mornings.

Could not think of a better way to remember Daniel.

Each survivor’s family finds a way to keep their memory alive.

I was reminded of another hero, Benji Hillman, who was killed in action in 2006 during the Second Lebanon War. His family, whom we were connected to, established Benji’s Hillman Lone Solder Centre in Raanana—a place that has since become a source of support and pride for the community and the country.

https://benjihillman.org/

These initiatives ensure that their sacrifice is not forgotten.

But it made me wonder: How many stories remain untold? How much suffering, sacrifice, and pain go unnoticed? How do we keep their memory and their sense of purpose alive?

This brings me back to the purpose of my blogs. There is a gap—a missing link between ancient teachings and modern struggles, between history and contemporary civilisation. And beyond that, there is a battle for truth.

We live in a world filled with false narratives. The world is full of false fabrications and lies about Israel and the Jewish people. Today, we see similar distortions surrounding Gaza and discussions about “the day after Gaza.” Will we ever achieve peace with those who have been raised on lies and hatred?

I feel obligated to return to the root of our history and reclaim the truth. In part two of this blog, I will explore this further.

Part Two – Reclaiming Our National Purpose

We live in a world ruled by strength, a global jungle where figures like Trump, Putin, and others dominate the stage. Even democracies seem to be shifting toward strongman politics. Meanwhile, the so-called champions of justice have perverted the word itself.

“Justice for Palestine?” What a mockery—when it means defending murderers, terrorists, and rapists while ignoring the historical and moral realities of the Jewish homeland.

Reaffirming Our Identity – Judea and Samaria Are the Heart of Our Homeland

The claim that Israel is an “occupier” is one of the most successful propaganda tools of our time. But history tells a different story—one that we must continue to reaffirm. Judea and Samaria (the so-called West Bank) are not foreign territories; they are the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people.

Challenging False Narratives – The Palestinian Cause Has Never Been About Statehood

For decades, the global narrative has framed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a dispute over land—one that could be solved with a two-state solution. But history reveals a darker truth:

In 1947, the UN proposed partitioning the land into a Jewish and an Arab state. The Jews accepted; the Arabs rejected it and launched a war.
Between 1948-1967, when Jordan controlled Judea and Samaria, no effort was made to establish a Palestinian state.
In 2000, the Camp David Summit offered the Palestinians nearly all of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza. Arafat refused.
In 2005, Israel fully withdrew from Gaza, and instead of building a state, Hamas built terror tunnels and launched rockets.

Their goal was never statehood—it was Israel’s destruction.

Exploring Real Solutions – The Status Quo Cannot Continue

For years, Israel has been pressured into peace agreements that are neither realistic nor based on historical truth. The world demands that Israel take sole responsibility for solving the Palestinian issue, while Jordan, Egypt, and other Arab states pretend it’s not their problem.

But Israel cannot afford to keep repeating the same mistakes.

We must:

Re-examine Jordan and Egypt’s role in resolving the conflict.
Address the Gaza question head-on—how long can Israel tolerate an armed terrorist state on its borders?
Redefine Israel’s long-term strategy instead of pursuing another doomed “peace process.”

Conclusion: Reclaiming Our National Purpose

The world tells us that peace will come when we concede more land, apologize more, and make ourselves smaller. But history tells a different story—peace comes through strength, clarity, and the unwavering belief in our rightful place in this land.

The Jewish people have survived for thousands of years not by bending to the world’s demands but by standing firm in our truth. It’s time to reclaim that strength.

Cover photos sourced on Facebook.