Remembering the October Storm – Two Years of Pain, Anguish and Resilience
This Tuesday, October 7th, marks the second anniversary of the worst tragedy to befallen our Jewish people since the horrors and atrocities of Holocaust.
When reflecting upon this period of time, it is so difficult to fathom that as we approach the second anniversary of this period of shock, trauma and despair, that we are still fighting a war in Gaza, our hostages still languish in the deep dark, damp and decrepit tunnels of Gaza and over 900 IDF soldiers lost their precious lives battling Hamas.
During this most trying period of time, thousands of IDF soldiers were admitted to rehabilitation centers and many more are currently being treated for emotional shock and psychological trauma resulting from the war. The relentless and indiscriminate missile attacks on Israeli population centers and the profound loss of loved ones and friends continues to take its toll through periods of morning, darkness, fear and depression.
These incomprehensible realities do not include the increased number of displaced Israeli families, orphaned children and widows who are desperately coping with personal and familial losses of their loved ones. They are further exacerbated by a faltering Israeli economy and a growing number of small Israeli businesses that have folded due to the impact of the war…..all of which are negatively affecting Israel’s economic viability,
These are indeed dark days in search of glimmers of bright sunlight.
As we reflect on this dark chapter in history, we ask ourselves….when will this horrible nightmare ever end? and the ultimate question – how will this madness end?
Although concerted efforts are currently underway to execute a disengagement and hostage release deal with Hamas, until achienu are actually released from Hamas captivity in real time, this hope and dream, as in the past, remains allusive at best.
How many more deals, failed promises, false hopes and painful disappointments can we endure? As we know, a people, a nation, a country, no matter how strong and resilient can only tolerate so much until it reaches a breaking point; and that breaking point or threshold is painfully approaching.
Nevertheless, we try desperately to remain steadfast, hopeful and positive as we pray for a peaceful and positive outcome. But as we know, every civilized people have their ultimate threshold for false hopes, pain, anguish and trauma.
As we collectively reflect upon these past two painful years, we are also witnessing and experiencing a level of strength, fortitude and resilience unsurpassed in recent history. It is so reminiscent of the manner in which Jews during Pre Nazi Europe fought evil Jew bating, Jew hatred and violent acts of antisemitism in the deep dark streets, alleyways and courtyards of Germany, France and Italy.
There are those who sincerely believe that our resolve to confront this crisis is the result of a survival instinct which is ingrained and embedded in our culture and DNA. And there are others who firmly believe that following millennia of difficult, harsh challenges and battles for our existential survival that we have developed a very strong, steadfast and protective innate response to physical threats and existential crises
Friends, irrespective of these realities, I firmly believe with all my heart and soul that the single most important factor which protects us from danger and even extinction, is our deep and profound emunah and bitachon in HaShem and our sense of achdut, irrespective of our major differences which tend more often than not to separate us from one another, as a people and as a nation.
This reality is documented throughout our history and has its origins from the time we left Mitzraim in order to sojourn to Eretz Yisrael.
As a nation and as a people, we are shaped by our very complex history, culture, diversity and strong sense of Jewish destiny and identity. These facts combined, have contributed to a very unique and vibrant society that is reflected in our people.
Since yetziat mizrayim, our people have demonstrated remarkable strength, fortitude and resilience. This resilience as just indicated, is deeply anchored in our spiritual psyche, perseverance, motivation and our nation’s raison detre.
From the time of the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash to the horrors of the Spanish Inquisition; from brutal pogroms of eastern Europe to the extermination and death camps of Auschwitz and Majdanik we may have emerged weak, beaten and left forgotten by the world. Nevertheless, we survived and emerged from this devastation with strength, resolve and resilience.
This physical strength, resilience and relentless determination to survive, is fueled by our deep and profound Jewish identity, and unswerving faith in HaShem.
One has only to look at our wars dating back to Joshua against the vicious Jew hating tribe and army of Amalek and to the numerous wars fought since the establishment of the State of Israel. We were victorious, irrespective of our small numbers. These were indeed wars fought by David against Goliath. We were victorious in spite of our small numbers and in spite of formidable enemies that were committed to our people’s destruction and annihilation.
During these past two years since the storm of October 7th, we were fortunate to experience an amazing amount of achdut, chesed. and ahavat yisrael In fact, since October 7th, we experienced internal acts of loving kindness because it brought out the good in acheinu bnai yisrael – another critically important attribute and characteristics of our people.
While writing this post, I am reminded of a holocaust survivor who I befriended several years in my shul. In fact, he sits right next to me during tefilla.
During the height of the recent missile attacks on our Israeli homeland, I recall him leaning over to me one morning in shul and whispering the words… “Chaim, we were able beat them before and with Gods help we will beat them again…..we must always remain positive, we have not choice.
His words continue to ring in my ears.
Adding to the significance of his words was the fact he tragically lost his entire family in Auschwitz.
Following his liberation from the death camp, he was transported to a displacement camp. From there he came to Israel and then moved to and settled in the United States.
He remarried and rebuilt his beautiful life, always with a positive attitude and with a bright radiant smile. In fact, he recently celebrated his grandson’s Bar Mitzvah in Israel. The smile on his face upon returning home to the States from the Bar Mitzvah in Israel was beyond radiant. He was truly thankful to Hashem (as he described it to me ) that he was blessed to experience and witness this tremendous simcha, following years of sadness, hopelessness and despair.
In a very strange sense, when he smiled at me, I actually saw an expression of gratitude to Hashem, and a bright glimmer his eyes that he survived the death camps of Auschwitz so that he can experience the birth and eventually the beautiful Bar Mitzvah of a grandson.
It was almost as if he was saying that he survived the camps for this very purpose and that his grandson’s Bar Mitzvah was living testimony to the fact that the enemies of Israel were defeated.
Friends, this brief story, one of millions, should provide all of us with a level of strength, fortitude and chizuk. And it should also remind us that all outcomes are B’yad HaShem through the hand (the will) of HaShem.
As we approach the second anniversary of the October 7th horror, we must always keep in mind that irrespective of how depressing and hopeless the past two years have been, positive thinking, emuna and bitachon are our people’s single strongest antidote and “road map” to the future.
According to a growing number of historians, sociologists and scholars, although our people have faced numerous crises and existential challenges throughout history. including wars and persecution, it has fostered a true sense or resilience and adaptability that is characteristic of the Israeli people and their positive spirit.
This spirit is deeply rooted in our history and in proceeding generations who were motivated and driven to defy death and to celebrate life.
Here too, today we are faced with post October 7th trauma, increased Jew hatred and antisemitism and an upside down world of vile hatred and consternation.
Our challenge friends is to try as hard as we can, to rise above the hatred and ugliness of the world and to celebrate life – the one gift that HaShem has bestowed upon us in perpetuity.
One way to accomplish this critically important objective is to ensure that achienu bnai yisrael, irrespective of circumstance, stand united together in true achdut.
Conclusion
As I conclude writing of this post on the eve of October 7th, we are beginning to hear news reports of an agreed upon hostage release deal.
Following two years of deep pain and anguish, we hope and pray to HaShem that these reports are truly real and authentic.
It is in this spirit that we pray to HaShem that our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren will experience a safer and more secure and brighter future as we dream about their future and the Geula.
May we all be blessed with a Gmar Chatima Tova and a Chag Sukkot Sameach.
Moadim l”Simcha and Am Yisrael Chai
