Rewind History: Pivotal Jewish Moments

History’s Crossroads

History cannot be rewritten, but it can be reconsidered. Behind every turning point lies a crossroads, a moment when different decisions might have sent history down another path. In this article, I will focus on the world closest to my own historical and personal interest: the Jewish people, a civilization shaped by thousands of years of exile, persecution, resilience, renewal, and extraordinary achievement.

Rather than revisit every tragedy or challenge, I will reflect on a few pivotal moments whose consequences, I believe, unfolded negatively across decades and even centuries, profoundly reshaping Jewish history. More specifically, I will focus on moments when we, as Jews, might have acted differently, when a different decision, response, or strategy might have changed the course of what followed. 

This is not about judging the past with the benefit of hindsight. It is about asking one of history’s most fascinating and important questions: What if?

The Expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael

I wonder if Abraham’s decision to send Hagar and Ishmael away from his household remains, to this day, is one of the deepest sources of resentment reflected in some Arab traditions toward the Jewish people. Perhaps a different solution could have been found, one that allowed both sons to remain part of the same family, or that enabled Hagar and Ishmael to establish a new life elsewhere, where they could prosper while continuing to receive Abraham’s care, protection, and support. 

From the perspective of many Islamic and Arab traditions, Ishmael is regarded as an ancestor of the Arab peoples, and this episode has often been interpreted as a moment of rejection and injustice.

Could a different decision have prevented some of the narratives of separation and grievance that have endured across generations?

The Crucifixion of Jesus

Looking back, I think the Jewish leadership of the time could have done more to prevent the chain of events that culminated in the crucifixion of Jesus. While crucifixion was a Roman punishment carried out under Roman authority, the false accusation of collective Jewish responsibility for his death would have devastating consequences for generations of Jews.

Over the centuries, that false accusation helped fuel persecution, expulsions, forced conversions, and violence against Jewish communities. Just as Jewish communities today advocate for the rights and protection of minorities, it would have been interesting if that same principle of tolerance and protection had prevailed at that critical moment. One cannot help but wonder how different history might have been.

Of course, hindsight makes it easy to say what should have been done differently. But that is precisely the purpose of Rewind History: not to pretend we can rewrite the past, but to reflect on how decisions can produce consequences no one anticipated, and what those lessons can teach us today.

Medieval Blood Libels and Accusations of Ritual Murder

Although hostility toward Jews existed long before the Middle Ages, blood libels and accusations of ritual murder gave antisemitism a particularly dangerous new dimension. These myths turned Jews into a convenient enemy onto whom societies could project their fears, frustrations, and failures. Once embedded in popular consciousness, such lies became powerful enough to influence communities, institutions, and even governments, with devastating consequences.

How do we confront an evil as persistent as antisemitism? One answer, I believe, is through action: by doing good. Tikkun Olam teaches us to contribute to the repair and improvement of the world around us. Modern jewish organizations such as Cadena in Latin America embody this principle by providing humanitarian assistance to people in need, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or background.

If I could rewind history, I would encourage Jewish communities, from the earliest times, to make the public practice of Tikkun Olam a systematic and visible part of Jewish life. Doing good is essential, but we should not be afraid to let that good be seen. Let our help reach those who need it, let our values be visible, and let the world know that the hand extending assistance is also a Jewish hand.

The Holocaust / Shoah (1933–1945)

The Shoah was an evil of such magnitude that I struggle to find words capable of capturing its horror. Some events in human history are so devastating that language itself feels insufficient.

The systematic murder of six million Jews was not merely a tragedy; it was an assault against human dignity, memory, and civilization itself. It demonstrated how centuries of prejudice, propaganda, and hatred could ultimately transform into one of the darkest chapters in human history.

The Shoah also teaches us a painful lesson: evil does not begin with mass murder. It begins much earlier, with words, with stereotypes, with the normalization of hatred, and with the silence of those who choose not to act.

From the tragedy of the past, from the challenges we face today, and, God forbid, from those that may come tomorrow, one lesson must remain clear:

Never give hatred an inch. Don’t wait for help, don’t wait for sanity. Stand your ground and fight. Never surrender a single millimeter.

Never. Never. Never again.

The 1947 United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine, Resolution 181

The 1947 United Nations Partition Plan proposed the creation of two states, one Jewish and one Arab, with Jerusalem under an international regime. The Jewish leadership accepted the plan, despite reservations, while the Arab leadership rejected it. 

If I could rewind history, I would have included a clear mechanism establishing the consequences if either side rejected the proposed partition. Under such a provision, if one party accepted the plan and the other rejected it, the territory allocated to the rejecting party would be transferred to the accepting party. This would have created a powerful incentive for both sides to accept partition rather than risk losing the territory offered to them.

Of course, no provision could have guaranteed peace, and such a mechanism would undoubtedly have been controversial. Yet one cannot help wondering whether clear consequences for rejection might have encouraged compromise and changed the course of the conflict that followed. History cannot be rewritten, but it can teach us the importance of designing agreements in which compromise is rewarded and rejection carries consequences.

The 1979 Iranian Revolution

The Iranian Revolution of 1979 transformed the Middle East. The Carter administration, seeking political reform and greater respect for human rights, pressured Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, heir to a 2,500-year-old monarchy, to reduce repression and open Iran politically. In doing so, however, it underestimated the strength and intentions of the revolutionary Islamist forces waiting to seize power.

The result was the Islamic Republic of Iran, a regime that became openly hostile toward Israel and a major supporter of extremist organizations across the region. If I could rewind history, I would wish that the United States had better understood who was positioned to fill the vacuum before weakening the Shah.

The lesson is not that human rights or political reform should be abandoned, but that idealism must be accompanied by realism. Good intentions alone do not guarantee good outcomes, especially when extremist forces are waiting for an opportunity to seize power.

October 7, 2023

The Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, was one of the darkest days in modern Jewish history. Approximately 1,200 people were killed and around 250 taken hostage, making it the deadliest single day for Jews since the Holocaust. Its consequences extended far beyond Israel, contributing to a dramatic rise in antisemitism around the world.

If I could rewind history, I would want Israel’s intelligence and military leadership to have taken the warnings and signs preceding the attack more seriously. Could greater preparedness, a different assessment of the threat, or a faster response have prevented the attack, or at least dramatically reduced its devastating consequences?

The purpose of asking these questions is not merely to assign blame, although accountability is necessary, but above all to learn. Beyond confronting those responsible for the attack, Israel must ensure that the failures that made October 7 possible are never repeated. The greatest tribute to those who were murdered, taken hostage, and forever affected is not remembrance alone, it is action.

The History We Are Writing Today

We cannot rewind history or undo the tragedies, mistakes, and missed opportunities that shaped the Jewish people. But we can learn from them. Decisions matter. Leadership matters. Courage matters. Our survival has always depended not only on confronting those who threaten us, but also on our ability to adapt, rebuild, defend ourselves, and contribute to the world around us.

The purpose of looking back is not to judge those who came before us with the benefit of hindsight. It is to remind ourselves that we, too, are making decisions whose full consequences may not become visible for years, decades, or even generations. A decision that seems small or necessary today can set in motion a chain of events that profoundly shapes the lives of those who come after us.

So perhaps the most important question is no longer, “What would I change if I could rewind history?” It is: “What can we do today to ensure that our choices do not unleash consequences that future generations will be left to endure, and wish they could rewind and change?”