Rocks and Resilience on Memorial Day

On the eve of Memorial Day—the saddest day of the year, a day we dedicate to the memory of so many who have fallen, a sacred day in Israeli society—I spent my evening in the emergency room after being attacked. A rock was thrown at my car by violent extremists who came to attack participants of the Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day Ceremony being live screened at the Reform synagogue in Ra’anana. This was no stray rock, and not the act of a lone fanatic. It was hurled with the clear intent to intimidate. But while they meant to deter me, it only made me more determined. 

What happened on Tuesday evening was a pogrom. No less. Stones were thrown at a synagogue, fireworks, used as weapons, were fired at participants, car windows were smashed—all accompanied by horrifying racist curses and chants. It evoked dark days when Jews were attacked in European synagogues simply for being Jewish.  

The rock that hit me was aimed at our bodies, but more than that, it targeted our spirit: the spirit of democracy, pluralism, open and inclusive Judaism, a shared society of Jews and Arabs, and of every person’s right to live in a free and safe country that respects their faith and choices. A country that respects each citizen’s right to commemorate this painful day in accordance with their values. 

The rock was thrown first and foremost because of the ceremony’s message: a different reality is possible—one of peace and partnership. But that was just an excuse. This rock embodied a real threat to our democratic foundations—foundations already under relentless attack for two and a half years by a shameless, immoral, spineless, corrupt, and extremist government that incites racism and violence against many groups in Israeli society. 

The hundreds of rioters weren’t there just because of the ceremony. They came because, like the inciters who sent them, they oppose the fundamental values of a democratic state—where every citizen can pray according to their faith, grieve in their own way, and believe in human rights. They didn’t just attack the idea of holding a joint, Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day ceremony—they attacked democracy itself. They attacked pluralism, and the ability of any Jew to live their Judaism without fear. 

The real pain lies not only in the physical assault, but in the assault on our national soul—on the vision that led to the establishment of this state. This attack was a desecration of the memory of the fallen—those who died so we could live in a free, democratic country that is supposed to respect all its citizens, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion or political views. This attack is part of a long chain of assaults on those very values. It is years in the making, and it is now reaching a dangerous peak. It was a clear attempt to terrorize those who believe in peace, coexistence, egalitarian Judaism, and the right of every person to choose their spiritual path. 

This attack didn’t happen in a political vacuum. It is a direct result of years of incitement—in the Knesset, in the streets, and on social media—leading to violence against anyone who doesn’t think like these extremists. What should have been a solemn evening of remembrance and honor for the fallen became a moment in which we were forced to fight for values that should be obvious in any democratic state. It is the product of unrestrained incitement from members of the most dangerous government we’ve ever had, a government that has brought devastation to this country and is still trying to destroy our democracy’s foundations, all for its own political survival. 

This attack follows repeated assaults on government critics, LGBTQ+ people, and the Arab public. Not a single member of this government has condemned this pogrom. Their silence is a green light for continued violence. We refuse to accept this. 

If the rioters thought they would scare us off, they were gravely mistaken. The Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Ceremony—which offers a vision of peace and partnership—was screened in the Reform synagogue of Raanana as planned. We, in the Reform Movement, will continue to fight religious extremism, racism, and discrimination, and we will keep advancing a vision of a shared Jewish-Arab society. We have filed complaints against the agitators, the rioters and their inciters. We demand accountability, and we will continue working for a better society: in the courts, in the Knesset, on social media, and in the streets. 

This struggle is not new. But it becomes more urgent and critical as the madness around us intensifies. We will continue holding ceremonies, building communities, promoting shared society and amplifying the voice of a Judaism that believes all people are created in the divine image, that embraces the stranger, and extends a hand to the vulnerable. We will not give in to the politics of fear, incitement, and violence. And we know that our vision of compassion and solidarity will prevail.