The Light has been extinguished
As I sit down to gather my thoughts for this week’s blog, I am overwhelmed by the weight of continual trauma and negativity. The bombardment of news—from the unknown fate of hostages to the rockets raining down on northern Israel and daily deaths —is just too much to absorb. We face an enemy that refuses to compromise, and the historical injustice feels ever-present.
Reflecting on this ongoing conflict, it’s easy to see how history and trauma intersect. Many argue that the Arabs already have 22 Arab states, with Jordan even being designated for the Palestinians in the original partition plan in 1922. Yet, the desire to see Israel destroyed persists. This isn’t a uniquely Israel struggle. Throughout history, Jews have faced relentless persecution. Take, for example, the little-known attacks in Ukraine between 1917 and 1925, where 1,300 pogroms resulted in 60,000 deaths. And then there was the Holocaust—a tragedy in which six million Jews perished over six years, averaging 2,841 deaths each day. It’s as if the terror of October 7th extended for six years.
This week’s Torah portion of Eikev reminds us that evil must be confronted directly. The Torah warns us against attributing success solely to our righteousness; rather, it’s often the wickedness of others that brings about their downfall.
אַל־תֹּאמַ֣ר בִּלְבָבְךָ֗ בַּהֲדֹ֣ף יְהֹוָה֩ אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ אֹתָ֥ם ׀ מִלְּפָנֶ֘יךָ֮ לֵאמֹר֒ בְּצִדְקָתִי֙ הֱבִיאַ֣נִי יְהֹוָ֔ה לָרֶ֖שֶׁת אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את וּבְרִשְׁעַת֙ הַגּוֹיִ֣ם הָאֵ֔לֶּה יְהֹוָ֖ה מוֹרִישָׁ֥ם מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃
And when your God יהוה has thrust them from your path, say not to yourselves, “יהוה has enabled us to possess this land because of our virtues”; it is rather because of the wickedness of those nations that יהוה is dispossessing them before you.
This resonates with our current situation—our mission is not just to survive but to be a light to the nations. But how can we focus on spreading light when surrounded by so much darkness?
The Challenge of Positivity and the Mission to Uplift
Despite the relentless negativity, I want to shift gears and return to the theme of positivity and hope. The Torah teaches about the land, the commandments, and our responsibility. We are dispossessing evil—not just physically but on a deeper, spiritual level. Our task is to remove darkness wherever it resides, whether externally or within ourselves.
Looking through the lens of the Soul of Israel, our mission is to be a light to nations. In order to be a light to nations, you need to be a light to yourself.
A well-known parable tells the story of a young man who initially set out to change the world. When that proved impossible, he narrowed his focus to his country, city, and family. Ultimately, he realised that true change starts from within. This wisdom holds for us as well. Before we can be a light to others, we must first be a light to ourselves.
Leading up to October 7th, Israeli society was already grappling with internal divisions—political, religious, and judicial reform—highlighting how fragmented we had become. Often, when society is divided, it becomes vulnerable to more significant external threats. The attack on October 7th was a tragic wake-up call, a reflection of both internal and external fractures. Yet, how do we begin the process of healing?
Now, more than ever, we must repair those rifts. How? By embracing the principles of chesed (loving-kindness), brit (covenant), and genuine listening.
Indeed, in this weeks parsha:
הָיָ֣ה ׀ עֵ֣קֶב תִּשְׁמְע֗וּן אֵ֤ת הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְשָׁמַר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ לְךָ֗ אֶֽת־הַבְּרִית֙ וְאֶת־הַחֶ֔סֶד אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖ע לַאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃
And if you do obey these rules and observe them carefully, your God יהוה will maintain faithfully for you the covenant with made on oath with your fathers:
And it shall come to pass, if you listen to these judgments and keep and perform them, that the LORD your God will keep with you the covenant and the kindness which He swore to your forefathers.”
The Covenant, Listening, and the Path Forward
The Hebrew word “Shema” means to listen, but it signifies much more—it is about deep understanding and empathy. Imagine if both Arabs and Jews truly listened to one another’s stories. Could that bring peace? Perhaps. But this listening must begin at home. Our children often feel misunderstood; they say, “You don’t understand me.” True love begins by listening to the pains of those closest to us; we can build a better world from that foundation.
The wisdom of our tradition emphasises that love is intertwined with listening. The Shema, the central declaration of the Jewish faith, begins with the command to “hear” or “listen.” But in its truest form, listening is more than hearing words—it’s about understanding the deeper pains and stories of others, whether they are our neighbours, enemies, or even our children. Proper understanding requires empathy and an active commitment to listen.
Rabbi Sacks taught that building a good society depends on the balance of covenant, kindness, and love. A covenant is more than a contract; it’s a shared commitment to something greater. This idea applies not only within our communities but also in our interactions with others. Imagine if the Arab world truly listened to our story, and we genuinely listened to theirs. Could that lead to peace? It’s a distant hope but one worth holding on to.
To Love is to Listen
On a more personal level, listening plays a crucial role in our families. Our children often feel misunderstood, and as parents, we sometimes miss the underlying cries for attention and validation. Building a safe, loving home requires listening, understanding, and acting with kindness. The same principles apply when we seek to improve society at large.
Bring them back home now.
An interesting thing happened when writing this blog. I originally wanted to paint a positive picture of how we could be a light to ourselves and the nations. But after doing a lot of thinking and searching the internet, I came across Dr Shoshan Haran’s testimony to a United Nations panel, in which she talked about the personal terrible experience and living hell of October 7th and the pain she and her family are still going through.
Here is her testimony:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD02WGqqOYU
This is how she ends her testimony.
“For the international community, to ensure that this never happens again. We cannot allow the normalisation of this unprecedented form of terrorism, mass hostage-taking of unarmed civilians, women, children, elderly. What you see as our problem today might become a worldwide problem to each and every country in the near future. Our hostages are victims of enforced disappearance, which the UN General Assembly stated in 2006 is a crime against humanity. No one knows better than me the tremendous risk of being a hostage. No one knows better than me the psychological distress caused by captivity. No one knows better than me that every minute counts. I call upon the UN Security Council to do everything in its power to prevent hostage-taking from happening ever again. The UN Security Council should do everything in its power for the immediate and unconditional release of all the hostages. Bring them home now. My daughter and my little grandkids need their father, Tal Shoham, back home now. And as a final note, if you care about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, like me, who dealt with humanitarian aid in all my professional life, use all the leverages and political power and do everything you can to bring all the hostages back home as soon as possible. Only this will enable the rehabilitation of the people in Gaza. Thanks for watching.”
Now, who is Dr Shoshan Haran?
Dr. Shoshan Haran is from Kibbutz Be’eri. She founded an organisation called Fair Planet, https://www.fairplanet.ngo, which aims to eradicate hunger worldwide, regardless of religion or race. Their mission is to provide smallholder farmers in developing countries with means to exit the cycle of malnutrition and poverty through access to the highest-quality seeds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6z87_e9jPM
Before October 7th, she was involved in making the world a better and fairer world. I’m sure she was active in trying to build bridges with the Palestinians and the people in Gaza.
The Light has been extinguished.
It is sad how this light has been extinguished.
That’s why I’ve changed the title of this blog to “The Light has been extinguished.” Indeed, the world is a dark place.
I attended a fascinating lecture and discussion with Natasha Hausdorff from the UK Lawyers for Israel.
It’s an amazing organisation, and they do incredible work. You’ll find a link to their website. https://www.uklfi.com/
The bottom line which she so eloquently articulated is the hypocrisy, a disregard for international precedent and law when applying to Israel. It doesn’t exist, and it’s almost like there’s a thread that continued throughout history to the Holocaust onwards to eradicate Jews and Israel.
“Tomorrow marks the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism.
Soon, it will be a year since October 7th, the most horrific terror attack since the Holocaust. Yet, the disgraceful UN did not see fit to include even a single Israeli terror victim(!) in the exhibition it is presenting for this day of remembrance.
There are NO WORDS LEFT to describe how morally corrupt and twisted the UN is. It’s simply a disgrace.”
https://x.com/giladerdan1/status/1825930371864646010
Hope and Faith in Times of Crisis
This blog title is ‘ The light has been extinguished: However, I want to leave us with a glimmer of hope and faith. While we live in a world where we should be rational, we have the mystical, and our prophecies are coming true today despite all the hardships.
Recently, I attended a Shabbat talk where the rabbi shared various prophecies, reminding us that we live in miraculous times despite our suffering. He spoke of how, even in dark periods of history, the Jewish people have believed that better days will come. This enduring hope has carried us through countless tragedies.
We are living through challenging times, and it is easy to lose hope. However, we are also living through miraculous times. The survival and resilience of the Jewish people are in themselves a fulfilment of prophecy. The suffering we endure is challenging, but it should also strengthen our resolve.
Indeed, in the Haftorah we read from Isiah 49
כִּ֤י חׇרְבֹתַ֙יִךְ֙ וְשֹׁ֣מְמֹתַ֔יִךְ וְאֶ֖רֶץ הֲרִסֻתֵ֑ךְ כִּ֤י עַתָּה֙ תֵּצְרִ֣י מִיּוֹשֵׁ֔ב וְרָחֲק֖וּ מְבַלְּעָֽיִךְ׃
As for your ruins and desolate places
And your land laid waste—
You shall soon be crowded with settlers,
While destroyers stay far from you.
Conclusion: Be the Light We Seek
The key takeaway is clear: to be a light to the world, we must first be a light to ourselves. This begins with listening to others, showing kindness, and understanding their pain. We can create a better society by following the principles of covenant and love. History teaches us that in the face of darkness, we must remain committed to improving ourselves and, in turn, the world around us.
In these times, hope and faith are not luxuries but necessities. As we work to mend our internal divisions and confront external threats, we must strive to be a source of light. Doing so, we honour the mission entrusted to us and lay the foundation for a fairer, more compassionate world for future generations.