Worst case scenario?

I stumbled across an Instagram post recently which had me reading the comments. The post was put up by a popular Jewish influencer who asked the non-Jewish public what it would take for them to stand up for their Jewish friends/neighbors/workmates/acquaintances.

There were some wonderful and heartfelt comments made by those who were adamant on standing up for the Jewish people.

But one of the comments by a Jewish reader caught my eye and it really bothered me.

Let me preface this by saying that I’m absolutely sure that she didn’t mean for it to sound like she had written it, but the words she chose felt like a slap in the face.

She wrote that we shouldn’t rely on outsiders to protect us or save us anymore. History has proven that when push comes to shove, we are on our own. That we should stand up for ourselves, band together, be proud of who we are and be true to ourselves. We should fight back and defend ourselves.

So far, I agreed with her comment. A hundred percent. What followed was the problem. She said that if things get bad and it forces us to leave Western society, worst case scenario we have Israel.

I respect and understand more than you know those who want to stay in the West. My family was able to flourish and grow in Canada after the war almost wiped them out. Albeit, it was not the warmest welcome, but for a long time, Canada provided enough safety and protection for its Jews post WW2. Strong communities were built that grew into safe places that provided Jewish education and Jewish culture. I acknowledge the deep roots and ties and loyalty to a country that enabled Jewish life to flourish, and I understand the desire to stay in the only place you call home. Uprooting yourself and moving halfway across the globe with significant hurdles to climb over like language, jobs and culture are not simple things. I would be the last to argue that.

But worst case?

Israel is the worst case scenario here?

Israel is doing EXACTLY what she suggested: it’s standing tall, it’s uniting, it’s fighting back, it’s defending, and it’s proud.

It’s proud to be a shelter, a haven and a homeland for its people. It’s proud in its accomplishments and contributions that make this world a better place. That pride is evident in the ridiculous amount of flags that are literally draped and hanging all over this country. If there’s an empty surface anywhere, you’ll find a flag.

It’s defending and protecting with morality and justice, with fearlessness, bravery and courage.

It’s uniting people in both grief for our soldiers who have sacrificed their lives, and in joy for those precious moments in between the sirens, the chaos and the fear. The amount of volunteering that goes on on a daily basis is unbelievable and inspiring. This is a society that really believes that giving is far superior to taking.

Choosing Israel is DEFINITELY not a worst case scenario.

I WISH my grandparents had that choice while they were being rounded up to be sent to concentration camps in Poland and Germany.

To me, using that particular turn of phrase is insulting to all of us who have chosen to make this place our home. Because we don’t just passively live here – no Israeli does. We don’t just go about our lives going to school or work, and running errands, going to appointments or meet friends at a restaurant for dinner etc. Living here is a very active thing, because in addition to all of those everyday necessary things, we are required to protect and defend our borders 24/7. We do this not because army or national service is mandatory, but because if we don’t do it, we will lose it.

That is the stark truth.

So when she wrote worst case, it felt like a slight against every soldier that sacrificed his life and his future so that we can continue to live here and keep it safe for our children and grandchildren. And for you. For the future Olim.

When I think of worst case, I think that that is EXACTLY what many Jews are facing now OUTSIDE of Israel. Not in it.

Seeing swastikas spray-painted on schools or synagogues, being attacked for speaking Hebrew in public, being called a “baby killer” while eating in a restaurant, being thrown out of an Uber because you are Jewish, having to reboard a cruise ship and turn back to the sea because disembarking to an angry mob was the only alternative, hearing that shots were fired at your child’s school while they are in attendance; this list goes on and on. Stabbings, mass shootings, arson, assault, targeted assassinations, public humiliation, degradation, doxxing, destruction of Jewish property….

You think that that kind of life is best case scenario? Those are inarguably not ideal living conditions.

You may argue that living under the threat of war on all fronts and missiles that have you running to shelters at 2 am is worst case. You’re probably right.

But the key word here is shelters. We have them. We have access to them. You don’t. And I’ve seen plenty of clips of Diaspora Jews barricading themselves inside a building while an angry mob tried to break in shouting: “from the river to the sea!”

And we have an army that will do anything in its power to protect us – and God knows, they are doing an incredible job and deserve our endless gratitude and prayers.

And these two differences are more important than you think.

In the UK just last week 2 Jewish men were stabbed in the Jewish neighborhood of Golders Green. The footage that came out was nothing short of embarrassing for the UK police. This violent man – who had an impressive record of extreme violence against both civilians and the police – was rushing towards the police with his knife in his hand and the police were running AWAY from him. This is not what the police are supposed to do. They are trained – or supposed to be trained – in how to disarm the attacker quickly and efficiently and arrest him. He eventually was tasered and arrested AFTER he managed to chase the police down the street.

If I lived in the UK, I wouldn’t have any confidence in the police to protect me or my family or my community.

In Israel, we are all too familiar with terror attacks. Usually what happens is the perpetrator is very very quickly disarmed. Either by the police, or an army soldier standing by, or by an armed civilian. Yes, a civilian will rush TOWARDS the offender and take them down, often before the police even get there. Seconds or just minutes at most…

Maybe because most civilians here carry guns, or have been trained in the army and possess those kinds of instinctive defence reflexes. But be it the police, soldier or armed civilian, they are most definitely NOT running away.

After the report came out regarding the rampant Jew hatred that is infecting the higher-ups and senior officers in the Toronto Metropolitan Police Dept, knowing if your local police has your back is imperative to feeling secure and safe. In any place in the world. This is where YOUR taxes go – to pick up trash, to fix the roads, AND to protect you in times of need.

In this officer’s own words when asked if a Jewish person can feel safe calling the police, his answer was a very definitive “no.” He actually said that Toronto Jews need to know that when they call the police to report an Anti-Semןtic crime, they should be fully aware that the person they are speaking to might very well be an Anti-Semite himself.

That is just terrifying.

Imagine being attacked because of your kippah, or calling from inside a synagogue while a violent mob tries to break in and you place that call and the responding officer is thinking to himself: “not another f*@#ing Jew.”

And Israel is what you would consider your “worst case scenario”???

I responded to her comment. Politely but firmly. She reiterated that of course that’s not what she really meant, and that Israel is a blessing, but it would be a shame for Jews to have to leave the Diaspora. We ended the exchange with an “Am Yisrael Chai”, but her words stayed with me for days.

I’m not in the business of telling people where they should live, but I’ll just say this:

As someone who left Canada 32 years ago to live in Israel, the real shame is that there are those who are willing to wait while they’re being hunted and chased instead of choosing to come with excitement and anticipation of being the majority in a country you can call your own.

Less than a hundred years ago we saw what happened to those who waited until it was too late.

Israel will do everything in its power to keep you as safe as humanly possible. It’s a country that will fill you with so much pride that you will wear the biggest Star of David you have, wear your kippah in public, and hang the largest Israeli flag on your front door.

There’s so much safety – both physically and emotionally – in that truth.

Just for a second ask yourself if you’re comfortably able to do any of these things where you live. Because you know the answer. Across many places in Europe, Australia, the UK and America, hanging an enormous Israeli flag on your front door is just asking for trouble. You’re now hiding any Jewish pride you have and keeping it within the confines of your home.

I sincerely hope that one day Diaspora Jews will start to see Israel as the best case scenario. Because living the way you are right now is not sustainable; not if you want to live your life free to practice your Judaism openly and proudly.

And I don’t know about you, but I, for one, would not want to live that way.

Thank God/Hashem, I don’t have to. I’m already living my best life.

In Israel.