Yarden, the sun will rise again tomorrow

Yarden, the sun will rise again tomorrow, for you, for us all, for we are a people of eternal hope. As we all know, even our national anthem here in Israel is called Hatikvah – “The Hope.” These are the words of our collective hope:

As long as in the heart within,
The Jewish soul yearns,
And toward the eastern edges, onward,
An eye gazes toward Zion.

Our hope is not yet lost,
The hope that is two-thousand years old,
To be a free nation in our land,
The Land of Zion, Jerusalem.

From all over the world, throughout history, we gaze with hopes and dreams towards Jerusalem, Israel’s eternal capital. This anthem embodies every dream of our return, every dream of those who made Aliyah, every dream of those longing to make Aliya, every dream of breathing the air of this holy land, every dream of walking the streets of the Old City, every dream of gazing out at a sunset over the Mediterranean – it is the heart that beats inside the Jewish soul which yearns to come home, to live here. Nothing will ever change that. Not even the actions of those who hate us, of those who want to destroy us. Especially not those, and even though we are a nation at war surrounded by our enemies. We still have hope.

Yesterday, tens of thousands of people lined the streets across Israel, hundreds of thousands watched the live video feed of the burial, of two babies and their mother, Ariel, Kfir, and Shira Bibas, A”H and millions listened to the eulogy of their father and husband Yarden, while their hearts simultaneously broke. As the one single casket – yes just one, for they were brutally murdered together and thus would be peacefully buried together – passed along the burial route, the world heard us sing out the words of Hatikvah. For our hope is eternal, and no tragedy, no hatred, no terror attack, no sick death-loving cult of Nazis – called – take your pick – Hamas, Islamic Jihad, ISIS, Hezbollah, Iran or any other Jew hating group, no one will take our hope away from us. We are here to stay in this land!

Just as we rose from the ashes of the Holocaust, and built a nation in our homeland, we will rise again. As Yarden spoke these words yesterday to his wife Shiri, A”H – “Shiri, please watch over me…Shield me from harmful things and protect me from myself. Guard me so I don’t sink into darkness. Mishmish, I love you!” – all I could think about was the Holocaust survivors who helped build this country. Simply, because they rebuilt themselves. They found it in themselves to find hope, to marry, to rebuild in “the day after” – even after losing entire families. How many of them met in DP camps while all alone, tattered and torn, or some who met here in Israel, arriving with nothing after having lost everything, everyone they loved? But somehow, they found a way to not allow themselves to sink into darkness; to not let the enemy win. And they helped rebuild a nation of over seven million Jews, in just seventy-six years, in their ancestral homeland! This is our home, this is your home Yarden, and you are part of this rebuilding. And we all will rebuild it together.

No one knows why some survive and others do not, only G-d knows. Although I do not know why we have suffered so much throughout our history, or even more recently through October 7th and the over 500 days that have come after (and keep coming for we are still at war and waiting for all our hostages to come home), I do know that we will not let our enemies prevail! How can we possibly do this? Where do we find the strength to push forward? The answer is – hope. Hope exists inside us, within our entire people. The day after, one filled with light, is coming.

Yarden, the words you spoke after the word darkness, “Mishmish, I love you!” are the secret. Love is the light, and we are a people that illuminates the world, and you are a part of this tribe. You have your family, friends, an entire nation, and an entire people, in all four corners of the world, which love you. Drink that love in Yarden and find a way to put it back out into the world. Shiri, A”H is watching from above, I just know it. Her hopes and dreams are for you to go on – you survived for a reason – a reason yet unknown to you or to anyone else. Yet, here you are. Here you stand, and you will put one foot forward in front of the other and find hope, find light, and bring more of each into this world. Just reach out to those who love you, they will support you every step of the way – while each of us, each member of your tribe, quietly has your back. You know that Shiri, A”H would want that for you. Rebuild yourself for her, for Ariel, and for Kfir, A”H. I beg of you, do not let the purveyors of darkness and evil into your soul – do not give them that victory!

When you are ready, you must tell their story, the story of before, the story of the lives of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir, A”H – things only you know or remember – and share them with the world. That is how their memories remain alive. In the days after, the days yet to come, build something in their honor, rebuild a life for yourself, and tell other survivors to do the same. You will find a community of survivors who will help you and whom you will lean on – our people have done this before – and they in turn will seek your support and lean on you, during the many years that lie ahead. Love and light will grow. This will take time, but it will happen, if you have hope. Follow the love Yarden, and the light – the sun – will rise again tomorrow.

May the memories of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir, A”H be for a blessing always!

May all our hostages come home now!