From Majdal Shams to Jerusalem
1) The 12 children who were murdered in Majdal Shams in a Hezbollah attack have been laid to rest. Significantly, last Shabbat morning, we read the haftarah from Jeremiah, which states: “From the north shall disaster break loose…” referring to the Babylonians who conquered Israel before the destruction of the First Temple.
Just a few hours later, disaster struck in northern Israel.
What we need to internalize is that the enemy aims to kill — no matter whether the victims are soldiers or children playing on a soccer field. For Hezbollah, this was no accident; it was their modus operandi. We are justifiably horrified that Hezbollah managed to strike its target on this occasion, but we must never lose sight of the fact that each missile launched over the past few months was meant to end the same way.
2) Jeremiah continues: “…every one shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls all around.” In other words, the enemy won’t be satisfied with strikes in northern Israel; its main target will be Jerusalem. In contemporary terms, the attack on Majdal Shams was an important symbol, but the real focus of this conflict was Jerusalem.
3) Then, speaking beautiful words of consolation, the prophet tells us how God remembers the 40 years in which we followed Him through the desert: “Thus said God: ‘I accounted to your favor the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride— how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.”
Jeremiah recalls a story of kindness, devotion, and commitment— an eternal covenant of love between God and Israel. Whenever we are faced with a challenging period filled with fear and uncertainty in which we feel as desolate as a “desert,” we must remember that it is precisely trials such as these that are transformative in the life of a nation or individual.
4) Our haftarah ends with the punishment that was meted out to our enemies: “Israel was holy to God, the first fruits of God’s harvest. All who ate of it [the enemies of Israel] were held guilty; disaster befell them—declares God.”
We extend our deepest sympathies to the Druze community and to the residents of the Golan Heights, and we pray that these moving prophecies of consolation will soon come true.
This Week in Jerusalem
The following two photos from Jerusalem most accurately sum up the events as of the beginning of this week. In the first, after a Hezbollah missile killed 12 children in the northern village of Majdal Shams, the bridge at the entrance to Israel's capital was illuminated with the Druze flag as a sign of solidarity. And while, at the time of this writing, all are conjecturing how and when Israel will respond, the second photo shows a small but significant response: 35 Jewish students from the wonderful MJE educational center in Manhattan arrived in Israel, led by Rabbi Mark Wildes, for a week of volunteering, learning, and gaining and giving strength. Welcome home.
Everyone Can Contribute
"Talk to us about growth through crisis!" was the request from the audience - inmates at the Neve Tirza women’s prison, where I spoke last week.
The prison rabbi, Rabbi Evyatar Greenfeld, reminded me that "None of the women ended up here just out of the blue; there are always extenuating circumstances. The main thing is to help them look forward to a better future."
So, how do you talk about growth through crisis with individuals who have committed crimes and have been ostracized by society? We discussed Biblical figures whose tragedies caused them to grow and elevate themselves, but mostly, I wanted to hear about their lives. As it turned out, they’d accomplished a great deal since Simchat Torah.
Those with permission to leave the premises had gone to volunteer in the Gaza border area, picking fruits and vegetables. Others created artwork and wrote letters that were sent to bereaved families and families of captives, touching their hearts. They also regularly recite Psalms and other prayers, with specific names of soldiers and captives at the request of families.
“Maybe that's the most important lesson,” I told them. “You are also part of the story. I didn't come to tell you what's happening outside; with your actions, you influence what happens outside. Everyone, even in the toughest situations, can contribute.”
At the end of my talk, prison commander Vered Rafaeli took the stage and explained the meaning behind the name of the institution: Neve means an oasis, a place of hope in the midst of desolation; Tirza is the daughter of Zelophehad, one of the righteous women mentioned in last week’s Torah portion.
What she said next surprised me. “The name Tirza comes from the root word 'to run,' implying motion, progress — and indeed, the vast majority of our inmates move forward and do not return here. We have a much higher rehabilitation rate than the male prisoners."
Even within those prison walls, the journey towards a brighter future begins with small steps, moving forward.