On this agonizing day, when our hearts are ablaze with sorrow and frustration, and the feeling of helplessness grows stronger, it’s important to take a moment to reflect.
1. Moral duty to bring our hostages home
We all share a profound moral and ethical responsibility to do everything within our power to ensure the safe return of all the hostages – today, tomorrow, and for as long as it takes. It is our obligation, but the practical duty lies with the Israeli government. The State of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces are entrusted with the mission of bringing the hostages home. Their decisions will ultimately be judged by the outcome – whether the hostages return and whether the State of Israel emerges victorious in this struggle, decisively defeating our enemies.
2. We can’t accept this new reality
Even as we yearn for a return to normalcy, we must resist the temptation to grow accustomed to this horrific reality. Our brothers and sisters are suffering, held captive by the Hamas regime. They don’t have the luxury of time. Neither should we.
3. It’s not about the goal, but the means
You may find people around you who are for or against certain measures to secure the hostages’ release. It’s easy to get lost in the noise, but we must not lose sight of the truth: our nation is united in its desire to bring our loved ones home. There isn’t a single Jew, whether in Israel or abroad, who doesn’t share this goal. We are all in the same boat, facing a storm that is as complex as it is fierce.
The only debate is about the means, not the end. Hundreds of thousands of families have been willing to sacrifice everything for almost a year to bring them back. This is an unprecedented moment in Jewish history – never before have we seen such unity and selflessness, especially in an era where it would be so easy to turn inward and focus on our own lives.
4. The real enemy must be defeated
Our true enemy is clear: the Iranian axis of evil, and particularly Hamas. They must be eradicated, permanently. No Jew, whether left or right, is the enemy. We must not allow divisive rhetoric to distract us – blaming each other will get us nowhere. If we aren’t united against our real enemy, we won’t survive.
5. Words are weapons, use them wisely
Every one of us holds a powerful weapon in our hands: our words. The things we say and write have the potential to heal or to harm. We are in the midst of a long and grueling war. There will be victories, but there will also be dark moments. We must cultivate patience and resilience.
The people of Israel, especially the younger generation, will not stop until light overcomes darkness, until good triumphs over evil. As the psalmist says, “I will pursue my enemies and overtake them; I will not turn back until they are destroyed.”
6. We must not fall into the enemy’s trap
The kidnapping of our loved ones is not just a crime; it is a calculated attempt to tear apart Israeli society from within, to weaken us before launching another attack from the outside. Out of our desire to help, we must be careful not to play into their hands, becoming unwitting partners in their strategy. The enemy is at our gates, and they are patient.
Even when our heart is burning! We remind ourselves and each other: We must not let feelings of anger lead us to anarchy. We are brothers. Today more than ever, let us embrace each other, fight together until we defeat evil, bring everyone back home, and teach the world what true mutual responsibility is and how sacred the life of every one of us is.
The writer is the CEO of Nifgashim, an apolitical movement seeking to connect Israeli society, fulfill the national tasks at hand, and build a better model of a united Zionist society in Israel, alongside Jews in the Diaspora.