I just arrived back from a beautiful ten day trip to Israel and let me tell you, there is nothing like it. I visited Chevron, Tzfat, Yerushalayim, The Dead Sea, and the country's breathtaking beauty never fails to amaze me.
But what really hit me was not the gorgeous scenery, but the incredible people. I met Jews who have been challenged with trials and tribulations unimagined by sheltered Americans, yet have emerged ever stronger.
In Chevron I stood where Shalhevet Pass, a ten month old baby, was murdered by a sniper on March 26, 2001, from the hills of Abu Sneina. There is a monument there and you can clearly see the exact house where the sniper shot her from. (The IDF has since razed it.) As I was standing there, Shalhevet's mother walked past. Just looking at her gave me an incredible feeling. I saw how she still lives in the exact same place where her daughter was murdered. I saw how she still raises her kids beneath the shadows of Abu Sneina. I saw how she still walks with inner strength and courage that has proved more powerful than any terrorist. I saw her pure self sacrifice.
What strength! What power! She could easily have picked up her belongings and moved to a different neighborhood. But she didn’t. Why? Because her ideals and her values, her love of Israel and of Chevron, are more powerful than anything else. She is larger than life.
I met a man who lives on one of the hills of Chevron in a caravan, together with eight other families. The government offered him $250,000 cash to abandon his house and relocate. Although he finds it hard to put bread on his table, he refused because of his love for the land, and for his people.
In the heart of Jerusalem stands a tent with a big sign – 'For Gilad Schalit'. The tent was erected by his parents trying to create awareness and get their son out of captivity. When I was there, the sign marked 1689 days since his captivity. May G-d grant Gilad’s parents the strength and power to be able to withstand their terrible trial and tribulation. May they emerge strong and may they be reunited with Gilad very soon!
The first verse of our Parshah tells us to kindle the Menorah with "pure olive oil, from olives, crushed to become a luminary." Olives are a metaphor for the Jewish people. In the words of our sages, just as the purest oil is extracted only when the olive is crushed and compressed, so does the Jew become a beacon of strength, faith, light, and warmth when he is oppressed. Exile attempts to crush our faith, our hope, our commitment to our people and our G-d, but in truth it is all in order to reveal our deepest inner strength, the essence of our soul.
This is how Jews throughout history were able to remain committed to the Torah despite the tremendous danger that this commitment entailed.
Let us learn from the heroes of our people to become a luminary to our families, our communities, and to the world.
anonymous wrote...