Our hearts are in pain, appalled by the bloodshed and hatred Hamas rains down on our brothers and sisters in Israel. Hundreds of rockets have been fired on innocent civilians, and six of our kin have been murdered. A bomb exploded on a bus in Tel Aviv injuring 23 people, and in the hours after an official ceasefire agreement was set to go into effect, Hamas continued to bombard Israel.
Israel has targeted terrorist “hot spots” in the Gaza strip, while giving civilians significant advance notice to help minimize the casualties. Unfortunately, Hamas has not allowed them to evacuate, and even admitted to using the civilians as human shields.
A friend of mine posted on facebook the other day, “Libi, my four-year-old, just asked me, ‘Ima, what is war? Why are they sending missiles on us?’ How do you explain hatred and destruction to a four-year-old? How??”
I have relatives in Israel, and when I speak to them it helps me understand just how much their lives have changed. My brother and sister are terrified each time the siren goes off and they have just 15 seconds to run to the shelters. Their children are traumatized despite their parents doing their best to protect them. My cousin lives in Kiryat Malachi. A missile hit the fourth floor of his apartment building, destroying his home and killing three of his neighbors.
When parents wake up in the morning, they have to check – is there school today or no school today? It all depends on the rocket attacks. And as much as parents try to protect their children, children are smart and intuitive and they pick up on the panic and fear that has gripped the country.
My daughter had her own “trauma” this week, which made me think about the children in Israel with sincere compassion. My six-year-old daughter comes home on a school bus, and my wife or I pick her up from the bus. One day this week, my wife called me and explained that she was running a few minutes late, and asked me to go meet the bus instead of her. I was in the middle of something and could not get away, but then my wife ended up stuck in traffic and making a wrong turn, so I had to jump in a taxi and race down to the bus stop.
By the time I got there, my daughter had been waiting close to half an hour with just the driver. She was crying hysterically, thinking we were not coming. She thought her parents had abandoned her. The bus driver also told me that my daughter had told him, “My mommy and tatty are not coming. They abandoned me.” She truly thought we were not coming!
I got down on eye level with her and promised her, “Mommy and tatty will never, ever leave you. We will always be there for you.”
But as I reassured her, I realized this is what everyone in Israel is wondering. Where is our Father in Heaven? How is He allowing this to happen? Has He abandoned His people?
In this week’s Parsha, we have our answer. Yaakov leaves Israel and travels to Charan, a land renowned for deception and swindling. But G-d promises him, “I am with you.”
G-d reassured Yaakov, and that reassurance still stands – He will not leave us, He will not abandon us. Sometimes it’s hard to see His input, but He is there.
We must remember that our Father in Heaven will never abandon us. Let’s help our brave Israeli brethren by saying psalms, being kind to one another, putting on tefillin, lighting Shabbat candles and hanging kosher mezuzahs on our doors. This is our contribution, our investment in G-d’s protection.
Brothers and sisters in Israel – our hearts and prayers are with you and your families. Stay strong!
Vladimir wrote...