With all the chaos that is going on in the world, Jews may be wondering where they are safe. There is only one answer. Come home.
My family and I have been in Israel for 3 months now. We came at the beginning of Operation Protective Edge, and today, a 3 month old baby girl was killed in Jerusalem by a Hamas terrorist. She was on her way back from her first visit to the Kotel (Western Wall). She was a gift to her parents, who had been trying for years to have a child. May they be blessed with many more.
My heart is broken. At a time like this, I realize how strong the Israeli people are. The Arabs don’t just want their land back. They want Israel to be destroyed. It’s not because the “poor Palestinians” need land. There is enough land in the Middle East for them to settle. It’s about killing Jews. Plain and simple.
Embrace the Fire Inside of You
Well, it’s only been 3 months but there’s a fire inside of me. This is our land. This is the land that Moses was unable to enter, which he desired with all his strength. This is the land that was home to both Jewish temples. This is the land that vomited the Jewish people out and the land that welcomed us back in with beautiful flowers, abundant fruit and gorgeous life.
Every day when I walk to the Yeshiva (place where I learn Torah), I am greeted by the sweet smell of flowers, gorgeous bunches of them in purple, red, white and pink. Every Friday, when I walk home with fresh flowers for my wife, I pass trees and bushes that are covered in their own beautiful flowers. It seems like there are more every week! And when I see my wife, I tell her how Hashem is presenting us with flowers as well. We can see them from outside our windows.
During the Summer conflict, there were still children playing in the street despite the rockets and the sirens. As I type this, I hear children playing in the nearby park. A baby girl just died, but life continues. Life will not stop here. The Jewish people are strong.
So this is my point, and I declare this to myself as much as I declare it to the rest of the world. Israel is ours. We are not foolish. We know that any inch of land we give away will just be used to kill our civilians. We know that Hamas is building more terror tunnels and repairing those that we destroyed. We know that Hamas and Al Qaeda are preparing for war and we know that behind them is the Islamic State. But there’s a consequence to truth. You’ll do anything for it. And we have the truth. So we will stay in this land and we will fight for it.
When will there be peace?
Before the Jewish people came into the land over 3000 years ago, we sent in some spies to explore the land. They came back with a false report and spoke terrible slander. We are still paying for this sin today, but the difference is that today we can correct it. Today we can come home and claim the land for ourselves. We can show how much we want the Holy Land.
If every Jew came home, showing that without a doubt this is our land, would the Arabs still try to claim it? Could they? It’s an interesting question to ponder.
There is one thing I can say for certain now. The world is not safe. There have been two terrorist attacks in Canada over the last week. It is very likely that there will be more in other parts of the world. And Iran is working towards what they will certainly cause to be a nuclear war. The Islamic State are proving their formidable threat. Is there a deserted island that can provide refuge? Can we hide in the belly of a whale, or will it spit us out?
Israel is safe. It may be the focus of terror and hatred, but it has something unique. It has a connection to the past and a fierce determination for the future. More than that, Israel has a God. He protected us through Operation Protective Edge. He protected us in every conflict Israel has faced since the State was established. Israel will survive and prosper. No matter how much the hardship, Israel will prevail. The Jewish people will prevail.
I look forward to welcoming my brothers and sisters as you come home from all over the world. You’re welcome here. It’s good here.
