June 15, 2001

"Facing Crises Demands Unity - We Must Be One"

At this point, the issue is not Zionism, Israel, secularists, religious or any other ideology or movement, it's solidarity.  When the lives of more than five million Jews are at stake, conflicts and disagreements must be put aside.  The world must only visualize one image of the Jewish people–a strongly united community in total support of Israel's Jews.  The vast majority of Orthodox Jews, Hareidim, centrists and leftists are impressively in solidarity with Israel.  This, too, can be said about the Conservative and Reform movements.  Only recently, the national leader of the Reform congregations expressed profound regrets for his movement's support of Arafat and asserted support for Israel though he still held a different position than its government on the matter of settlements. 

The media, especially political columnists and cartoonists, have expressed great dismay with Arafat and recognized his deceptions and intentions, but by no means is Moshiach around the corner. (Though I certainly pray each day that He will come.)  Israel is in the midst of a very complex political morass, and Sharon has difficult decisions to make. 

Hallacha mandates that the last blessing in our daily prayers be for peace, and we petition G-d, "Bless us our Father, all of us as one. . ."  Nowhere in our prayers do we ask to be blessed as one with the exception of the prayer for peace.  Hashem grants peace only where there is unity.  Failing to get our act together makes us unworthy of this ultimate blessing and greatest need, peace. 

"Rabbi Simeon ben Chalafta said: The Holy One, blessed be He, found no vessel that could contain blessing for Israel save that of peace." (Uktzin 3:12) Peace should never be defined as a tranquil state.  The etymological root of the Hebrew word Shalom is defined as wholeness.  It essentially teaches that diverse views and beliefs are not impediments to peace.  "Resh Lakish said: . . .how much less so the transgressors of Israel, who are full of good deeds as a pomegranate is of seeds." (Hagiga 27a) A pomegranate contains multiple seeds of diverse sizes, and as long as the seeds are within the shell of the fruit, each has an equal mitzvah.  Being together makes us one, a singular people in sync with G-d.  "You are one and Your Name is one, and ‘who is like Your people Israel, one nation on earth'." (Samuel II 7:23) 

Not alone is Israel under seige, but once again, all Jews are in harm's way.  Arafat and his propagandists have stopped using the word Israeli.  Their constant attacks on radio, television and every forum available to them are a continuous barrage of anti-Semitic pejoratives and defamations.  Arab lies have reached unprecedented proportions in attacks upon Jews and our history.  "There was never a Holocaust; Jews have no past on Israeli soil; Jews are crooks and murderers of children," et. al.  Even the infamous blood libels have become part of their notorious incitement against Jews.    

Sharon is right in his determination to stop the violence, but he needs the support of all Jews and our many friends.  Should he, heaven forbid, fail, Israel will face a difficult war which will spread through the region and will not only threaten tens of thousands of lives throughout that troubled part of the world but could, G-d forbid, involve the rest of the world in an apocalyptic tragedy of destruction. 

Never were Jews a monolith; our tragedies in the past resulted primarily from our unwillingness to reconcile without compromising and standing together as one.  At this juncture, neither great oceans or vastly divergent views should separate us.  A united Jewry will attract the support of the world's rational and decent people.  Our reward for unity will be the blessing of peace. 

Shabbat Shalom