Rabbi's Musings

As I write this, I am sitting in the same hotel on a rainy Monday morning in Jerusalem, at a table — actually the same table — where I sat having breakfast in November 2000 during the beginning of the Second Intifada. Fears of terror then. Fears of terror now. Has nothing changed? Back then, the promise of peace with the Palestinian people — so close — had been snatched away by the Palestinian leadership and the failure for peace brought on the terror. This time, the promise of Israel making peace with Saudi Arabia motivated the inhumane, barbaric events of October 7. Ironically, peace with Israel is always on the table when terror is taken off the table. That table seems pretty far away now.
 
One noticeable difference in the last few weeks here in Israel is a switch in public opinion from destroying Hamas immediately at any cost, to bringing the 240 hostages home, first and foremost. Yesterday our small rabbinic group from the USA were joined by many of our Reform rabbinic Israeli colleagues. After working a farm near Gaza in the morning (the usual workers are no longer in the country), we sat with a couple whose brother and sister-in-law were kidnapped by Hamas. You may have heard about the march of families of hostages from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The families are desperate as the days tick by. No visits from the Red Cross. (One rabbi is on a hunger strike until the Red Cross visits.) Almost no communication from the Israeli government. For the family we met — whose kidnapped relatives are American citizens — the U.S. State Department has been in regular contact and President Biden met with them.
 
Last night, I met a general surgeon who dropped everything and left the States for two weeks to serve as a medic with an ambulance. I see American cowboys here helping in the fields. Many rabbis are visiting. I am hopeful my brief foray in tomato harvesting did a little good and no harm. But I think the real reason I am here — and why everyone reading this should consider making a trip — is to give comfort and support to Israelis, who feel so alone. And to receive support from them. My Israeli family was just as concerned about American Jews as we are concerned about Israeli Jews. We are family, and we need to be together.
 
As we gather for Thanksgiving, we know it is about more than the pie and the turkey. Especially after Covid, we know the power of a simple hug. Israelis need hugs from us. We also need hugs from them.