I grew up reading about heroic figures. The Torah is full of them, Jewish holidays are based on them and a healthy education helps nurture an appreciation for the many heroes who have help guide the Jewish nation throughout thick and thin.
This past week as I travel around Israel on the Westport men’s mission to share solidarity, love and support with the people of Israel, I see heroes all over the place. A heroic nation to be more accurate!!!
The passion and determination of the soldiers, the commitment and resoluteness of everyone, the strength of those displaced from their homes amidst carnage, the families that have experienced devastating loss, the brave forward looking steps of so many who closed their businesses to join reserve duty for insane stretches of time, the mothers and wives who held down the homes with love and dependability not knowing if their spouses or children would return home from the war front —the heroes of Am Yisrael!!
But let’s not make any mistakes, the heroism of diaspora Jews has been remarkable too. The financial support, the showering of palpable love in so many ways, the activism on multiple fronts to defend the honor of the nation and the land of Israel AND of course the spiritual surge and resistance that has emerged as a fundamental part of the response — truly heroic.
I’m cognizant as I write this that no one — as in not one — of us feel heroic. No medals being sought, periodic feelings of inadequacy being felt, fleeting moments of despondency creeping in and pangs of guilt that present themselves when trying to block responsibilities out —with a quest to just resume normal life.
The heroic figures that I grew up with also didn’t feel heroic. In fact, perhaps some of their heroism wasn’t even noticed at the time of heroism and only in retrospect did it become obvious. That’s the nature of heroism. That’s the nature of of good deeds. It endures. It lives beyond ourselves. It has an eternal nature. Whilst physicality has limited shelf life — ideals, goodness, Torah and Mitzvah are eternal.
Is there any wonder that the eternal nation — the Jewish nation, the nation that defies logic, statistics and odds is alive and well, showing no sign of erosion?
It all makes sense at the same time that non of it makes sense. Spending a week in Israel has illuminated the trans-sense nature of Am Yisrael — also known as transcendent nature of Am Yisrael. I know I’m preaching to the choir but I can’t help but scream it from the mountaintops!!
Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom from the eternal capital of our eternal nation,
Rabbi Yehuda and Dina Kantor
P.S. Our community jumped in strongly to support the rebuilding of the southern communities — and we thank you for that. The beautified bomb shelter will hopefully get no use but the message on the wall will continue to show the way we feel and help them raise their spirits!! If you’d like to join the campaign — please join here ..