Politics, People, and Presence – Live From Israel
Friday March 1, 2024 – כ״א אַדָר א׳ תשפ”ד
It is surprisingly refreshing to be here in Israel. The flowers are in full bloom after weeks of rain, and many people are figuring out the “new normal.” The buzzword in Israel is “חוסן” or “resilience.” Posters of the kidnapped hostages, held in captivity for the past 150 days, are everywhere–every bus stop, the walls of buildings, and billboards. I have spent time with Israeli politicians, leaders of the organized Jewish community from around the world, and our Israeli Reform Movement leaders, all as a part of the Jewish Agency Board of Governors meeting, the WZO’s Zionist National Council, and our URJ Leadership Mission. The resilience of Israeli civil society is everywhere. We hear calls for national unity, but also feel and see signs of strife and polarization. Many here talk about both the ‘day after’ and the ‘day before.’ The ‘day after’ refers to the necessity to pull together a plan for governing Gaza, for rebuilding, and the potential of a Palestinian state as an outcome. Many also speak of the “Tekumah” or rebuilding or “rising up” of the kibbutzim and communities that were attacked on that dark Shabbat and whose carnage is still on display. The ‘day before’ however, refers to the world of October 6th, and many Israelis have vowed not to return to an October 6th reality, still not sure of what that will mean.
These conversations are significant in taking a longer view, but right now, they don’t offer us answers or a path forward. There was such disturbing news coming out of Gaza yesterday when over 100 people died in a food riot in Gaza. As journalist and political scientist Dahlia Scheindlin wrote in Haaretz yesterday:
“Today, the number of Gazans killed reached 30,000. And Palestinians in northern Gaza fought over aid trucks – some were looters, others were probably starving, or maybe the looters were starving. A stampede ensued, killing some; IDF forces, in a related or discrete event nearby, felt threatened and killed others. As of this writing, at least 112 Palestinians are dead, over 700 wounded. Social media can battle out which side killed how many, but I know the truth: the war killed all of them.”
This awful incident has the potential to be both a turning point and a wake-up call. It is a turning point because the IDF regiments had left the Northern Gaza Strip two months ago, but returned in a military operation to the North, where in theory, there should no longer be fighting. And, it is a wake-up call, because one could see this catastrophe (the exact details of which are still hazy) due to the government’s failure to craft and implement a strategy/plan/policy for what happens next for Gaza that is acceptable and rational, for the Gazan civilians and Israeli security. Netanyahu’s policy of having no policy is leading him to not have the luxury of planning for the ‘day after,’ but rather the need to be reactive.
While the country agonizes over decisions regarding Rafah in Gaza, receiving news each morning of the death of one or two soldiers and with the hostages still in captivity, IDF leadership is primarily worried about the threat of the potential all-out war with Hezbollah. The book of Jeremiah (1:14) reminds us: “מִצָּפוֹן תִּפָּתַח הָרָעָה עַל כָּל יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ” – “Evil will come from the North to all those who are in the Land.” Ten times larger and more prepared than Hamas, Hezbollah, hunkered down on Israel’s northern border, is Iran’s main proxy. So far, skirmishes and rocket attacks remind Israel that this could be much more of a 1948 moment than a 1973 or even 1967 threat.
Despite the current looming and grave threats, this week has shown me that the people of Israel are inspired and inspiring, strong, and resilient. They seek to move past this liminal status, gain the return of the hostages, dismantle Hamas’ capabilities, and hopefully, end the war.
Just being here in Israel, listening to the new songs being written, seeing the graffiti and new artistic expressions, and talking to people about their feelings is inspiring. The seemingly innocent question “How are you?” is still somewhat taboo, and reservists who have made it home are now wary of a second call-up.
It’s not clear yet what decisions Israelis will make about their future, but we will watch closely the results of this week’s municipal elections which took place around the country, as well as the announcement of the Labor party that it will run primaries which will hopefully unify the Zionist Left in the face of Netanyahu’s increasingly extremist coalition.
As we move back to “normal,” we are reminded of a society that cares deeply for one another and is collectively working on what values will prevail as we rebuild and re-emerge together. Now is the time to come to Israel if you can, the People certainly appreciate your Presence.
Shabbat Shalom.