I am writing this week from the holy land of Israel. It is Thursday and I have spent a few days with many of my colleagues on a mission organised by the Rabbinical Council of NSW, headed by Rabbi Shua Solomon with the help of World Mizrachi and other organisations.

 

So far, it has been powerful, informative and transformative. We saw pain, destruction, hope, faith and resilience altogether. This is Israel!

 

Take Yiftach, for example. We met him on an army base. He is a civilian, lives in the Gaza envelope, a secular Jew who works in medical research. On the 7th of October, he and a few others fought courageously to defend his small town. They were low on resources, and all he had was a rock, and his friend took an axe. In his words, it was G-d’s miraculous intervention that somehow they were able to lock the gate. He and his brother and others survived, but obviously the trauma of the day was huge.

 

He went on to talk about rebuilding, getting resources, training first responders, etc. While he was talking, he was smiling, full of positivity, determined to rebuild.

 

After the talk, I approached him and asked him a simple question: How are you so positive?

 

His answer:

What do you mean? We are Jewish, aren’t we?

We have been doing this for a long time, this is what G-d wants.

My parents survived the Holocaust, and we will also survive this, and we will rebuild!

 

This sums up what we have been hearing all week.

 

Don’t deny the pain, don’t escape. Acknowledge the challenge, the trauma, the suffering and the fear of the future. But don’t let that pain paralyse you. On the contrary. Let it induce strength, hope, determination and faith in Hashem that the future is bright.

 

I have so much more to share.

 

I would like to invite you to a lecture Next Wednesday Night, 14th May, at a home in Double Bay. In the context of the topic, I will speak about my inspiration and lessons from this amazing trip.

Please see the flier below…

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