In June 1967, I was 12 years old. One night, my late father told my late mother, my brother and me that he was going to help the soldiers who were preparing for the outbreak of war. He took a large backpack, filled it with clothes and delicious food that my mother managed to pack, closed the door and left.
That was the first image I received, as a child, of war, which eventually broke out on June 5, 1967—the Six-Day War.
The beginning of the Six-Day War reminds me of the period Israel is in now—”the waiting.”
The Six-Day War began after a very tense period of “waiting,” during which Egypt harassed Israel with various actions. After many efforts by different countries to prevent war, Israel realized there was no other choice but to go to war—a war in which we won a decisive victory.
But that is not the current situation.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has been in deep trouble, not in the position it was in when the Six-Day War broke out. We are now fighting for the continued existence of the State of Israel, even if it sounds dramatic or unrealistic.
We are fighting now, not just militarily, but, perhaps most importantly, on a civil level.
The citizens of Israel are engaged in a cultural, religious and social struggle, which is worse than any war against our enemies. We will eventually defeat our enemies. Yes, we will lose our sons and daughters along the way, but as always, we will emerge victorious. However, what will become of us, the citizens, when it’s all over? The deep divide right now seems like a rift that cannot be healed because we lack leaders who know how to heal, and the lack of proper leadership is one of the reasons we, the citizens, are once again “waiting”—waiting for the unknown, a nerve-wracking wait, a wait that disrupts daily life, a wait that creates divisions among brothers and sisters.
When we waited for the outbreak of the Six-Day War, my late parents told my brother and me that we were the best, the strongest and the most united, and that the Jewish people were a race of winners. And, indeed, that was the case, because there was good leadership and, as a result, unity among the people and a shared vision. If they were alive today, they would probably omit the word “best,” because, unfortunately, and as hard as it is for me to write this—we are less than “the best.” We are just the subject without the adjective.
So, 57 years have passed, and we are once again “waiting.” But that “waiting” is not like the “waiting” we have now. It is hard, terrible and troubling. It causes our hearts to race and, personally, it causes me concern. Concern for my grandson, for my granddaughter, for my sons who, since the age of 18, have not stopped defending the homeland, and for us, who have grown older and have already become 70 years old. We thought that at this age, we would already enjoy peaceful and sweet lives.
We must never forget, and we must not rest, until all the hostages—both the living and the dead—return to us swiftly. We will do everything in our power, and we will fight in every way, until they come home. The Jewish people are different from all other nations, as God at least told us, and one of our unique qualities is that we do not abandon Jews—neither the living nor the dead. So, we have chosen to follow God’s command, and we have sworn to bring them all back now.
And despite everything, we remain in Israel and believe that things will get better. Because if we have “held on” until now and “overcame Pharaoh,” we will overcome this too.
Am Yisrael Chai!
Join CJP, Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston, Israeli-American Council, Consulate General of Israel to New England and community partners for “An Evening of Remembrance & Hope” on Monday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. at the Wang Theatre. Together, we’ll commemorate the first anniversary of Oct. 7 with stories, music and speakers to honor survivors, mourn and find strength in our shared hope for the future.
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