From Rabbi Black

From Rabbi Black

From Tourists to Witnesses

Rabbi Joseph R. Black
Israel Solidarity Rally
July 23, 2006
Albuquerque, NM

My Dear Friends,

On July 5, a little over 2½ weeks ago, 76 members of our community joined together for a Pilgrimage to Israel. Our trip was two years in the planning. As it became increasingly clear that there was a great deal of interest in this trip, I was thrilled and somewhat overwhelmed by the response. The task of traveling with 76 people aged 8-80+ was somewhat daunting. We filled two busses, had two tour guides, 2 drivers, 4 staff from New Mexico and a myriad of support personnel on the ground. We came to Israel to learn, to share, to grow and to show our love and support for the Jewish State. I'm happy to say that our experience together was nothing short of remarkable - for a variety of reasons. We had fun. We hiked, rafted, took jeep tours in the Golan, walked through ancient and modern Jewish History, participated in an archeological dig and saw first-hand exciting new developments within a vibrant, modern society. But something else happened on our trip. One day prior to the kidnapping of Israeli Reservists, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, we stood on top of the Golan Heights and looked down into the peaceful quiet of Lebanon below us. We took a tour of a Galilean kibbutz and heard from our tour guide how the bomb shelters that, years ago, were an essential and unfortunate reality in the life of the kibbutz now were overgrown with weeds because the border was so quiet. We walked the streets of the ancient and mystical city of Tsfat and stood at on overlook in Haifa - marveling at the beauty of that city on a Hill. One day later everything changed. As we drove through Jerusalem we heard on the radio about the events that led to the current crisis. The beautiful areas we had so enjoyed had become a war zone. It was now obvious that we had come to Israel at a vitally important time. While we had left the dangers of the Lebanese border and were safe in the South, rockets were raining down on the North. Our trip took on a whole new meeting after that day. We originally planned to come to Israel as tourists. While we were there, we realized that we had to take on a different role - a sacred role - that of witnesses.

Several of us stayed on in Israel after the tour ended. By now, most have either returned or are on their way home now. My family and I just returned yesterday. And so, it is as a witness that I stand before you today. I come to ask and, hopefully to begin the process of answering three basic questions that all of us must confront:

Who is Israel fighting?

Why is Israel fighting?

How can we, as Americans who love Israel, show our support?

WHO IS ISRAEL FIGHTING?
As you know, Israel is fighting on two fronts: In the Gaza strip and in Southern Lebanon. In Gaza, Israel is fighting against the Islamic Palestinian terrorist organization, Hamas and their allies, Islamic Jihad, the Al Aksa Martyrs Brigade and Fatah, who have been launching Kassam rockets into Israeli territory. Hamas has also kidnapped an Israeli Soldier, Gilad Shalit.

In Lebanon, Israel is fighting Hezbollah, a radical, Shiite Moslem terrorist organization that has a stranglehold on the people of Lebanon and is heavily supported by the Governments of Iran and Syria. Hezbollah was formed shortly after Israel's war in Lebanon in 1982. They have been directly or indirectly linked to hundreds of terrorist attacks since that time including:

the Bombing of US Marine Barracks,
the targeted killing of American Nationals in Beirut,
the bombing of Israeli Embassy and a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires,
the hijacking of Kuwaiti and United States Airplanes,
the bombing of a restaurant in Torrejon, Spain frequented by American servicemen in which over 45 people were killed - included 18 American Citizens,
This is but a partial list of their murderous activities.
Over the last 6 years - ever since Israel's withdrawal from Southern Lebanon, Hezbollah has ruled that area with an Iron first - despite UN resolution 1559 calling for the disbanding of all militias in Southern Lebanon. They have compiled a massive stockpile of weaponry including Ketusha rockets and other, more powerful and dangerous missiles provided by Iran with logistical and financial support from Syria. Both Hezbollah and Hamas are driven by a fundamentalist Islamic ideology that sees the world in terms of Black and White. They see Israel as an agent of Satan and, as such, are justified in any actions they take that will rid the world of this curse of Zionism.

This is the enemy that, over the course of the past 13 days has lobbed over 2,000 missiles into Northern Israel - missiles that are aimed, not at strategic military targets, but at innocent civilians in Kiryat Shmoneh, Tsfat, Naharia, Haifa, and many small kibbutzim in that lie within the killing range. This is the enemy that claims to have even more sophisticated weaponry that could reach Tel Aviv.

WHY IS ISRAEL FIGHTING?
This may seem like a silly question. But, in the upside down world in which we live, Israel is being criticized for defending herself and for it's so-called "disproportionate response." So, I want to put things into perspective for a moment. Imagine, if you will, that a Mexican Rebel Army decided to shoot missiles into El Paso, Los Cruces and Alamogordo. Imagine that the Mexican Government is powerless to stop them. Imagine that they boast that they have the capacity to take out Albuquerque and Santa Fe as well. Wouldn't our Government act to protect its citizens? Actually, that is not a good analogy, since as I speak here this afternoon, over One Million Israelis are sitting in sealed rooms and bomb shelters as the rockets fall over their cities. Proportionately, that would be the equivalent of 50,000,000 Americans - 1/6^th of the entire country is threatened by a mortal enemy. Does not Israel not have a right - indeed an obligation to defend herself and neutralize the danger that lurks to the North?

It's hard to watch the news and see and hear of the hardships being faced by the Lebanese people. Hundreds have died - women and children - the elderly and infirm. Infrastructures are ruined. The economy, that just recently showed so much promise during the past years of relative calm, is once again on the verge of collapse. Whose fault is this? Who can be blamed? If much of the world press is to be believed it is Israel of course. Israel - the aggressor - is once again showing it's true colors as "occupier".

Both Hezbollah and Hamas are justifying their actions on Israel's ongoing "Occupation". But what occupation might that be? Last year, Israel vacated the entire Gaza strip. Instead of working to create a stable government in Israel's absence, the Palestinian people immediately began raining Kassam rockets on Israeli towns.

Israel left Lebanon in 2000. There IS NO occupation in Lebanon. There is no occupation in Gaza. Until recent weeks, Ehud Olmert's Government was working to implement plans for further disengagement from the West Bank - the political platform upon which it was elected.

We need to understand - and this is vital - that when the enemies of Israel speak of "Occupation" - they are not referring to disputed territories that were conquered in 1967 - following the successes of the 6 Day War - they are referring to the borders that were established in 1947 by the United Nations.

The only territorial concessions that Hezbollah, Hamas and the rest of the extremist elements in the Arab and Palestinian world desire is the eradication of the Jewish State. Nothing more. Nothing Less.

The stakes could not be higher for Israel right now. Failure is not an option. Israel is not targeting civilians in order to do harm or to foment terror. Hezbollah and Hamas strategically place their rocket launchers and bases of operation in the midst of highly populated centers. They know that Israel will try to come after them - they also know that when they do there will be civilian casualties. The Israel Defense Forces is doing all that it can to avoid this. They drop leaflets telling the Lebanese to leave areas before they are bombed. They use pin-point guided laser technology to target enemy areas. But nothing is 100% effective. Innocents have suffered and will continue to suffer as long as the conflict continues. WE cannot turn our backs on this suffering - but let as remember that others are suffering as well.

My family and I were in Tel Aviv most of last week. While we were there - the streets were filled - not with tourists - but with Israelis from the North who were lucky enough to escape the violence that was raining down on them from the heavens. Those who were not fortunate enough to get away - the poor, the infirm, those involved in essential services such as police, fire and medicine - are increasingly suffering from stress and fear. Many people have been living in bomb shelters since the shelling began. There is a lack of food and water - there is no air conditioning during the sweltering heat of the summer - this is especially dangerous for the elderly and very young. People are dying. Too many people are dying.

My wife's cousins live on kibbutz Sasa - on the Northern Border of Israel. All of the children of Sasa are now staying at make-shift "summer camps" outside of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The adults need to stay back and work - when they can.... The children miss their parents. They cry constantly.

Everyday on the news in Israel there are lists of causalities and funeral announcements. Every conversation revolves around the war. There is not one family that is not touched by tragedy. When our group went down to the Dead Sea to swim, there was a sign that said that the beach - run by a kibbutz - would be closing early - for a funeral. One of the first soldiers to be killed was child of that kibbutz - they needed to mourn together.

And this brings me to my final question:

HOW CAN WE, AS AMERICANS WHO LOVE ISRAEL, SHOW OUR SUPPORT?

First and foremost, we need to be ambassadors. Everywhere you go, if you hear people talking about the conflict - give them perspective. There is a great deal of anti-Israel propaganda out there, my friends. And it will get stronger with each passing day. The news media will show pictures of destroyed homes and people in despair. There will be refugees and pictures of coffins. We cannot harden our hearts to pain and suffering - but we need to remind ourselves and those around us that suffering comes from many different places. Israel did not ask for this war. Israel did not want this war. No good can come from this. But Israel also cannot stand aside and allow its enemies to destroy her. Remind people who Israel is fighting. Remind them that this conflict is a global conflict.
Let our elected officials know how we feel. Thank them for their support during this difficult time.
Write letters to the Editor. Respond to one-sided attacks and provide perspective.
Become informed. Read everything you can.
Support the Emergency Campaigns for Israel
We need to come together as a community - in prayer, in activism, in hope.

On July 5^th, 76 of us came to Israel as Pilgrims - we left as witnesses. We are all witnesses now. We who are Chovevei Tzion - Lovers of Israel must stand by her side at her time of need.

Shaalu Shlom Yerushalayim - pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

To read Rabbi Black's messages from Israel, please click here.