My admirable and deeply versed in Judaism and dear friend in Wuppertal, who regularly writes about Judaism in the newspaper, has today again mentioned the “Shema Israel” (Hear Israel), the prayer at the center of the prayers in the morning and evening.
In the end, she wrote something about the cruel situation today:
“Israel Defense Forces soldiers are now ready to fight on all of Israel’s borders, in the south, east, and north.
They are secular, liberal, conservative, and strictly religious. Everyone knows “Shema Israel.” Everyone stands with each other to defend this small state for Jews worldwide. The rest of us pray for them and are grateful for the many expressions of solidarity. The persecutions and rescues over the millennia have given us an optimistic attitude in every situation, which is expressed in “gam sä letova,” or “This too will be for the good.” We don’t know how – but one day it will prove to be so. “Am Yisrael chai” “Long live the people of Israel!”
I can only agree to understand this; one would have to view the previous events, at least from 1948 onwards. Following the UN decision at that time to divide the country, Israel was founded, only to be attacked the following day by sionfur Arab states and supporters, for the Arab League had rejected this decision. Don’t worry, I’ll spare you everything else that has happened since then, when both sides made errors along the way. Now, the focus is on the present, terrible reality. Had Hamas not considered the retaliation in the wake of the unspeakable barbaric attack and kidnapping of men, women, and children? Or of the fate of the people they use as human shields?
It is pointless to think about that, given the number of dead, injured, and kidnapped human beings.- Now is the time to free the kidnapped, aid the refugees, and begin to take diplomatic steps. Civilians caught between the sides need to be protected.