The Importance of Doing Something.

 

The Importance of Doing Something.

Travel to Israel has always been a priority in my work as your rabbi.  Upon arrival in 2011, I began working relationships with Jewish National Fund, the Masorti Movement and the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest.  I have sought genuine relationships to nurture in between congregational trips, and have made a point of connecting with our friends and associates every time we go there.

None of these things stopped on October 7, 2023 on that terrible day of slaughter at the hands of Hamas.  We lost friends, and the world is disrupted by war.  The communities near the border with Gaza that did not come under direct attack still have lost their workers, and their men and women have been drafted into the army.  They struggle to re-establish schools, and to maintain farms without labor with the sad truth that irrigation helps weeds as much as crops and their fields are overrun months later.

Jewish National Fund was able to organize emergency volunteer missions to the south and back in October - even before I had anyone committed to come with me - I promised our congregation would come.  It was never in doubt.

From January 20-15 we went with a single goal:  Just tell us what to do.  What do you do in the face of nearly infinite needs?  The Mishnah teaches וּבְמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין אֲנָשִׁים, הִשְׁתַּדֵּל לִהְיוֹת אִישׁ: In a place where there are no people, try to be a person.   There was no one to weed this crop, or clean this path.  They are killed, captured, at war or relocated elsewhere  There are not enough people to do the daily work to save the vegetables for market, to prepare the schools for children or to support the soldiers on leave.

Pick up a shovel, a rake, a paint brush or a wheelbarrow.  Get to work.  We farmed one day, and weeded another.  We stood in the now horrific beauty of the Nova festival and planted trees in memory for the future.  We stood at graves of entire families and wept the memorial prayers.  We went to the hospital where the free hostages were first treated - the same hospital that had hundreds of terror victims arrive minute after minute on those horrible first days.  We did nothing extraordinary.  We were a group of people trying to help our people in their time of need.

On the bus we sang songs, held serious conversations, and got to know and love each other as members of Bnai Shalom in a way that only happens when we travel together.  New friends, and old come home closer to each other and Israel as a result.

We are not alone.  They are not alone.  In another age, the cossacks, the crusades, the nazis murdered and plundered at will and no one was there to stop them.  Today we have Israel, and we will defend our people.  Those of us who can not go to war, can go to farm, sweep or support.  We can never forget, that we are people.

I hope that you will join me on March 6th for the JNF Breakfast for Israel, that you will find an opportunity to travel to volunteer, that you will donate generously and that you will continue to stay engaged during our people’s time of need.

Am Yisrael Chai,

Rabbi Robert L Tobin