by Rabbi Lana Zilberman Soloway

Va’Tishchat Ha’aretz, Lifnei Elohim, Va’timale Ha’aretz Hamas
וַתִּשָּׁחֵת הָאָרֶץ, לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים; וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ, חָמָס
Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence

These are the opening words of Parashat Noach, the Torah portion read this past Shabbat. The Hebrew word Hamas is translated as violence. In other translations, the word lawlessness appears. I would like to suggest another translation or  interpretation:

As I was talking with one of my Rabbinic colleagues in Israel yesterday, she told me how she spent a whole day with families who survived the Hamas massacre. They were from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, down south on the Gaza border, and were evacuated to Kibbutz Shefayim in the center of Israel. This rabbi was listening to their horrific and heroic stories, after which she asked one of the men there if he would like to recite Birkat HaGomel, a blessing we often say after overcoming a life-threatening situation, thanking God for remaining alive. The man answered: I don’t feel alive. The Rabbi then asked: Do you know that you are a survivor? The man responded: I hear that others say I am a survivor, but I don’t feel that I am alive. 

This is Hamas and its repercussions.

It takes a lot of words to describe this experience because in the language that we human beings are accustomed to using, there are no words that can describe or do justice to what happened in Israel on October 7th and, unfortunately, continues to happen to so many families: those who were brutally murdered; those who saw their loved ones slaughtered in front of them and remained alive; those who remained orphans, widows, bereaved; those who were wounded; and those who were kidnapped.

There are no words. And yet, we need to find words before others find them for us. And others are trying to do so because this situation is going to get much worse before it will get better. The ground war in Israel will get worse, the social media will get worse, antisemitism will get worse, and world public opinion about Israel and the Jewish people will get worse.

The only way to overcome this tragedy is to stay strong together. To stay united and true to our values. To find comfort in one another and to be the light that gently navigates through this hour of darkness.

Israel cannot do this alone. We cannot do this alone. All of us, Jewish people and Jewish families around the world can and need to overcome this tragedy together, remembering that we are one people, one body, one heart. When our family members suffer in Israel, we feel their pain all the way here and vice versa. So what can we do? So much.

Please know how much YOU matter! Your good thoughts, your good deeds, your acts of love and kindness, it truly matters. Every dollar donated, every idea shared, every kind word sent to others, every letter of support you write, every initiative… it all matters.

I encourage you to send loving messages to your Israeli friends and family members and your Jewish friends and family members everywhere. Let them know you are thinking about them and that you hold them close in your heart. I invite you to attend the various gatherings and events supporting Israel, engage in conversations even if they are difficult, practice listening, reach out for support, and participate in local initiatives and small community fundraising.

You might also consider adopting one of the hostages into your heart and say a daily prayer for them until they are back to their families safe and sound. You can find out about the hostages here.

You can also recite these words:
For all our family of the House of Israel, 
fellow Jews who face anguish and captivity, 
whether on sea or on land: 
May the Divine have compassion upon them, 
and bring them from distress to relief, 
from darkness to light, 
from subjugation to redemption, 
now, speedily, soon, 
and let us say: Amen.