A Season of Sadness – A Glimmer of Hope

Shalom Chaverim/Chaverot,

Today is Remembrance Day in Canada, when we honour those who gave their lives in war for our country. Those losses can seem far away for many of us who do not remember the wars of the past century and/or do not have family members or friends who have fought in this century.

In Israel, since October 7, every day is a day of remembrance and sadness. Everyone in Israel knows someone who has died in battle, been captured, been wounded, or lost a family member. There is no escape from the heartbreak that war brings, especially when war seems endless.

Sadly, it seems there is another death happening in Israel right in front of our eyes — the death of Israel’s fragile democracy. We saw it in the months before the war during the judicial coup, and we are seeing it now as the Prime Minister continues to undermine Israel’s institutions. His recent firing of Yoav Gallant as Defence Minister, replacing him with an individual who has no experience conducting a war, is another example.

It is difficult to believe that a leader would ignore the plight of his people to save his personal and political power, and yet, the evidence points to this conclusion.  Netanyahu is avoiding any action to draft young Haredi men, avoiding the potential legal consequences of his own corruption cases – and now evading the leaked documents scandal as well – and he is choosing people for his cabinet who are unqualified to be in power. His rationale? That these individuals are loyal to himself. The firing of Gallant is just the latest of these moves, but of huge significance. It is a supreme example of how Netanyahu continues to turn his back on the Israeli people.

How do our friends and family in Israel hold up under these dreadful conditions?  And where is the hope?

In the first instance, Israelis are, by necessity, resilient people — they are not taking Netanyahu’s actions lying down. Thousands are protesting in the streets on a regular basis across the country. For more than a year they have been demonstrating publicly for the government to make a deal to return the hostages; some of them are even on a hunger strike.

Our Reform colleagues in Israel are speaking out:

“The time has come for the government of the State of Israel to stop enabling evasion from military service. Minister Gallant expressed the voice of the hostage families and the demand for equal sharing of the burden. Instead of advancing these critical issues during times of grave security threats to Israel, the Prime Minister chose to fire the Defence Minister and to deepen the schism within our people. It is important to remember and heed the words of Moses to Gad and Reuven, ‘Shall your brethren go to war while you sit here?’ (Numbers 32:6)”

We are bound up with the fate of all Israelis, so what can we do?

We can show support to our colleagues in Israel who are fighting for democracy and who nurture the values of religious pluralism, tolerance, equality and Tikkun Olam.

We can provide education and resources to Reform synagogues across Canada; we can use our voice at the upcoming World Zionist Congress, the parliament of the Jewish people, that allocates resources to organizations both in Israel and the Diaspora that foster Jewish and Zionist identity — and we can help to build an Israel we can be proud of.

DONATE NOW to the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism.

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As they say in Israel these days,

“Besorot tovot” (to good news).

Lee Weisser

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In Our Community

Mazel tov to Rabbi Lisa Grushcow of Temple Emanu-El Beth Sholom in Montreal. Rabbi Grushcow was recently awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal. The medal honours those who have made a significant contribution to Canada or to a particular province, territory, region or community of Canada, or have made an outstanding achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada.

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