Jonathan Sidlow, on his way to deployment in the 2014 Gaza War, with Rabbi Septimus at Tachanah Merkazit in Jerusalem
By Rabbi Dr. Yehuda Septimus
Young Israel of North Woodmere
The Young Israel of North Woodmere canceled its annual journal dinner this year. There was no scheduling mixup, no dearth of deserving honorees, no lack of communal accomplishments to
celebrate. I am proud of their decision.
This year is not like other years. After Dafna Meir; after Ezra Schwartz; after the Henkins—to mention just a few of those murdered in the most recent wave of horrific violence—we sensed that this year is terribly different. As we know all too well, during times of terror, our nation displays a superhuman ability to continue living, loving, and celebrating life. It’s almost a sine qua non of Israel’s response to such waves of terror. But what about Jews living outside Israel? How should we respond?
We have been invited to join Israelis and—as best we can—to celebrate as well. Take, for example, the invitation of Techiya Littman and Ariel Biegel. After Techiya’s father and brother were brutally killed en route to the Shabbatchattan of the groom Ariel, the wedding was postponed, and the shivah garnered national attention. That attention also gave them an opportunity. Israeli newspapers featured the following invitation:
“Don’t allow our enemies to rejoice over us. When we fall, we get right back up” (Michah 7:8). With G‑d’s help, our wedding will take place next Thursday, 14 Kislev, at Binyanei Ha’uma in Jerusalem. Am Yisrael is invited to get up from the dust and rejoice with us . . .
—Techiya and Ariel
Attended by thousands, the wedding was described poignantly in a piece by former Five Towns local Shmuel Katz (http://5tjt.com/295989/). Most of us were unable to attend. Unfortunately, a large ocean, family obligations, and financial realities prevent many of us from spending nearly as much time in Israel as we would like. But all members of the Jewish people were invited to join—to increase our celebration at this time rather than to decrease it.
Celebrating as usual in the face of such adversity is only a triumph when the ones celebrating are the ones threatened. We in New York are hardly the first targets in this war. For us to celebrate all the natural family and communal milestones that we would otherwise celebrate is not wrong. (By way of analogy, see BavaBatra 60b.) But it also does not represent the triumph over terrorism that celebration of the same events in Israel represents. There is only one way for our celebrations to accomplish that. It is to transform those celebrations first and foremost into celebrations of Israel. It is to turn those celebrations into an answer to the invitation to join Israel.
Techiya and Ariel were not the only ones to invite us to be there for them and to celebrate with them. Numerous prime ministers and other Israeli leaders, past and present, have; the Diaspora and tourism ministries have; hundreds of thousands of regular Israelis have, simply by greeting every Jew who spends time in Israel just as they should be greeted—like family who have returned home.
So instead of a formal dinner, our shul is sending its rabbi (me) and a delegation of members on a mission to Israel. Upon our return, we will celebrate our connection with Israel as a shul—with a banquet recognizing some of the many community members who are champions of Israel. These include three recent IDF soldiers, two families who have sent their children to camp in Israel every year from a young age, and a teacher of Zionism at HAFTR and Birthright tour guide.
The funds raised from the banquet will support a proudly Zionist shul. But they will also support the incredible work of Nefesh B’Nefesh, facilitating the realization of hundreds of Jewish dreams of aliyah. The open invitation extended to all of us over and over again by the residents of our homeland is most impressive for its duration: there is no such thing as overstaying our welcome. To the contrary, there is no better acceptance of the invitation than its permanent acceptance. And there can be no better celebration of what Israel is to our people than facilitating the dream of aliyah for as many people as possible, sending as many as possible to visit Israel, and strengthening the connection between the Five Towns/Far Rockaway community and our Jewish homeland.
The Champions of Israel Banquet program will bring all these elements together. Besides the fundraising and hearing from local families and young people who put Israel first, attendees will be able to feel a part of the Israel mission, as a film will be shown documenting the trip. In addition, pro-Israel activist and rap/reggae artist Ari Lesser will be performing his hit songs about Israel (“Israel Apartheid,” “Boycott Hamas,” and many others) live.
There are many ways we can champion Israel. The most important way is booking a trip there for the next date that we can create on our calendars, or, better yet, sitting down with Nefesh B’Nefesh. But there are other, smaller, invitations to join Israel that we can also accept. While the Champions of Israel Banquet is being hosting by one shul, it is for the entire Long Island community. Celebrating with Israel is an important way of championing Israel. Helping make this banquet a success will not only be enjoyable and value-affirming, but it will also give the Long Island Jewish community another important opportunity to join Israel.
I extend the invitation to each of you to join us on February 28 at Kulanu for the Champions of Israel Banquet. Please e-mail chamions@yinw.org for ticket information.