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| The Beis HaMedrash in Yeshivat HaHesder Yerucham (Wikipedia) |
For those unfamiliar with the term, Hesder is a program for Religious Zionist students to combine their Torah studies with military service. The daily learning schedule and the intensity of Torah study is no different than that of Charedi Yeshivos. The only discernible difference was the type of clothing they wore – which was far more casual and diverse than the ‘black hat’ look of Charedi Yeshivos. (And of course the type of Kipa they wear.) The only real difference that separates Hesder students from their Charedi counterparts is their service in the IDF. Some of whom are currently serving. And some of those have tragically fallen in battle.
A CBS reporter interviewed one of the students at this Yeshiva. Because of his fluency in the English language, he must have been an American whose family made Aliyah. He was asked whether he was apprehensive about his upcoming IDF service because one of his friends serving in the IDF was killed in Gaza. He answered that he tried not to think about it but in any case it motivated him even more to do his upcoming IDF service.
What a sense of pride I had hearing that - while at the same time worrying about his safety. This idealistic young observant Jew will soon be placing himself in harm’s way for the sake of his people. For me this young man epitomizes what being a Jew is all about. His dedication to Torah, Tefilah, and Yiras Shomayim is matched only by the dedication to his people.
Immediately following that was an interview with the parents of the abovementioned young soldier killed in Gaza. I was amazed at how the grief at the loss of their son was surpassed by the pride they had in his service despite his ultimate sacrifice. Asked whether she regrets her son serving in the military since – had he not served he would still be alive today. Without hesitation she answered that as a religious Jew she would do it again.
Wow. I have to say, that I don’t think I could have given that answer if I were in her shoes. Such dedication!
I’m not sure whether these 2 parents live in the West Bank. But it would not surprise me in the least if they did. They looked every bit like the settler type although not the rabble rouser type settler that thinks expelling all Palestinians out of Israel is a good idea. They seemed more like the ‘live and let live’ type of settler that simply wishes that their Palestinian neighbors felt the same way. I doubt they have any interest in killing or harassing them in any way.
This is not to say that I agree with their choice of living in areas of the West Bank that are near Palestinian villages. I do not. Nor do I even know if they actually do. But I still admire how much they are willing to sacrifice for their religious principles and their people.
Credit must be given to CBS, for this very positive look at Religious Zionists.
This segment very much reminded me of a 1980s PBS documentary entitled West Bank Story. It featured families living in and around Chevron. I recall one of those Religious Zionist settlers being asked about her Palestinian neighbors. She answered that she had no problem with them living there as long as they accepted the right of Jews to live there too. Which she of course viewed as a biblical right. She added that she went out of her way to shop in Arab market in Chevron in order to demonstrate her desire to live in peace and harmony together. with them.
(I remember having the same positive feeling about her and her fellow residents at the time, that I had about the people being interviewed on CBS last night.)
If only her desire to live in peace with her Arab neighbors was reciprocal. But as we now know, that s the furthest thing from the mind of the typical Palestinian raised to believe that killing Jews is a Mitzvah - people that also glorify Hamas and what they did on October 7th.
As if we even need a reminder of that attitude, the assassination in Lebanon of Saleh al-Arouri, a Hamas leader believed to be involved in the planning and execution of the October 7th massacre was greeted with outrage by Palestinians living in the West Bank city of Ramallah. His funeral in Lebanon was attended by what seemed like hundreds if not thousands of Arabs. Instead of treating him like the terrorist savage he was, they treated him like like a fallen hero killed in service to his people.
These are the people some think will make peace with Israel?! That is pure fantasy.
I once believed that their hatred of us would be set aside in exchange for having a better life in a two state solution. That we could somehow live side by side in peaceful coexistence. I no longer think that is possible. Glorifying Hamas shows that their radicalization has passed the point of no return – if there was ever a time when it hadn’t.
I’m not sure what the future holds. But living in a constant state of fear of yet another October 7th is no way to lead one’s life. Destroying Hamas will just give rise to the next Jihadist group with the same goal and determination to exterminate us as Hamas.
A Palestinian state along Israel’s long border with the West Bank will just magnify the problem. I see no option other than for Israel to remain with the status quo and to be strong enough and smart enough to prevent anything like that from happening again.
And to take measures to prevent any provocation of the Palestinians that would spur another such attack. In my view that should at the very least include dismantling any illegal settlements and to have zero tolerance for anyone that tries to commit violence against any innocent Palestinians. Sentencing those convicted of such crimes to very to some very long prison terms.
Of course the real problem is Iran. Who characteristically blamed The United States and Israel for the 2 bombs that exploded and killed over 100 attendees at a memorial service for one of their beloved terrorist generals. (The US and Israel had nothing to do with that bombing.) Without Iran - Hamas, Hezbollah, and any of their other proxies would be powerless. What to do about Iran, however, is an entirely different discussion.