Yom HaZikaron
Dear Alumni and Friends,
The air raid siren just sounded. It’s Memorial Day for Israel’s fallen soldiers. But in this small country we mourn for both civilians killed by terrorist attacks and soldiers in combat…22,684 altogether. Last night in Neveh I lit a memorial candle during the siren and the yeshiva together recited Tehillim. A sicha followed. But I had the feeling and I still have the feeling that it’s not enough.
Perhaps we need to focus on the situation in which we find ourselves. President Obama has resolved the problem of Islamic extremism. It no longer exists. All previous mentions of it in reports and analyses have been deleted. With all due respect to the President, deleting mention of the problem and making it politically incorrect does not solve the threat. It only manifests apprehension in those who know that it exists. Perhaps it should be rephrased as misguided and abused in the name of Islam terrorism. But the fact is that this generation of Arabs both in the PA and elsewhere has been raised and taught hatred of Jews and Israel. It would be naïve to think that they would be satisfied even with what Obama and his liberal, unfortunately Jewish advisors are pressuring Israel to give them. They don’t even try to keep it a secret. They want Tel Aviv and Haifa as well. Nothing has changed.
What has changed is that we are losing the grassroots support for Israel among Americans. Even among the secular Jews there is an erosion of support. There is lack of interest and apathy. Other priorities, especially the economic ones, have emerged and some are even beginning to believe the President’s insistence that creating a Palestinian State will resolve the opposition to America and bring home the boys fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The threat today is greater than ever, and so is the apathy. Before I express myself and try to tackle the question, “what is it that we can do?” I want to put the ball in your court. What do you think we must do? Please do reply because I am anxious to get these ideas off my chest.
With Hashem’s help I’ll be once again traveling to the States and Canada. I leave Wednesday evening, April 21st. I’ll be in the Greater New York Metropolitan Area until Monday, April 26th. I’ll be, bezras Hashem, in Toronto, Canada from Monday until Thursday when I return directly to Eretz Yisrael. On Tuesday, April 27th, at 8pm we are having a reception at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Spiro in Toronto –
537 Coldstream Ave, Toronto M6B 2K8, (416-782-6791). Needless to say, the yeshiva desperately needs the attendance and participation of all alumni and parents in Toronto. We hope to greet you all.
Any Neveh alumni who will be in Flatbush for Shabbos are welcome to join me for an Oneg Shabbos this Friday evening, Parshas Achrei Mos/Kedoshim. Please call me on Thursday, 347-633-3897.
Best regards,
Mash