Stand Up to the Bullies

Yesterday I listened to CNN’s sensitive interview* with Noya Dahan, the little girl injured in the Poway, California synagogue attack, and her father.  As I heard their concerns of feeling safe, I was reminded of a conversation I’d had with my then three-year-old grandson eight years earlier. I’d heard him screaming in his sleep, obviously having a nightmare and I woke him with a hug.

“Do you want to tell me about your dream?” I’d asked him. His answer chilled my heart.

“I dreamed Arabs were murdering children.”

My arms had tightened around him as I tried to frame an honest reply. I couldn’t tell him that was ridiculous. His playmate, Elad Fogel, H”yd, had been stabbed to death by two Arab terrorists while sleeping in his bed ten days earlier.  Elad’s older brother, infant sister, mother and father had been murdered in the attack as well.

I couldn’t even tell him that we’d always be there to protect him. No one had protected Elad. All I could tell him was that we would try our best to keep him safe. I explained to him that sometimes things seem bad but that’s because we can’t see the whole picture. HaShem has His plan and in the end we’ll understand everything is for the best. If I didn’t believe my words I don’t know how I could manage living in this world.

It’s a world that’s becoming scarier and scarier with the rise in terror and anti-Semitism. So many ask how we can end the hate but the hatred of Jews has been a reality ever since Jacob received the blessing instead of Esav. In my opinion, only G-d can make it disappear but in the meantime we can and should protect ourselves.

In a powerful interview** from his hospital bed, Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, the rabbi of the Poway synagogue, urged all Jews to go to your own synagogues this weekend…to let them see nothing will take us down…Jewish unity is what we need… a little bit of light pushes away the darkness….Am Yisroel Chai…

I couldn’t agree with his words more. At the same time, I believe we must take the responsibility to protect ourselves. It makes me cringe every time I hear the suggestion to have armed guards in front of every synagogue. No! Those worshipping inside the synagogues need to learn how to shoot a gun, how use martial arts, carry a knife, have mace or oven cleaner on them. In short, we need to protect ourselves.

Little Noya Dahan and her family have run from anti-Semitism twice. It’s time to stop running. It’s time to stand up to the bullies.

May the family of Lori Gilbert Kaye be comforted among the mourners of Zion and may HaShem revenge her blood.

*http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/262429

**https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/4366464/jewish/A-Message-From-Rabbi-Goldstein-of-Chabad-of-Poway.htm

 

courtesy of LA Times