Last week, we traveled a divided Israel. The Left was protesting, the Right hated the Left. Sfardis and Ashkenazis took swipes at each other, and non-religious and religious disagreed about everything. A taxi driver told me, the Left is destroying this country, and a tour guide told me Netanyahu will be the end of the Jewish State.
I commented to my wife that this feels like the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans 2,000 years ago when Jewish factions burned the food storage causing widespread starvation and leading to the fall of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.
Last night, Raquella Raiz and her beautiful family, brought us and our kids to an army base to volunteer and bring food to the soldiers. We met Ashkenazi and Sfardi soldiers who left their wives and children when their reserve unit was called. One soldier saw my daughter, Yara, and said, wow, that girl makes me miss my daughter.
We met people who hail from Ethiopia, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Germany, Ukraine, Russia, and Montana. We met Jews, Druse, and Israeli Muslims. We met people of all skin colors and political beliefs. Each left their families to come together to serve their country.
I told one soldier that while I served in the IDF, I am just visiting, he said, you are here both in the darkest time and the best time.
I said, Why the best time? He switched to English, and in a heavy accent, he said, because now we are all brothers and sisters.
It is true. Gone are the divisions. The government has proposed a unity government, the protests in Tel Aviv have stopped and the protesting reserve soldiers and pilots threw on vests within moments of the attack.
People are collecting food, diapers, and military equipment and delivering them to each other. My friends are sending donations for us to buy supplies, and one of my clients is fast-tracking much-needed flashlights to the IDF.
This time in Israel has been deeply difficult, heart-wrenching, and torturous. I have seen videos of heinous things done to my brothers and sisters. Lines crossed that would make ISIS blush. But, in many ways, I am here during the best time.
Last night I saw lawyers, hi-tech CEOs, carpenters, plumbers, and restaurant waiters. All wearing the same uniform and ready to fight for one another. As the F-35s flew overhead and we heard gunfire in the neighboring town, I knew this is not the siege of Jerusalem 2,000 years ago.
This time we are coming together, supporting each other, and this time we will win.
ב״ה
Thanks for the article posting and may [y]our family be blessed many multipliers over
-Deuteromy 1:11, Proverbs 6:31, Daniel 12:3
Your writing is powerful, Eli! Thanks for sharing your view of what you see.