Israelis must remain united amid the duality of life at war - opinion

Israel is the only place you can see a questionable character approaching you on a dark street, notice he’s carrying an M-16, and then breathe a sigh of relief. We’re always thankful for the constant protection of our soldiers.

The present situation in Israel seeps into all aspects of our daily lives. If there’s one thing all Israelis have in common, it’s that life consistently hands us unbelievable moments, both good and bad.

Our family spent the end of the summer vacationing in Hadera. One morning, we woke to the amazing news of Israel’s preemptive strike that thwarted Hezbollah’s massive rocket attack. The attack was an attempted retaliation for the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s second in command. The country breathed a unified sigh of relief. 

The Home Front Command instructions that day required pools and beaches to be closed just in case of Hezbollah retaliation. Despite the instructions, the beach nearby remained open. We were glad not to be locked in our apartment with our four children.

But as we frolicked in the water, I asked my wife, “Are we crazy for being here right now? What if there’s a siren?” Thankfully, there wasn’t one, but this reality is nothing new. There have been threats of a major attack looming for weeks at this point.

During our time away, I had to return home for a brit milah. I was honored to be the mohel for a friend I knew from my days in yeshiva. The naming portion of the ceremony is always emotional for the family because most names are chosen to carry on the memory of loved ones lost. But when the name “Kfir Avraham” was announced, everyone knew who the family was honoring. 

Kfir Bibas is the youngest hostage in Hamas captivity. The parents wanted to give their newborn son a name that reflected the times and served as a prayer for his and all of the hostages’ safe return. Those in attendance prayed along with the family and all of Am Yisrael that this would soon come to fruition. But our hopes were short-lived.

A nation in mourning

On the first day of school, we awoke to the news that six more hostage bodies were found, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose family we know from our years spent in Jerusalem. Our children know his name well, as do most English speakers, and we had to break the news to them before they went to school. “Hersh’s body was found. He died,” my wife reported. They were heartbroken, as we all are. “Hersh was murdered by Hamas,” I added. 

Contained in this momentary exchange is the conflict we all feel at this moment: was this a missed opportunity for a hostage deal or just more murder from a bloodthirsty terror group? This question is tearing the country apart – and that’s exactly what our enemies want.

October 7 was chosen as the date of attack because we were at one of our national low points. Every Saturday night prior to the outbreak of the war, thousands protested the proposed judicial reform. Unions also went on strike to halt the process. The country was in a state of dismay. Those who seek our demise could see how weak we were, and they seized the opportunity.

For a period of time after the war began, the country returned to being an Am Shaleim, a unified nation. We all knew that our enemies had to be defeated, and our brave young men and women rose to the challenge like none before them. But we’ve returned to consistent protests; only this time, they’re for a hostage deal. The recent tragic news of six more hostages being brought home in body bags is already dividing the country once again. Politicians are using the incident to make sure they’re garnering votes in whatever direction they deem most useful, and the unions are striking.

But what we must remember is that Hamas did all of this, and they continue to do all of this. They raped and murdered our brethren and stole so many others. To pin all of our hopes of success on a ceasefire with a terrorist entity is a fool’s game. It’s exactly what they want us to do – to lose faith in our ability to carve out our destiny and to intensify our infighting. I can’t for an instant understand the pain the hostage families are still enduring. We must do all we can to bring their loved ones home. But what’s most important right now is that we stay unified as a nation.

The writer is a rabbi, a wedding officiant, and a mohel who performs britot (ritual circumcisions) and conversions across the world. Based in Efrat, he is the founder of Magen HaBrit, an organization protecting the practice of brit milah and the children who undergo it.