On Aug. 3, Jews around the world observed the fast day of Tisha B’Av, which commemorates, among other Jewish tragedies, the destruction of both temples in Jerusalem. On Aug. 2, immediately after Shabbat ended, the fast began with the recitation of The Book of Lamentations, also known as Eicha in Hebrew, which is composed by the prophet Isaiah and laments the destruction of the first temple.
In more than 2,500 years, very little has changed. Isaiah may have been lamenting over the destruction of the nation of Israel in his day, but Eicha resonates with us today as well.
Eicha begins with the words “eicha yashava badad, h’air rabati am,” which translates to “how is it that she sits alone, the city that was full of its people.” It continues with “kol re’ieha bagdu vah, hayu lah l’oyvim,” meaning “all her friends have abandoned her, and became her enemies.”
The prophesy of Isaiah has come true. Israel has become a pariah in the eyes of the world. Israel has defended itself in a war started by an enemy who has vowed to destroy it. An enemy who committed the worst atrocities against humanity not seen since the days of the Holocaust. And an enemy who has vowed to repeat those same atrocities again and again.
Yet, it is Israel who is being vilified as the ones committing genocide. It is Israel, who has allowed tons of food and supplies into Gaza, that is accused of starving the enemy. No other army in the history of mankind has warned the people of an impending attack, urging the civilians to leave. Yet, Israel is accused of killing innocent civilians and children.
In recent weeks, both France and the U.K. have announced their intention of recognizing a Palestinian State, unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire. Have their leaders, Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer, not been reading the newspapers? Israel, over the past six months, has agreed to every ceasefire proposal, even at the expense of some of its security concerns. It is Hamas who has repeatedly rejected these proposals. Yet, no one blames Hamas. Only Israel is the impediment to peace.
On the world’s stage at the U.N. – an organization established to ensure peace in the world – Israel sits alone. The majority members states of the U.N. are Islamic and continue to vilify Israel’s existence. Since Israel’s victory in 1967, Israel has been the subject of more resolutions than any of the other nations combined. Yet, not a voice is heard about the atrocities that were committed by Syria, the treatment of the Uyghurs in China, the war begun by Russia against Ukraine, or any of the other conflicts happening around the world. The focus remains on Israel.
It bothers me when the media refers to the innocent civilians in Gaza. Who are those innocent civilians? Are they the ones who joined Hamas on Oct. 7th, 2023, crossing into Israel and committing the most inhumane atrocities against Israeli civilians? Are they the ones who greeted the hostages when they were brought into Gaza and beat them? Are they the medical professionals at the hospitals who looked the other way as Hamas used the hospitals as bases for their attacks and hiding hostages? Are they the innocent civilians who allowed Hamas to build the tunnels and allowed their homes to be used as entries and exits to those tunnels?
Golda Meir made a statement that is as true today as it was when she said it 50 years ago: “If our enemies were to lay down its arms today, tomorrow there would be peace. If Israel were to lay down its arms today, tomorrow there would be no Israel.”
Rabbi Steve Roth was the founding Rabbi of Congregation Eitz Chaim of Passaic, New Jersey. Married for more than 50 years to his wife, Fern, they resided in Passaic until 2017 when they moved to Boynton Beach full time. They have three children, 13 grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. Rabbi Roth had the privilege of delivering the opening prayer in Congress in May, 2014. He can be reached at Rabbisteve.oped@gmail.com.
