Mindy Sager Dickler
Ah, remember the “good old days” around three years ago?
We were all dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. We’d never known that the word “pandemic” even existed. Because of this global society of ours, it seemed like no country was exempt. Everyone either had the virus, or knew someone who had it, or, even worse, knew someone who died from this malady. And one of the antidotes to avoiding the virus was self-isolation. People were not going out to shop, to socialize, to go to school, etc. Everything went online, not only of classrooms and shopping, but also religious services and concerts and other forms of entertainment. The inhabitants of our planet were finding more and more creative ways of remaining calm, of connecting with community, to overcome the horrible isolation.
And now, in November 2023, what does the world look like? Thank God, there are immunizations against COVID. There are treatments for those unlucky ones who still catch it. And, for the most part, people who get COVID these days have a much milder case.
What else has happened? Israel has been attacked by terrorists in a pogrom. Never could we have imagined a massacre and mass kidnapping such as this. At first, it seemed that the whole world united again, this time in support of Israel. Unfortunately, that expression of solidarity was short-lived.
The empathy and sympathy were soon silenced by those people who were more concerned about the welfare of the Palestinian civilians than they were about the welfare of the Israelis.
Israel is a tiny country, about the size of New Jersey. Israel is a land where dedicated civilians have worked tirelessly over the past 75 years to develop a thriving economy and make the desert bloom. Most Israelis are peace-seeking people, just wanting to live safely and securely within their own narrow borders.
And, as if it wasn’t enough to have the voices of pro-Palestinians echoing throughout the world, there are also people who support the terrorists, who are calling for an end to Israel’s existence. The demonstrations, the rallies, the calls for death, seem to be never-ending, with public opinion broken in two.
Another pandemic, you might say, but this time, it’s one of hatred. And we are all affected by it in one way or another.
What is the antidote this time? A vaccine? A new drug?
In my opinion, it is the spirit, the unity and the strength of the Israeli people. It is our army full of soldiers who are literally ready to give their lives so that we may finally live in peace. And, above all, literally and figuratively, it is faith in God, our God, who blesses us and grants strength to our military, that they may be victorious. Amen.
Mindy Sager Dickler, a former Baltimorean, made aliyah to Israel in June of 2021. She now lives in Modi’in, near her two daughters and their families.
