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March 30, 2007
Standing firm against terror
For residents of Sderot, this Passover will not be that different.
RABBI AVI BAUMOL
Ma nishtana ha'layla hazeh? How is this night different
from all other nights? We were once slaves in Egypt, but God redeemed
us, bringing us out from the land to freedom."
Very soon, Jews from around the world will chant this familiar refrain,
as we have done at the Passover seder throughout the ages. During
the reading of the Haggadah, we will solemnly recount the pain,
humiliation and suffering endured by our people in Egypt, but we
will also rejoice at the miraculous turn of events – the sudden
salvation, redemption and freedom. Symbolically, we eat bitter herbs,
but quickly transition to the sweetness of the wine and charoset
(a pasty delicacy symbolizing mortar), and then recline to show
that we are as safe and secure as kings in a palace.
There are some, however, who will not share our sense of security
this year. Although they live in the homeland of the Jewish people,
they will not be singing joyful songs with full gusto, or reclining
in freedom with the same sense of relaxation as royalty this coming
Passover. They are the citizens of the city of Sderot.
This Israeli community, which borders the recently declared autonomous
Palestinian region of Gaza, is victim to an average of two to three
rocket strikes daily. Sirens, which notify residents of an impending
attack, can only give an advance warning of 15 seconds. That is
all the time that separates life and death in Sderot.
So this Passover, the residents of Sderot will not be observing
the holiday as others will be doing elsewhere in the Jewish world.
Instead, they will be confined to their homes, in running distance
of a shelter, and parents will have to convince their children of
the merits of celebrating the holiday of freedom, when they themselves
do not feel free at all.
Guy Nagar is one such citizen. He, his wife and two children have
been living in Sderot for six years. They came as part of a group
of idealistic young Orthodox Jews who wanted to integrate into a
city that reflected a cross section of Jews, in order to influence
and be influenced; that is, to live with Jews from different countries
and backgrounds, but to share common goals and responsibilities.
Nagar works for the Orthodox Union (OU) in Israel, which provides
social, educational and Jewish programming to thousands of people
all over the country. For the past six years, he and his wife have
operated a branch of Makom Balev – an institution that provides
much-needed social programs for underprivileged children. Sadly,
enrolment increased exponentially when children began to suffer
from the psychological affects of something previously unknown to
them – the Kassam rocket.
Nagar and the other parents of Sderot were shocked and saddened
when their children's first words were not "Abba" or "Imma"
but "[Code] red, red, alarm, alarm!"
How does Nagar deal with this crisis on a religious nationalist
level? He struggles, he questions, he even has moments of weakness,
mulling over the idea of leaving with his wife and children to a
safer environment so he, too, could recline in peace this Passover.
But then he collects his thoughts, stands proudly and says he will
not retreat – he will stay and fight. As a result, Nagar and
the other residents of Sderot are truly able to fulfil the rabbinic
dictum, "One must picture oneself as if experiencing the Passover
story."
Just as Nagar had his moment of truth when he chose to stand up
and be counted as a believer, so, too, did the Jewish people have
their moment during the Passover story itself. God commands each
Israelite to take a lamb, a god venerated by the Egyptians, and
to tie it up and prepare it for sacrifice. Sacrifice a lamb in front
of the Egyptian taskmasters? It's certain suicide, they must have
thought! Some fled, and some refused to carry out the order. But
there were others who had the courage to stand up against the Egyptian
regime, who were willing to follow the will of God and unite as
one nation – a nation that merited the great redemption of
the Exodus.
There is a dark irony for the citizens of Sderot between this year's
Passover and the one thousands of years ago that we commemorate.
The pinnacle of the Passover experience was the Exodus from Egypt,
when each family had to pack up, leave the only home they knew and
in the middle of the night, run and never look back. Today, each
family musters up the courage to stay put, to find the inner strength
to believe in the holiness of the land of Israel and to fight for
the right to live freely in our Promised Land in peace.
Nagar, his family, and thousands of others in Sderot are standing
firm and defending their city, knowing that retreat is only an invitation
for those who wish us harm to terrorize the rest of the citizens
of Israel. There is no question that these people are the heroes
of this year's Passover story: role models for every Israeli to
emulate during the current situation.
With the daunting threat of a nuclear Iran and a difficult war last
summer, as well as what looks like another inevitable war, this
Passover will be a test for the rest of us, the residents of Israel.
We, too, will stay put, in our cities and towns; we will not be
deterred, terrorized or maligned into thinking that we do not have
a right to live in our homeland in peace.
Ma nishtana ha'layla hazeh – how different is this Passover
from the great Passover of old? Sadly, in Sderot in particular and,
on some levels, Israel in general – not very different. The
same trials afflict us and the complete redemption still eludes
us, but like the Israelites of old, we, too, will stand firm in
our commitment to follow God's command. We will maintain the inner
strength to unite under adversity and we will strive towards fulfilling
our destiny of returning to our homeland, and spreading ultimate
peace and tranquillity throughout the land.
Rabbi Avi Baumol is director of communications for OU
Israel and the former spiritual leader of Schara Tzedeck Synagogue
in Vancouver.
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