This year, the High Holidays fall later than usual, with Rosh Hashanah just a few days before the anniversary of Oct. 7, 2023 – the most tragic date in the history of modern-day Israel.
The High Holidays offer special opportunities for reflection and renewal, reaffirming what matters most, pursuing positive change and strengthening our connections with others.
As we look back on 5784, we should examine our own actions, reflecting honestly on our challenges and successes, and seeking lessons we can take from our experiences to carry into the year ahead. It’s a time to consider which elements of our lives and our relationships with others need improvement.
This leads naturally to an opportunity to contemplate our intentions and priorities and plan for the future. It is a means of charting a course that aligns with our values and contributes to the strength of our families and our communities.
While Canada remains one of the safest places for Jewish communities, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs’ advocacy – especially since Oct. 7 – has been fueled by a profound dedication to tackling the disturbing rise in antisemitism.
The alarming surge in antisemitism, both online and on the streets, has been deeply shocking. Yet, it has also driven us to forge essential connections with all levels of government, law enforcement, educational institutions and community organizations representing the majority of Canada’s Jewish population and other vulnerable minorities.
Just as the High Holidays are arriving late this year, so too are long-awaited protections from the government. We have seen some progress, but there is much to be done to ensure “bubble legislation” (safe-access laws to protect defined areas from protests, harassment and hate) becomes common, if not ubiquitous, across Canada. Vaughan, Ont., has adopted an encouraging example, and many other municipalities have expressed serious interest in following suit, but there is still much work ahead.
Federal online hate legislation has been in development under various ministries for years, and we are not backing down on contributing to and securing this fundamental legislation that will enhance security measures.
The accusations against Israel of war crimes from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) are both absurd and detrimental to Canada and the West’s long-standing policies aimed at achieving peace in the Middle East. If the Canadian government wants to rescue the reputation of the ICJ, it must denounce this evidence of its politicization.
Antisemitism is not a “Jewish” problem. Jew-hatred poses a grave danger to all who cherish our core Canadian values. We know from history that, wherever antisemitism is allowed to thrive unchecked, social malaise and political oppression follow. Its defeat requires a concentrated, multi-pronged approach involving many cultural, political, ethnic and faith organizations, as well as individuals from across the country. Together, we are working to combat antisemitism while building relationships with many partner groups, promoting the Canadian values of dialogue and understanding, tolerance and respect.
As Canada’s special envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combatting antisemitism, Deborah Lyons, wrote in a July op-ed in the National Post: “Jews did not create antisemitism and … it is not on them to fight it alone.”
As we approach the sad and sombre anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre, many will join us in honouring the memories of those murdered by Hamas and in praying for the safe return of the hostages and for the restoration of peace to the region. And, if we are so blessed to have welcomed home the hostages by the time you are reading this, we’ll have more to celebrate as we begin the new year.
In the meantime, I wish you a sweet, healthy, peaceful and happy 5785.
Judy Zelikovitzis vice-president, university and local partner services, at the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.
Of course, not everyone in Israel is religious. Yet, there is a rich heritage of Hebrew songs with lyrics taken either directly from the Hebrew Bible or inspired by it. Over the years, these songs have been tremendously popular with the Israeli public.
The first example – a song taken from Deuteronomy Chapter 30, verse 19 – unfortunately has special meaning in Israel today, as thousands of residents from both the northern and southern parts of the country have been forced to live away from their homes for almost a year now.
“Because man is a tree of the field” – this verse has been variously understood to mean human beings are like a tree planted on their land. While it has been recorded by more than one Israeli singer, a version I really like is the one with extended lyrics taken from a poem by the late Nathan Zach. It can be found at nli.org.il, if you know Hebrew.
Early in the daily morning prayer service and on holidays, including Rosh Hashanah, there is a section meant to put us in the mood for prayer, but is not prayer itself. In p’sukei d’zimra, we recite “Adonai [G-d] is my strength and my might; G-d is my deliverance.” These words are taken from the Song of the Sea, which is in the Book of Exodus, Chapter 15, verse 2. It was not only a popular Israeli song, but it was sung as part of the morning prayers by the Women of the Wall, which is fighting for women’s right to pray aloud, with Torah scrolls and tefillin, at the Western Wall (the Kotel). A version of it, sung by Naomi Zuri, is on YouTube.
From the same Song of the Sea comes a song of thanksgiving by Amir Benayoun. Found in the Book of Exodus 15:1-15 and 15:20-21, the text describes how the Israelites successfully crossed the Red Sea, leaving Pharaoh and his chariots to their fate when the sea closes back up. It’s on YouTube as well.
Another popular song is based on an event in the Book of Numbers 20:11, though it doesn’t use the exact wording of the biblical text. In the story, Moses hits a rock twice in frustration, water gushes out, and the Israelites and their animals drink. G-d apparently refused Moses entry into the Land of Canaan because of this angry action. According to the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Moses failed to understand that times had changed and he was facing a new generation. The people he confronted the first time were those who had spent much of their lives as slaves in Egypt. Those he now faced were born in freedom in the wilderness.
Rabbi Sacks clarified what that meant: slaves respond to orders, free people do not. Free people must be taught; otherwise, they will not learn to take responsibility. Slaves understand that a stick is used for striking, but free human beings must not be struck. Hence, Sacks suggested that, for this lack of understanding, Moses was punished.
There is a video on YouTube of Aviva Semadar singing “Mosheh hikah al sela” (“And Moses Struck a Rock”) and there is also a video of “Ya’aleh v’Yavo” (“He Will Go Up and He Will Come”), performed by Gidi Gov, who first sang Yoram Taharlev’s song in a 1973 song contest. In the first stanza, Moses has climbed Mount Nebo to look at the Promised Land. While no one knows for sure where Moses is buried, many claim he died on Mount Nebo and G-d Himself is said to have buried him.
Curiously, these words – “Ya’aleh v’Yavo” – also appear in the Amidah. And, those who are familiar with the Grace after Meals will note that this phrase is added on Rosh Chodesh and holidays. It is chanted right before the section dealing with the [re]building of Jerusalem.
Significantly, on Rosh Hashanah, we sing a verse from the Book of Jeremiah (31:19) during the Zikhronot section (which, according to Mahzor Lev Shalem, recalls the covenantal relationship between G-d and humanity) of the musaf Amidah for Rosh Hashanah:
“‘Is not Ephraim, my dear son, my precious child, whom I remember fondly even when I speak against him? So, my heart reaches out to him, and I always feel compassion for him,’ declares Adonai.”
You can listen to Israeli singer Miri Aloni sing “Haben Yakir Li” (“My Dear Son”) at matchlyric.com.
There are several songs taken from the Song of Songs. One of the older well-known pieces is “Dodi Li,” “My Beloved is Mine,” sung by Sharona Aron, which is on YouTube, as are two other pieces from the Song of Songs, which have been composed more recently.
The first is performed by the Yamma Ensemble – a group that records in both Hebrew (ancient or modern) as well as in Ladino and Arabic dialects – which is coming to Vancouver for Chutzpah! (For story, click here.)
The lyrics are: “As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.My beloved spoke and said unto me: ‘Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone.”
The other piece from the Song of Songs is performed by singer Hadar Nehemya: “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it; if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, he would utterly be condemned / As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters / My beloved spoke, and said unto me: ‘Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.’”
Since Rosh Hashanah is approaching, I will end with an optimistic song, Yehoshua Engelman’s “Eliyahu (Elijah),” which can be heard on Spotify. Eliyahu is mentioned in numerous places in the Hebrew Bible and takes on numerous roles, though we don’t ever learn much about him. He is a bit of a mystery man, supposedly the harbinger of the Messiah. At the end of Havdalah, the ceremony marking the end of either Shabbat or holidays, we sing to Eliyahu, asking him to bring us redemption.
We could certainly use it.
Deborah Rubin Fieldsis an Israel-based features writer. She is also the author of Take a Peek Inside: A Child’s Guide to Radiology Exams, published in English, Hebrew and Arabic.
Weizmann Institute’s International Physics Tournament – the “Safe-Cracking Tournament” – is open to students in grades 11 and 12. (photo from Weizmann Canada)
Registration is now open for the Weizmann Institute’s International Physics Tournament. New this year – teams from Western Canada will be able to compete. A Zoom information session is scheduled for Sept. 23.
“Each spring, for the past 29 years, teams of highly talented high school students from around the world arrive at the Davidson Institute of Science Education, the educational arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, to take part in the international physics tournament, commonly known as the ‘Safe-Cracking Tournament,’” Morgan Leibner, annual and education programs officer at Weizmann Canada, told the Independent.
In the competition, teams of high school students (grades 11 and 12) design and build a safe that has a locking mechanism based on principles of physics. “Teams are challenged to put their knowledge to the test, where they break into each other’s safes by solving the physics riddles,” explained Leibner.
“Throughout the tournament, participants gain experience in building systems that they invent,” she said. “It is a unique opportunity for students to put physical principles and their imagination into practice – it is a totally different, enjoyable, exciting and encouraging way of learning physics and collaboration, with the goal of competing internationally at the finals.”
While the finals take place in Israel – or online, as they did this year because of the war – there are semi-finals in Canada. They’ve usually taken place in Montreal, with school teams from Montreal and Toronto competing.
“This year, our goal is to expand the program to include a West Coast tournament, which will take place in Vancouver,” said Leibner. “We anticipate teams participating from Vancouver, Calgary and Winnipeg. One winning team will be selected from the West Coast and a second team will be selected from the East Coast to represent Canada at the finals in Israel.”
The registration deadline is Oct. 9 and, once accepted, “teams are required to check in with Weizmann Canada staff every one to two weeks to discuss their work, as well as their challenges and successes,” Leibner said. There are various milestones teams must meet by certain dates, with the semi-finals taking place in Montreal and Vancouver in early February, and the finals at the institute March 23-27, situation permitting.
Teams of three to five compete regionally for a chance to reach the finals in Israel. (photo from Weizmann Canada)
“The finals have been conducted virtually when circumstances make it unsafe for students to travel to the institute,” said Leibner. “In that case, students submit a video of their safe to the judges, explaining the locking mechanism and the physics principles required to open the safe successfully. The students’ videos are judged on roughly the same criteria and a winner is announced at a virtual Zoom session.”
Weizmann Institute of Science has hosted various versions of the high school physics tournament since 1973. “In fact, the winner of the first-ever physics tournament is Dan Gelbart – a notable Canada-based engineer and inventor. He won the tournament at the age of 16 with an original motor he designed and built himself using spare materials, some even sourced from his mother’s kitchen!” said Leibner.
Gelbart, who was born in Germany and raised in Israel, has lived in Canada since the 1970s. Based in Vancouver, he co-founded Creo, a local printing technology company that was bought by Eastman Kodak Co. in 2005, and he has co-founded several other companies. According to a profile on the Weizmann Institute’s website, Gelbart has registered some 145 patents. He also has volunteered as an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia and has a YouTube channel – the most recent video, which was posted a couple of years ago, is a tour of his workshop and its instruments.
Typically, the physics tournament attracts between 200 and 300 participants a year, from Israel, Canada and other countries.
“The international tournament offers students an incredible opportunity to meet similarly scientific-minded youths from across the world,” said Leibner. “The tournament also offers a teacher development conference for the physics teachers accompanying teams to the tournament.”
“The international tournament offers students an incredible opportunity to meet similarly scientific-minded youths from across the world,” according to Morgan Leibner, annual and education programs officer at Weizmann Canada. (photo from Weizmann Canada)
Participants work in teams of three to five students and their local teacher/mentor – who is the one who must submit the team’s registration – coordinates with the tournament’s physics consultant throughout the process. The team’s safe is judged on its quality and complexity; team members’ level of understanding of the physics concepts being employed is key, as are the esthetics and originality of the safe they build.
“Local mentors are past participants of the physics tournament themselves,” said Leibner. “They have firsthand knowledge of the competition, what is required to build the safe, and what it is like to compete in the tournament. They have also participated in other educational opportunities at Weizmann Institute in Israel and have experienced living on campus and working with the community of scientists. Our mentors have a deep love and appreciation for science and an understanding that promoting STEM in education is incredibly important.”
For information on the tournament and to submit an application, visit weizmann.ca/physics.
Clockwise from top left: Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Alex Lubanov, Ori Danino, Almog Sarusi. (photos from internet).
This article is an edited version of a blog posted on Sept. 2, 2024.
Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Alex Lubanov, Ori Danino, Almog Sarusi. The cursor has been blinking below these six names and faces.
I haven’t known where to begin because there are so many emotions swirling, yet, despite the tears of devastation and despair that come to the surface and back away again, my predominant emotions are rage and frustration.
Rage at the savage and violent ends for these beautiful men and women, and frustration that, even in Israel, many have assumed that so few hostages could possibly still be alive, that only 30 or 40 are likely still alive. Well, here we had six, who were all held in tunnels, where just oxygen is tough to find, surviving a Middle Eastern summer with practically no food or water or personal hygiene for close to a year, and they are not dead because they couldn’t survive – they did survive. They are dead because they were murdered by Hamas at close range and, although it is customary in Judaism not to say details that will hurt the families or the memories of their loved ones, due to the level of urgency of this situation for now close to a year, I feel it is crucial to state that it is known that these particular six hostages were tortured badly before they were shot.
It is important to point out the brutality of Hamas. It was an incredibly bold move for Hamas to select two young women and an American man, whose mother was on the cover of Time magazine and whose parents just gave an electrifying speech on Aug. 21 at the Democratic National Convention, as hostages to murder so savagely. This speaks volumes to me. Hamas is fearless – and why shouldn’t they be? All of the pressure for a ceasefire has been on Israel. All of the pressure for the war to end has been on Israel. How about: “Give us back our people” instead of “Bring them home now,” why not, “Send them home now”?
The tunnel these hostages were found in was located less than a mile from the tunnel in Rafah from which Farhan al-Qadi, a Bedouin-Israeli hostage, was rescued, so it is possible that the Israel Defence Forces’ proximity led Hamas to make this horrific decision, but, had the IDF been “permitted” to enter Rafah sooner and more aggressively, perhaps more could have been done to save these human beings and the rest of the hostages months ago.
The anger I feel is complicated. I traveled alone to Israel last November to write about the hostages and got so involved there that I stayed until March. It is hard being in the diaspora right now, as I am realizing more and more regularly that Jews outside of Israel aren’t understanding how Israeli Jews feel right now and what they need so badly from us. I’ve tried to communicate this through my piece about Alon Ohel which can be read at melanie-preston.com. (His mom’s words put it so perfectly.)
The vast majority of Jews in the diaspora love Israel, and so they visit and they donate and they believe that if there ever were an emergency in the world, Israel would welcome them. But this isn’t something that can be taken for granted – that Israel will always be the safest country for Jews. It has not felt that way for Israelis since Oct. 7.
If such a brutal attack can happen in Israel, and the government won’t do everything in its power to bring the hostages home alive, then Iran can perhaps win this war because Israelis will start to leave. This is something Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah has said in his speeches lately. He has said Israelis will lose faith in their own government, tourism will stop and the economy will be destroyed. We already know that Iran is winning the propaganda war.
If Israelis no longer have faith in their system and feel they are not cared for as the top priority, which was happening before Oct. 7, and which many feel led to the Oct. 7 attack in the first place, then they won’t want to continue risking their lives or their children’s lives for the ideals of the Zionist state.
It is the belief of many in Israel that these six beautiful souls did not need to die, and these six are beautiful souls. I knew a lot about two of them and have spent the past days learning about the other four. My eyes are swollen from crying.
The hearts of Israelis have been shredded for close to a year, and there is still no healing in sight. Rarely do they ask for help from the diaspora, but, more than any other time in modern Israel’s history, they need us. They need all the Jews of the world putting all the pressure we can muster to get a deal done to bring the remaining hostages home alive. Anything else we need to do for the country’s security can still be done after this first priority – life – is once again prioritized.
***
I am going to start with Carmel Gat from Kibbutz Be’eri, the woman with the infectious smile, because I feel like I have gotten to know her through her friend Adam Rapoport, who took me to see Be’eri after I met him when I was writing about a different hostage who was murdered in Gaza back in January (Itay Svirsky). Adam, Itay and Carmel went to the same school.
Carmel Gat (photo from internet)
Carmel was raised on the kibbutz but lived in Tel Aviv and worked as an occupational therapist.
“She was such a loving person, such a peace-loving person. She has friends who speak all languages and are from all backgrounds,” said her cousin, Gil Dickmann, on CNN. “She was always looking for ways to treat others, and to take care of them during their most horrible phases and times of their lives. We know that, in captivity, she actually took care of two youngster hostages who were with her, and she practised yoga with them and meditation with them to make sure that they came through this horrible experience OK, and … when they came back, we were so glad to hear this because this is exactly what Carmel is, and she managed to stay herself in captivity and to take care of others … that was such an amazing thing for us to hear. And, to know that after all this, after 11 months in captivity, she lost her life in such a horrible way and we missed getting her back by so little, is devastating.”
Imagine mastering a practice with such grace that you could be stolen by a terrorist group and manage to not just sustain your own light but spread it, teach it, bringing light into the darkest tunnels of horror – that is nothing short of holy work.
On Oct. 7, Carmel was in Be’eri visiting her parents, and witnessed the murder of her mother before she was ripped away from her life and taken to Gaza. Throughout her time in captivity, “Yoga for Carmel” was done all over the world, with people not knowing if she was alive or not, but choosing to send her strength through yoga.
Well, she was alive. She was alive in a tunnel. For almost 11 months. Not only was Carmel slated to be released on day one of any new deal, but she was on the list to be released at the end of November. Had the ceasefire not been broken by Hamas, she would have been out at the beginning of December.
Carmel turned 40 years old in Gaza, in May, a couple of days after my own birthday, and I felt this strong connection and kept wondering if that meant she was alive. How I wanted her to come back. How I wanted to meet this woman of strength when I returned to Israel, when I would spend more time on Be’eri. Instead, the number of dead from Be’eri has increased to 102.
May the memory of Carmel be a blessing to all who were lucky enough to have known her, and especially to the children she taught yoga to in Gaza to help them during their two months of terror. May they find someone with Carmel’s light to get them through this.
***
Hersh Goldberg-Polin (photo from internet)
Hersch Goldberg-Polin was supposed to embark on a globetrotting backpacking trip last December, like I did at 23. The kid who loved maps and atlases, who so many Americans feel like they know, thanks to his incredible parents, Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin.
Through the sharing of fun facts about Hersh, we have grown to love him, and creative ideas to keep his name out there included giving the name Hersh when ordering coffee at Starbucks, just to hear “Hersh!” whenit’s ready.
His mother came up with counting the days of this war by ripping off a piece of masking tape every day, writing in marker the day number of captivity and sticking the piece of tape on her shirt. Her Instagram videos have discussed the process of the number changing from two digits to three, as well as how it feels when one roll of tape ends and another begins.
Hersh was seen on video being taken on Oct. 7. The video showed him being loaded onto a truck, and made clear that his arm was blown off. This was all his parents knew about their only son for a long time.
As Passover began, Hamas released a video of Hersh, in which you could see that his left arm – his dominant arm, his mom would always stress – was now a stub. In that video, he stated that he was living without sunlight, food or water, and that he would not have peace on the holiday, but hoped they would.
Hersh’s parents spoke clearly and strongly to those involved in the hostage negotiations: Qatar, Egypt, the United States, Hamas and Israel. “Be brave, lean in, seize this moment and get a deal done to reunite all of us with our loved ones and end the suffering in this region,” said his father, with respect to all involved. His mom added: “And Hersh, if you can hear this … we heard your voice today for the first time in 201 days … and if you can hear us, I am telling you, we are telling you – we love you. Stay strong. Survive.”
These words resonated with the hostage families and became a mantra for their loved ones. But, less than two weeks after Rachel and Jon spoke with such power and grace, they learned that Hersh came to a torturous end.
May we hold his family in the light and love that they have demonstrated to all sufferers in this conflict on both sides, since the very beginning.
May the memory of this young man, with the adventurous spirit he didn’t get to use nearly enough, be a blessing for all who knew and loved him, and for those of us who feel like we did.
***
Eden Yerushalmi (photo from internet)
Eden Yerushalmi was from Tel Aviv and studying to be a pilates instructor. She was bartending at the Nova festival and sent her family multiple videos as the attack began. According to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, the final texts she sent her family that day were “They’ve caught me,” and then “Find me, okay?” These are the chilling words they were left to grapple with.
The striking photo of her at the beach always stopped me in my tracks in Israel, whenever I came across it in Hostages Square or on a supermarket window or café wall. It forced me yet again to take in the enormity of this tragedy, and to imagine something so sick and horrifying happening to someone.
May Eden’s memory be a blessing for all who knew and loved her.
***
Alexander Lubanov with his wife Michal (photo from internet)
Alexander Lubanov was a bar manager at the Nova Festival and the father of a 2-year-old on Oct. 7. His wife was pregnant at the time and gave birth alone while he was in Gaza. Their baby is now five months old. May Alex’s memory be a blessing to his wife, his very young children and all who knew and loved him.
***
Ori Danino was escaping the Nova festival on Oct.7, but turned his car around to rescue more people. He was from Jerusalem and had five younger brothers and sisters.
Ori Danino (photo from internet)
He was happiest when he was out in nature and around people, and “the best partner you can imagine,” his girlfriend, Liel Avraham, told the Jerusalem Post.
Ori left the festival with his friend in separate cars, to help as many people out as possible. He phoned his friend to ask for the phone number of festival-goers they had just met. He returned to get them, and this was the last his friend heard from him. It was determined that those Ori turned around to get were also taken hostage.
May his memory be a blessing to all who knew and loved him.
***
Almog Sarusi (photo from internet)
According to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, Almog Sarusi loved traveling around Israel in his white Jeep with his guitar. His girlfriend of five years was murdered at the Nova festival, and he stayed by her side, hoping to help her. He was captured and taken hostage into Gaza.
May Almog’s memory be a blessing to all who knew and loved him.
Melanie Prestonis a Canadian-born, American-raised, Jewish writer and traveler who discovered Israel at the age of 26, immigrated to the country and stayed for seven years. She flew to Israel alone on Nov. 16, 2023, from her home in Charlotte, NC, and was there to March of this year. She is saving to move back to Israel to continue writing about the hostages. She intends to work with the children of Be’eri at Kibbutz Hatzerim and cover the rebuilding of Kibbutz Be’eri. For more information, visit melanie-preston.com. To support her work, go to gofundme.com.
לפי נתונים אחרונים של ההסתדרות הציונית העולמית מאז השבעה באוקטובר האנטישמיות בקנדה גדלה בקרוב לשבע מאות אחוזים, לעומת התקופה המקבילה אשתקד. כשבעים אחוז מפשעי שנאה בקנדה מכוונים כנגד הקהילה היהודית המקומית. זאת בזמן שאוכלוסיית היהודים בקנדה מהווה קרוב לאחוז וחצי מאוכלוסיית המדינה
האנטישמיות שוברת שיאים בלתי נתפסים בקנדה ובעצם בכל מדינות המערב והם מדאיגים ביותר. ולמרות זאת בישראל לא מבינים בכלל מה הסיבה העיקרית לעלייה באנטישמיות נגד יהודים ואזרחי ישראל כאחד. וישראל לא מנסה להפעיל אפוא מדיניות הסברה ולימוד ברחבי העולם כדי לנסות ולהתמודד עם האתגר הקשה הזה
רובם של הישראלים מדגישים בהרחבה את העלייה באנטישמיות ברחבי העולם. זאת כדי להצדיק שהרבה יותר בטוח לחיות בישראל מאשר מחוצה לה. את הישראלים זה בכלל לא מעניין כי הסיבה לגידול המשמעותי באנטישמיות נגד יהודים וישראלים בעולם, נעוצה בתוצאות ההרסניות של פעילות צה”ל בעזה. רבים ברחבי העולם צופים ושומעים על כמות גדולה של אזרחים פלסטינים ובהם נשים וילדים שנהרגים עקב התקפות בלתי פוסקות של צה”ל. הצבא הישראלי מחפש לחסל את אנשי החמאס, הג’יהאד האיסלאמי וחברי ארגוני טרור נוספים. אך באותה עת תושבי עזה משלמים מחיר כבד מנשוא. רבים מקפחים את חייהם ומאות אלפים נותרו חסרי בית, והם נעים אנא ואנא בין איים של חורבות
לאור האובדן הגדול של חיים אדם בעזה חל כאמור הגידול המשמעותי באנטישמיות והשינאה כנגד יהודים וישראלים בכל רחבי העולם. ונראה כי לפי מדיניות ממשלת ישראל הנוכחית והעומד בראשה, בנימין נתניהו, לא יחול שום שינוי לטובה בעת הקרובה. כך שאלו שבחרו לגור מחוץ לישראל משלמים מחיר כבד שלא באשמתם
אומר יעקב חגואל, יו”ר ההסתדרות הציונית העולמית: מדובר בעלייה חסרת תקדים. בשבעה באוקטובר לא פרצה מלחמה רק נגד מדינת ישראל, אלא נגד העם היהודי כולו, עם קמפיין מתוזמן וממומן שמעורר אנטישמיות. זו תופעה שלא נראתה מאז השואה, ואנחנו יחד עם ממשלות ומדינות נוספות צריכים להילחם בתופעה הזו ולעקור אותה מהשורש. אנחנו לא ניתן לעולם לחזור לימי מלחמת העולם השנייה. כאמור חגואל לא מתייחס כלל לסוגיה מה הסיבה הישירה לעלייה באנטישמיות והיא מותם של אלפי פלסטינים בעזה בעקבות פעולת צה”ל. אי הכירה בסיבה לא תאפשר להילחם משמעותית באנטישמיות
ואילו ד”ר רחלי ברץ, ראש המחלקה למאבק באנטישמיות בהסתדרות הציונית העולמית מוסיפה: הנתונים בלתי ניתנים להכחשה. בחודשים האחרונים חל שינוי גדול לרעה ביחס אל יהודי קנדה. הדבר ניכר מאוד ברחובות ובריבוי האירועים האלימים, אבל לא פחות מכך בקרב סטודנטים, מרצים וחברי סגל בקמפוסים השונים. הרעות החולות שהפכו פופולריות במערב אירופה ובארה”ב הגיעו גם למדינה שבה מהווים היהודים פחות מאחוז וחצי מהאוכלוסייה. עם זאת, בקנדה חיים למעלה מארבע מאות אלף יהודים. מדובר בתפוצה היהודית השלישית בגודלה בעולם, וראוי שכל הגורמים הרלוונטיים יתנו את דעתם ויטפלו בתופעה חמורה זאת
לעומתם ראש ישיבת סלבודקה בבני ברק, הרב משה הלל הירש (שהוא גם חברת מועצת גדולי התורה של דגל תורה), טוען כי הניסיון לצמצם את עולם התורה, הוא זה שמביא להעצמת תופעת האנטישמיות בעולם. הרב הירש מוסיף כי עלינו שהכל מתנהל לפי פעילותו של אלוהים והכל בעצם לטובתנו. הרב מציין עוד כי אנו חיים כיום בתקופה שאינה חסרת תקדים וכלל ישראל חיות במשך מאות שנים לפני בית המקדש ולאחריו, עם אתגרים מאותם סוג של היום
Vancouverite Gail Mattuck volunteering in Israel after Oct. 7. She found her placements with the help of the Sword of Iron – Israel Volunteer Opportunities Facebook group. (photo from Gail Mattuck)
They’re coming from around the world, taking a leave from their jobs to help rebuild Israel with their own hands. These are volunteers who have filled the labour gaps in the aftermath of Oct. 7, visiting farms or soldiers or hostage families; attending shivas, packing food for reservists and more.
Vancouverite Gail Mattuck is one of tens of thousands of people who have volunteered. But, if it weren’t for the Sword of Iron – Israel Volunteer Opportunities Facebook group that guided her to where she could help, she likely would not have lent a hand.
Led by Hagit Greenberg Amar and Yocheved Kim Ruttenberg in Israel, the group provides a running list to its 35,000 followers of where people can volunteer.
Mattuck chose a Chabad centre that assisted with food security, packing food for evacuees and making sandwiches for children of reservists. She also volunteered at Castel Winery, in the Jerusalem hills, to cut wires for the grape vines to grow on.
“For my friends in Israel, they were really happy to see me, of course, but they appreciated I was there to be there during that time. Lots of people just thanked me for being there. Without that Facebook group, I couldn’t have done it,” said Mattuck.
“One of my friends lives up north,” she said. “There are missiles coming over there all the time. Her sons were in Gaza fighting. It’s very personal for them. For me to be there, they appreciated it. My sense was of a country that was incredibly hurt but not broken.”
Mattuck has a close connection to one of the people killed at the Nova music festival, and made her trip in his memory.
Born and raised in Baltimore, Ruttenberg attended university in South Florida, then moved to Dallas, where she worked in construction sales. She and her brother had plans to go into real estate together after he completed his Israel Defence Forces service. He was scheduled to be released on Nov. 12, 2023.
Her brother was stationed in the south on Oct. 7, and she woke up to a text message alerting her to the attack, and his arrival in battle a few hours later. It was then and there, she felt the need to help. She intended to stay in Israel for a couple of weeks.
“I couldn’t not be here during that time,” she said. Within three days, she was on a plane, carrying 23 duffle bags of donations for soldiers, worth $17,000. Three days before her return flight, she quit her job. “I can’t go home. I need to be here,” she told her boss.
“When the war started here in Israel, we didn’t know what to do,” said Amar. “So, we started to think about what we already know how to do. We started to import. We started with battery power banks, then medical equipment, things the Marines used in emergencies. A lot of special units came to our place. Then, we met [Ruttenberg’s] brother.”
It was Ruttenberg’s brother who introduced Amar to Ruttenberg.
In the beginning, Ruttenberg corralled volunteer information from various WhatsApp groups, Google Translated them and posted them. In late November 2023, the Facebook group formally launched.
Yael Yom Tov Emmanuel joined the page on day one, and matched thousands of volunteers to different opportunities. Since then, two other team members have joined – Ariel Boverman and Sarah Emerson Halford. They have since created a Google Docs document for members, so that prospective volunteers can search by area and specialty.
The initiatives have impacted numerous lives by coordinating farm volunteers, aiding soldiers, assisting at food banks, and participating in reconstruction efforts in the south. The group has emerged as an essential resource for both residents and visitors, linking individuals with opportunities to make a difference.
“It blows me away to see how many people have done something outside their comfort zone in such a big way. People come to Israel for the first time in their lives, alone, in the middle of a war,” said Ruttenberg.
Group members are vetted carefully, something Amar says is one of the challenges in dealing with a hundred requests per hour. They have had to turf some infiltrators.
“It’s a 24/7 operation because we have people all over the world,” said Ruttenberg. “We all have our different roles. Some are more on the Facebook page interacting. A lot of my time is going into the field and meeting volunteers and interacting. But it’s a full-time job – beyond a full-time job.” No one is financially compensated for their time.
When Ruttenberg is not dedicating her time to the volunteers, she works part-time in marketing and sales consulting. She recently finished a US speaking tour and said that, while in Texas, half the room were Christians, they wept at her stories and couldn’t wait to get involved.
“People are sitting at home and feel helpless,” she said. “When your country is at war, when there’s antisemitism through the roof and you are not in the military and are not medically trained, you feel like there is no way to give back. It makes me incredibly proud to see, and incredibly proud to meet, the volunteers who are helping rebuild Israel with their bare hands.”
Amar, who lives in Ramat Gan with her three children, was previously chief executive officer of a brand and strategy company. She is now pursuing a second degree, in social work, at Haifa University, with an aim to offer therapy and mental health services.
“I think this group created a place where you could feel safe and be part of a community. There are real friendships in real life that occurred from the group. If somebody needs something, we always find someone to be with and support them,” Amar said.
“I think part of what we are doing is creating ambassadors, and changing the narrative about how people see Israel, showing Israel as a beautiful place,” added Ruttenberg. “Everyone who comes here meets soldiers and other people who are grateful. Israelis see people come from LA, just to pick tomatoes – we really appreciate that.”
Dave Gordonis a Toronto-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in more than 100 publications around the world. His website is davegordonwrites.com.
Band-aids – check. Bottled water – check. Tinned foods – wait. No sooner do I buy canned tuna, pickles, corn and peas and they’re eaten. Need to refresh that one. Flashlight – check. Portable radio – check. Now, this is a cool one. While not available in the groovy colours of the 1970s – bought it in a staid brown – the small, palm-sized handheld radio conjures up fond memories of those catchy songs from Billboard’s Top 10. Although the reason for the checklist is anything but fanciful. With the Islamic Republic of Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah threatening a major reprisal attack.
In the Star Trek movie Wrath of Khan, the Klingons said “revenge is a dish best served cold.” I can certainly attest to that. As can my more than 9.5 million fellow Israelis. It feels like an eternity since the ayatollahs promised mighty revenge for Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah’s military chief, Fuad Shukr, and Hamas’s military chief, Mohammed Deif, and the alleged Israeli assassination of Hamas’s politburo chief, Ismail Haniyeh. When Iran’s authoritarian regime said at a place and time of their choosing, they weren’t kidding. We are still waiting…. Actually, I think the Klingons were probably quoting Pierre Ambroise François Choderlos de Laclos, the 18th-century French novelist and army general who is credited with first analogizing revenge as a cold dish.
Speaking of proverbs, I think its origin is Chinese, some claim Yiddish. Regardless, whoever said “may you live in interesting times” was certainly cursing someone. Give me boring. Give me dull. Give me mundane. Give me monotonous. Give me colourless and bland. You can keep the gripping. The riveting.The fascinating. The stimulating. I just want to wake up to another simple day.
This waiting game is immensely stressful. It has the whole world on edge, with an alliance being built between Israel, the United States, Britain, France and Italy to thwart a second potential direct attack on my little shtetl. The first attack – of some 300 drones – was launched against Israel in April. We went to bed facing potential Armageddon and, thankfully, woke up able to just go to work, as Israel, with the help of its allies, knocked each drone out of sky before they reached Tel Aviv and Haifa.
Speaking of work, I am a self-confessed workaholic. And I find myself working even more during this very stressful period, where I fear my fate is out of my control. Will Iran attack? Where? And when? And how? No idea. No authority. No power. Simply unable to influence, in any way. Whereas work, which I am pretty good at, gives me all those things. I am largely in control, able to influence within my environment. Work gives me a calming sense and, if nothing else, allows me to escape into my purchasing processes and contracts. This is my own industrial and organizational psychotherapy. As good an excuse as any for my wife, when she again finds me tapping away at my keyboard at all hours or in another early morning or late evening Teams meeting.
As for preparations, I find myself obsessed with buying bottled water, toilet paper and Ajax. The first couple of items, you probably understand. But floor cleaner? I think it’s the Jewish mother in me. I don’t want to leave behind a dirty home. Kind of like Golda from Fiddler on the Roof, who insisted on sweeping their little Anatevka farmhouse before leaving. Although – and I say this loud and clear – we ain’tgoing nowhere!
Another quirk in dealing with the stress is that I love the music from the hippie generation. For the longest time after that dreadful Oct. 7, I wouldn’t – couldn’t – listen to music. I felt a very deep sadness. Maybe a type of mourning. But now, over the last few days, I find myself blaring my tunes. One of the first songs to pop up in my feed just after Iran’s rulers made their threat of retribution was “Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival. How foreboding can you get? “I hear hurricanes a blowin’. I know the end is comin’ soon.… I hear the voice of rage and ruin. Don’t go around tonight. Well, it’s bound to take your life. There’s a bad moon on the rise, alright.”
And, I find myself listening again and again – at pretty high volume – to the dark and wonderful song by our own Edan Golan, “October Rain,” otherwise known to the world as “Hurricane”: “Every day, I’m losing my mind…. Dancing in this storm, I’ve got nothing left to hide….Baby, promise me you’ll hold me again.… I’m still broken from this hurricane….” And then, with hope: “Don’t have words. Just prayers. Even if it’s hard to see, you always leave me one small light.”
On another music note, I find myself chanting, to no one in particular, that snappy little line “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Now, why can’t we come up with something as catchy? With an impressive gene pool of great Jewish songwriters: George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Burt Bacharach, Carole King, Neil Diamond, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Amy Winehouse, Gene Simmons. Come on! And still, gornisht, nothing. No wonder we’re losing the global PR battle.
Please continue donating to the war and revival efforts. You may have given earlier, when hostilities first erupted and the Gaza war was headline news. Almost 10 months later, war continues – on several fronts. Sderot and Metula – and maybe Tel Aviv and Haifa – are Israel’s front line and Israel is the diaspora’s front line. Am Yisrael chai (yeah, that’s the extent of our solidarity anthem). Bring them home now!
Bruce Brown, a Canadian-Israeli, made aliyah more than 25 years ago. He works in high-tech and is happily married, with two kids. He is the winner of a 2019 American Jewish Press Association Simon Rockower Award for excellence in Jewish writing.
קנדה מעניקה לישראלים ויזה הומנטרית בעקבות השבעה באוקטובר והמלחמה המתמשכת. לפי הערכות מאות ישראלים ניצלו אופציה זו והם מהגרים בחודשים האחרונים לקנדה. מיכל הראל שהקימה אתר לישראלים הרוצים להגר לקנדה אומרת כי קנדה מציעה חיים נוחים בחברה פלורליסטית וקוסמופוליטית, עם מערכות חינוך ובריאות טובות. כך שיש אופק כלכלי לישראלים ולדורות הבאים שלהם כאן. כמובן יש לציין שלקנדה יש גם טבע מרהיב הכולל יערות ואגמים. ויש לזכור שגם לנושא איכות הסביבה יש כאן חשיבות גדולה
לכל הטוב הזה בקנדה יש אפילו הכרה עולמית: אשתקד דורגה קנדה במקום השני והמכובגברשימה של המדינות הטובות בעולם לחיות בהן. וזאת מתחת לשווייץ שבמקום הראשון, ומעל שבדיה שבמקום השלישי. קנדה מדורגת שמינית בעולם מבחינת גובה ההכנסה ליחיד. מדובר במדינה ענקית, השניה בגודלה בעולם אחרי רוסיה ששטחה גדול הרבה מזה של ארה”ב, אבל מספר תושביה רק קצת יותר מעשירית ממספר תושבי ארה”ב. לקנדה מסתבר יש מקום לקלוט הרבה מאוד בני אדם שיחזקו את אוכלוסייתה, והיא מעודדת הגירה אליה. ועכשיו כאמור מדובר בתוכנית הגירה חדשה ומיוחדת לישראלים. התוכנית שהוכרזה בתחילת השנה הוארכה בימים האחרונים בשנה נוספת. יש שהטוענים שהארכה נובעת בשל ההסלמה בצפון והחשש למלחמה בין ישראל לחיזבאלה.
הראל עשתה רילוקיישן לקנדה לפני חמש שנים. זאת כדי להקים את הסניף של החברה שלה ושל בן זוגה בצפון אמריקה. בעקבות השבעה באוקטובר פנו אל הזוג חברים רבים שלהם מישראל והחלו לשאול אותם איך הם עברו לקנדה. החברים ביקשו שהראל ובן זוגה יעזרו גם להם להגיע לקנדה. אחרי שבועיים של שיחות טלפוניות עם אנשים מישראל הראל ביקשתה מבן זוגה שיעזור לה להקים אתר עם כל המידע שהם נתנו לאנשים בארץ בטלפון. וזאת כדי שהם יוכלו לקרוא על ההגירה לקנדה ובמה היא כרוכה. וכן שהם יעבירו את הלינק של האתר שלהם לחברים ומשפחה שלהם בישראל. במקרה, אחרי זמן קצר שהאתר היה באוויר נפתח המסלול לישראלים שנותן ויזת עבודה לשלוש שנים בקנדה, במהלכן ניתן להגיש בקשה לתושבות של קבע או אזרחות מלאה. הזוג החליט לעזור בהתנדבות לכל מי שירצה להגיע לקנדה בעקבות המלחמה
מה עם הפטריוטיות הישראלית ומה האומרים לאלה שטוענים שאנשים איכותיים עוזבים ובסיוע ממשלת קנדה וגורמים ישראלים כמו האתר של עוברים לקנדה, יורדים מהארץ, ועוד במהלך מלחמה. לדברי הראל ישנם מקרים בודדים של תגובות פחות נעימות ברשתות, אבל רובם מאוד שמחים על הפרויקט ועל ישראלים שעוזרים לישראלים. מי שלא מסוגל יותר וחייב הפסקה מגיע לו לנוח מהטירוף ונהדר שממשלת קנדה מאפשרת את זה. הציונות לא מסתיימת רק בגלל שכמה משפחות רוצות לנוח.
יהודים זכו בקנדה בדרך כלל לחיים נוחים ושלווים, נטולי גילויים אנטישמיים ברמות שחוו ברחבי העולם. כמו בכל מקום, הכל השתנה מאז השבעה באוקטובר, כידוע. אבל, המדינה הייתה מאז ומעולם יעד הגירה מועדף של יהודים מרחבי התפוצות ומאז קום המדינה גם של ישראלים.
לפי הערכות, בקנדה חיים למעלה מארבע מאות אלף יהודים. לפי מפקד אוכלוסין מרבית הישראלים ומדובר בכחמישים אלף איש, חיים ברובם בטורונטו. על פי הערכה מדי שנה מגיעים כשלושת אלפים ישראלים נוספים לקנדה ומספרם הולך וגדל לאור המצב הקשה בו נמצאת ישראל בימים אלה
יצויין שתוכנית ההגירה לישראלים כוללת רישון עבודה התקף לשלוש שנים ומאפשר לעבוד כמעט בכל עבודה. התוכנית לישראלים הוארכה והיא תפוג ביולי שנה הבאה
חברת התעופה הקנדית, אייר קנדה, שחידשה את טיסותיה לישראל בשמונה באפריל לתקופה קצרה, והפסיקה את טיסותיה בעקבות המתקפה האיראנית, והודיעה כי היא צפויה לחדש את טיסותיה בשישה באוגוסט. חברת התעופה הקנדית חזרה בה מהודעתה הקודמת והחליטה להמשיך עוד את השעיית טיסותיה לתל אביב. החברה הודיעה כי עקב אי הוודאות הנמשכת במזרח התיכון, אייר קנדה מפסיקה את פעילותה מתל אביב ואליה עד אמצע אוקטובר. הטיסה הקרובה, על פי הודעת החברה, תצא מטורונטו לתל אביב ביום שלישי החמישה עשר באוקטובר, ואילו הקו ממונטריאול לתל אביב יחל לפעול רק בלוח טיסות הקיץ של השנה הבאה. אייר קנדה הודיעה עוד החברה בקשר עם ממשלת קנדה והיא תמשיך לבדוק מקרוב את המצב ותנהל את תכניותיה בהתאם
קנדה הטילה סנקציות חדשות על מתנחלים
שרת החוץ של קנדה מלאני ג’ולי הודיעה כי קנדה מטילה סנקציות חדשות בנושא אלימות מתנחלים קיצוניים. סבב הסנקציות הזה מפרט שבעה אנשים וחמש ישויות על תפקידם בהקלה, תמיכה או תרומה כספית למעשי אלימות של מתנחלים קיצוניים נגד אזרחים פלשתינים ורכושם. הגוף המשמעותי ביותר נגדו מוטלות סנקציות היא חברת אמנה, שבונה רבים מהפרויקטים בשטחים, ובראשה עומד זאב חבר המקורב לראש הממשלה בנימין נתניהו. בנוסף, יוטלו עיצומים על נוער הגבעות אם כי לא ברור למה הכוונה כי אין יישות משפטית כזו. וכן על ארגון להב”ה המזוהה עם כך וכן החווה של משה והחווה של צבי. בנוסף קנדה הטילה עיצומים על הפעילים המוכרים בנצי גופשטיין, דניאלה וייס הנמנית על מייסדות ההתיישבות בשטחים, אלישע ירד, אלי פדרמן, מאיר אטינגר, שלום זיכרמן עינן בן-ניר ועמרם תנג’יל
הקנדים אומרים כי אלימות מתיישבין קיצוניים הביאה לאובדן חיים ולנזק לרכוש פלשתיני ולאדמות חקלאות. התקפות אלו הביאו גם לעקירה בכפייה של קהילות פלשתיניות, ותרמו לחוסר ביטחון של פלשתינים וישראלים בגדה המערבית כאחד. התקפות של מתיישסים ישראלים קיצוניים הם מקור ותיק למתיחות וסכסוכים באזור, מערערות את זכויות האדם של הפלשתינים, את הסיכויים לפתרון שתי המדינות ומהוות סיכונים משמעותיים לביטחון האזורי. קנדה ממשיכה להתנגד להרחבת ההתנחלויות הבלתי חוקיות בגדה המערבית ובמזרח ירושלים והיא מחויבת לשלום מקיף, צודק ומתמשך במזרח התיכון
בארגון שלום עכשיו שבירכו על ההחלטה אמרו כי הארגון מברכים את ממשלת קנדה, ידידת אמת של ישראל, על עמדה נחושה ובלתי מתפשרת כלפי אלימות מתנחלים. הגיע הזמן שכל מתנחל אלים ישלם על מעשיו, לרבות ההנהגה המתנחלית הקיצונית. בשבוע שעבר חשפנו איך מקדם השר סמוטריץ סיפוח דה יורה של הגדה המערבית, ומתגאה בפרויקט החוות החקלאיות שהפכו לגולת הכותרת של פרויקט הנישול האלימות והגזל. זו העת לעצור את הטירוף ולשים סוף לאלימות ולמאחזים הבלתי חוקיים, אותם הממשלה מתדלקת בשם האג’נדה המשיחית של סמוריץ ובן גביר. חייבים להפיל את הממשלה
ראש המועצה האזורית בנימין ויו״ר מועצת יש״ע, ישראל גנץ אמר בתגובה להודעת משרד החוץ הקנדי כי מדובר בהחלטה שערורייתית. קנדה בוחרת לתת רוח גבית לטרור ולחמאס שמבקש להמשיך לטבוח ביהודים ולחסל את ישראל. מי שמטיל עיצומים לא מוסריים ולא חוקיים נגד גורמים יהודים שותף מלא לחזון של סינוואר ודוחף את ישראל לסכנה קיומית. קנדה בהחלטתה מעודדת מחבלים ואנרכיסטים להמשיך לתקוף יישובים ברחבי יו”ש ובכל ישראל. ממשלת ישראל והעומד בראשה חייבים להגיב למהלך הזה בתגובות בשטח ולהפוך את המשוואה. כל החלטה כזו צריכה לבסס עוד יותר את נכוחותה של מדינת ישראל ביהודה ושומרון
Batia Holini’s photo of Israeli soldiers sleeping on the floor of a grocery store near Kfar Aza on Oct. 8 is one of the works in the exhibit Album Darom. (photo by Gil Zohar)
Album Darom: Israeli Photographers in Tribute to the People of the Western Negev, which opened recently for a six-month temporary installation at the Petach Tikva Museum of Art, is the first group artistic endeavour in Israel to confront the tragedy of Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre and the subsequent Gaza War, now in its 10th month. The ambitious tripartite installation Album Darom (Hebrew for Southern Album) incorporates a Facebook diary; a printed book of photographs accompanied by essays (published by Yedioth Ahronoth); and the museum exhibit.
Initiated by Prof. Dana Arieli, dean of the faculty of design at the Holon Institute of Technology, together with chief curator Irena Gordon, the project showcases 150 photographs, art installations and texts documenting the story of the western Negev region before and after Oct. 7. The exhibit includes the perspectives of 107 photographers and artists. Some of the participants in the album are world-renowned, others are amateurs. Lavi Lipshitz, the youngest featured photographer, lost his life fighting in Gaza. His mother penned the text accompanyinghis images.
The works in the album represent different photographic practices: artistic, personal and some staged, the intense images are upsetting. As well they should be in confronting mass murder.
Before walking around a corner to see Lali Fruhelig’s gruesome 3-D installation suggesting a corpse sprawled on the floor of a living room, a sign cautions: “The exhibition contains some potentially disturbing contents. Viewer discretion is advised.”
Arieli, a history professor and a photographer who explores remembrance culture and cultural manifestations of trauma, began the Album Darom project shortly after the Gaza war broke out.
“When something’s traumatic, you have to work or do something,” she said.
Shocked by the murder of her friend Gideon Pauker from Kibbutz Nir Oz – who was killed just before his 80th birthday – she posted 100 daily historic and contemporary images of the Western Negev.
Initially, Arieli intended Album Darom to be exhibited at Kibbutz Yad Mordechai Museum just north of the Gaza Strip frontier. After the museum was damaged by rocket fire, this wasn’t feasible. Instead, she selected Petach Tikvah as the venue. She explained that the site – the first Yad Labanim memorial to fallen Israel Defence Forces soldiers from the War of Independence – is meant to be relevant to all Israelis. The museum offers free admission on Saturday, so observant Jews may visit on Shabbat.
Speaking to a group of journalists, Arieli compared Oct. 7 to the Nov. 4, 1995, assassination of then-prime minister Yitzhak Rabin. “Everyone is frozen in their memory of where they were,” she said.
Arieli and Gordon emphasized the intended cathartic nature of the exhibit. The two said the museum is a “safe space” and a “place for healing.” After experiencing the horrors of Oct. 7, Gordon found solace in this project, she added. “This is part of how we are coping with it all,” she said.
Miki Kratsman is one of the photographers whose depiction of his Oct. 7 nightmare is in the exhibit. Terrorists took his aunt Ophelia hostage from her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. She was later released from Gaza in the November hostage exchange deal.
Kratsman’s photograph, “In Aunt Ophelia’s Neighbourhood,” captures a modest kibbutz home collapsing as it is immolated in a fireball.
“These are the kinds of things that need to be in a museum,” Arieli said of the photograph. “You’re looking at the destruction of Nir Oz.”
While vividly showing the devastation of the kibbutz, the burning home photograph is an enigma, and creates dialogue, she added.
But it is the human toll rather than the destroyed real estate that is most painful. Paradoxically, perhaps, Batia Holini’s peaceful photo of exhausted IDF soldiers sleeping on the floor of a grocery store near Kfar Aza on Oct. 8 hints at the savage warfare in which they have been engaged.
“Funeral of Five Members of the Kutz Family who were Murdered in Kfar Aza,” a photo by Avishag Shaar-Yashuv. (photo by Gil Zohar)
Avishag Shaar-Yashuv’s photograph, “Funeral of Five Members of the Kutz Family who were Murdered in Kfar Aza,” captures the searing emotion of the funeral of a family annihilated in the Hamas attack.
“I tried to focus and also wipe the tears at the same time,” Shaar-Yashuv said.
For this reviewer, the most symbolic part of the exhibit was a taxidermy display of a doe entitled “Bambi.” The exhibit references Felix Salten’s 1923 novel Bambi: A Life in the Woods and the 1942 animated movie produced by Walt Disney. Metaphorically, the hapless baby deer represents both the Six Million victims of the Holocaust and the 1,200 people murdered on Oct. 7.
Viewing Album Darom, one could conclude that the myth of the state of Israel protecting its citizens has been shattered. Arguably, Israelis today are no more secure than their ancestors were facing the Kishinev Pogrom of 1903, the Hebron Massacre of 1929 or the Farhud in Baghdad in 1941.
Gil Zohar is a writer and tour guide in Jerusalem.
