Reader's letter

Tisha b'Av, the 9th day of the month of Av, which this year falls on August 13, is the national day of mourning for the Jewish People. On this date, the First and Second Holy Temples of Jerusalem were destroyed.

Our Sages teach that the lack of unity among the People of Israel resulted in the fall of the Second Temple, a destruction that marked the loss of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel. Since the defeat by the Roman Empire in 70 CE, the Jewish People faced a series of catastrophes that culminated in the Holocaust. Only in 1948, with the founding of the State of Israel, did the People of Israel regain sovereignty over the Land of Israel.

The State of Israel is the home of all Jews. It is the only guarantee that a Jew will never again be stateless and that our people will never be defenseless before those who seek to destroy us. Our resilience and tenacity emerge from the simple truth that the Jewish People are one family, and Israel is their home. Therefore, we must always protect it to ensure the safety of our family – Am Yisrael, the People of Israel.

On October 7, 2023, the State of Israel suffered the biggest attack in its history. It was the most tragic day in the history of the Jewish People since the Holocaust. In the months leading up to this attack, Israel's population was more politically divided than ever. Military personnel, journalists and geopolitical experts expressed concern, warning both the government and its adversaries that these divisions were making the Jewish State more vulnerable to external attack.

In the days following the October 7 attack, we witnessed to our astonishment a rise in anti-Semitism, reaching levels not seen since World War II. In many European countries and the United States, hatred of Jews has exploded in the streets, universities and, above all, on social media. As World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder stated: “For a brief moment after October 2, the world showed empathy for the Jewish State. But just days after the attack – while Israel was still counting its dead – we saw the world turn against us. Little did we realize that we were witnessing the unfolding of the first premeditated and complete war on social media against a people and a nation – ours. Israel’s enemies were well prepared to launch their global campaign by blaming the victims of the terrorist attack themselves.”

The lies and infamies that have been told about us Jews over the millennia are today propagated about the State of Israel. Blaming the victim is a common practice in various forms of prejudice and racism. The false and unfair condemnations against Israel are clearly manifestations of anti-Semitism.

The tragedy that occurred on October 7 caused Israelis to unite to defend their people and their homeland and also strengthened ties between the country's Jews and those in the Diaspora. The war that Israel faces for its own survival demonstrates to the Jewish State how much it depends on the support of the Diaspora. When the war began, many Jews who lived outside Israel immediately returned to the country, either to fight or to help the population. On the other hand, the explosion of anti-Semitism in the world confirms what Jewish History has taught us for two millennia: no Jew in the world is truly safe without a strong and sovereign Israel.

At the close of this edition we received the exciting news that, in a meticulously planned joint operation, Israeli forces managed to rescue, with incredible bravery and precision, four hostages in Gaza. Unfortunately, in this heroic operation, Commander Arnon Zamora – head of anti-terrorism at the Police – was seriously injured and did not survive. The news of the rescue gave a boost to our people after so many months of suffering and reminded us that united we are stronger.

But, we should not only unite in times of crisis or when we are attacked, especially since Jewish History teaches us repeatedly that the disunity of the Jewish People makes us vulnerable. The only way to combat threats to Israel and Jewish communities outside the Jewish State is through unity. Therefore, today, more than ever, there is a collective call for all the Jews of the world to come together to overcome these difficult times together. Am Israel Chai!