For decades I’ve been deeply involved in the world of Jewish activism. If someone had told me fifty years ago – when we cried out, “Free Soviet Jewry, Never Again!” – that Jews would be confronted with the problems they face today, I would have said: Impossible. I feel heaviness, deep disappointment, in where we stand today, that we have not done better.
But given the situation we have, we must do our part, such as helping French Jews who wish to make aliyah and lobbying Congress to smooth the process for those emigrating to the U.S. For the sake of those who remain, the French government must hear loud and clear that it isn’t just dealing with the rights of 600,000 Jews living in France but that it must also contend with the concerns of millions of Jews and people of moral conscience worldwide.
A particularly profound moment of the mission occurred as our group, wearing talleisim, stood in prayer and song at the memorial set up in front of Hyper Cacher. We were notified that thousands were expected to come to recite Tehillim, and indeed thousands came. A young Sephardi Jew led evening services. And then, silence.
Moved, nearly overcome, I called out with all my strength, “We have come from America to tell you: you are not alone. We stand with you.” The crowd responded with a collective “merci.”
Psalms were then recited, among them those we say on Friday night as the Shabbat enters. What a contrast – the devastation of Hyper Cacher before us, and the psalms of Shabbat, the day of peace, the day of love, within us.
May the Shabbat prevail.