We all know that there is a tsunami of hatred in our world right now. Whether on college campuses, in the halls of the UN, or simply on the streets of any city, the stench of antisemitism fills the atmosphere.
And yet, amidst the darkness, within the shards that painfully cut us open, shines the brightest of lights. A soul stirs, then comes to life. A sleeping neshama awakens. Its power bursts forth.
This past week I had the great privilege of hosting an event for my Hineni Young Leadership group. Professional singles in their 20s come together each month as we study Torah’s wisdom. We discover inner strength so that we may navigate life’s challenges and the troubled world we live in.
At an extraordinary evening we heard from two brothers who survived the Nova Festival, Roi and Adan Assaraf. Perhaps you have seen photos of Roi, who has spoken extensively across the U.S. about that fateful day. As he describes himself. “I used to love to party. My whole body is covered with tattoos.”
In my introduction, I explained why I had put so much effort into making this night happen. “Growing up, my eyes saw and my ears heard about the horrors of the Holocaust. I bore witness to the suffering of my parents and grandparents by the Nazis, y”s. Never did I believe that I would once again bear witness to the pain of our people the way my parents had. To feel the Jew hatred surrounding us, to know that our nation has been massacred, our women violated, our babies burned, our grandparents, parents, sons and daughters kidnapped, is beyond comprehension. We do not have choices of what we go through in life. There is incredible pain. But after going through difficulties we choose ‘what now.’ We can choose to be better, we can choose to be bitter. You may hear many stories about that dark day. But tonight you will hear the voices of two young people who chose to seize the moment. Instead of being paralyzed in fear, they chose to rise above. They could easily pull the covers over their heads and sit in terrified anxiety. With tremendous courage, they are here to tell their story. Open your hearts. Your lives will never be the same again.”
Roi and Adan relayed the horrific happenings of October 7. As they spoke, they often had to stop and collect themselves. Their hands were shaking while recounting coming face to face with terrorists who were shooting at them. One could not help but feel as if you were there with them, hearts pounding, trying to escape death’s door.
Then came the moment of truth each described in their most personal way. “I asked myself why.’ Why did the Borei Olam choose to give me life while everyone around me lay dead? Why did HaKadosh Baruch Hu give me the gift of life? There were only three choices here. You live. You die. You are taken hostage. And if you somehow live, what do you do with that life? I stared death in the face and now I must think about how to grab onto life!”
Each brother took upon himself a life of Torah and mitzvos. They are both shomer Shabbos. They study Gemara. They daven. Keep kosher. As we ate, I saw how they proudly they said their brachos out loud. They asked the audience, many who were typical NYC professionals, to examine their lives and think about their purpose.
At the end of the evening, I described how Roi had recited the words of King David as he fled the murderers around him. “Esah einai el heharim – I lift my eyes to the mountains. Ma’ayin yavo ezri – from whence will come my help? Ezri mayim Hashem – my help is from Hashem…” We heard the heartfelt voice of Adan as he was accompanied by the soft sounds of a guitar and sweet singing of our musician, Sruli Prero. Though most had never heard these words of Tehilim before, there was not a dry eye in the room. We were frozen, we could not get up. Our souls had been touched to their hidden, innermost cores. Before us stood two neshamos. Their pain beautiful but raw as they drew us into their spiritual journey.
Though we are hurting our souls are on fire. What a beautiful nation we are!
