Last month I shared with you the story of Roi and Adan Assaraf, Nova festival survivors who spoke to my Hineni Young Professionals Group in NYC.
I had invited my ninth grade granddaughter, Rivka, to join me along with her parents. I felt that this would be a most memorable night that could not easily be duplicated. After all, how often in life do we get to hear the words of a survivor who transformed their life and discovered Hashem in the process of healing? Most times we either hear details of the tragedy or about the pain that one is grappling with. But coming closer to Hashem as a result of heartbreak and then sharing the personal journey with others is a rare privilege not to be taken for granted.
On the way home we were reflecting on the night’s message in the car. I asked my granddaughter what she had come away with. We spoke for a few moments recalling different parts of the emotional night. The hour was late, and Rivka told me that she had a class writing assignment for the next day. “Even if you have work due tomorrow,” I said “I am so happy that you came with me tonight. You heard a story of courage and bitachon. It was totally worth it. Never forget this night… What is your assignment about?” I asked. “We have to write a poem or paragraph about what we would fight for.” Rivka explained. “Perfect!” I said. “Think of everything you heard this evening and go with it.”
WHAT I’M FIGHTING FOR
I’m fighting for my brothers and sisters
Who have been forced out of their homes
Which have been burned down to the ground
By the evil Hamas
I’m fighting for the hostages
Who have been ripped away
From life as they knew it
Who are now locked away
With no sense of time
Each minute ticking by
Like a year
And are now cold
Hungry
Yearning
For even a glimpse of their families
I’m fighting for the soldiers
Who are fighting for me on the battlefield
Willingly risking their lives
Every moment of the day
I’m fighting for the families
Who have had to say goodbye
To fathers and brothers
Sisters and mothers
I’m fighting for the injured
I’m fighting for the dead
I’m fighting for the families
Who have had to have that news broken to them
That they no longer have their beloved family member
I’m fighting for my nation
Which is being ripped apart
Piece by piece
By the other people of the world
But most of all
I’m fighting for Mashiach
Through my prayers
And I know that even if it might take a while
The day will finally come
The day in which we are taken home
These are Rivka’s poignant words. I share them with you because there are too many of our children today who live uninspired, passionless, and indifferent. I’m not even speaking about the catastrophe happening on our college campuses today, where our youth have been educated to despise Israel and Jews. These are the future judges, reporters, doctors, lawyers, and political leaders of the United States of America. They shout, cheer, and chant mindlessly for the extinction of our people. They destroy buildings, shatter glass, and gleefully rip up their college degrees lacking thought and wisdom.
I am thinking about our children, the next generation of Klal Yisrael. They need to plug into their roots, gather their inner strength and stand proud to be Jews. When pushed against the wall how many would be able to respond to those who falsely accuse us of genocide, apartheid, and stealing our land and Jerusalem? How many feel their pintelah Yid on fire within? If you would ask them ‘what would you fight for,’ what would they respond?
Would they speak about the latest gadgets, phones, designer jackets, fame and fortune? Or would they understand that we have never gone through the devastation and suffering we are now battling since the days of the holocaust? My mother would say it over and over again, the last years of her life, “The world is on fire and we are sleeping.”
We must wake up the next generation. Dear friends, teach your children well. Introduce them to the courage, the faith, and the resilience of our people. Make the Torah come alive. Bring Shabbos into your home with joy. Be kind even if you do not feel like it. Cry for the pain of another. Eretz Yisrael and Am Yisrael are counting on you. Your children are the secret to the survival of our nation.
