Last week one day after Independence Day I stood together with thousands of Jews, brothers and sisters of the Jewish nation at the big demonstration, on behalf of the right-wing parties. I didn’t feel like it was a demonstration since it felt more like a gathering of thousands of Jews in unity, love and togetherness wishing to praise G-d, rather than a hateful demonstration.
Many years ago I lived In the Gaza Strip, in Gush Katif. I had just gotten married and started my beautiful life in Kfar Darom. I was so young and so very idealistic. Soon I had three little children, and was living the Jewish dream. Back in those days in the late nineties we were settling the land and holding on to the Gaza Strip with true pride. We were growing and flourishing. From time to time all the settlers would drive up to Jerusalem and protest by the Knesset, and request more aid for the settlements to keep flourishing and developing. The air was filled with growth and energy to build the holy land and so much love and idealism. There wasn’t hate in the air, and it wasn’t one side against the other. It was just many Jews coming together and wanting more for the Jewish people and the Jewish land, more good.
Today I live in Jerusalem, quite close to the center of town where most of the demonstrations on both sides have been going on for the last couple of months. The demonstrations from the left-wing, have been challenging. The air was filled with tension and anxiety and hate. Last week’s demonstration reminded me of the good old days when we lived in Gush Katif. If felt as though we all came together; families, children, babies, just to praise Hashem and His chosen land. It was so beautiful. It was a sight to be seen and felt like no other. It was as though I was back in Gush Katif with my beautiful and beloved growing family settling the land and making everything grow. The streets were filled once again with all types of Jews from all walks of life. There was love, there was togetherness there was a desire to build and create something great. The speakers and the rabbis who spoke, mentioned G-d’s name many times. We all screamed Shema Israel Hashem is one altogether. We prayed together, we thanked Hashem for bringing us to this point and asked Hashem to help us further for the entire Jewish nation. Another beautiful sight were the flags. No matter where you were standing everyone was waving the Israeli flag with the Star of David in the middle. We are all brothers and sisters.
These are trying times that we are living through. On the one hand there is so much greatness in the world and so much knowledge. We are living in a Jewish homeland with so much good in it. This government has the majority of the right wing and it is just a sign that the full redemption we’re all waiting for is so close. The time when the 3rd Temple will be build is closer than ever. The time that Hashem will dwell amongst His people is almost here. G-d in His infinite wisdom does things in a gradual manner so that the people can adjust and all of the nation will be able to rejoice in Hashem’s glory. Obviously we want to accept Hashem and all his laws immediately. However there is still a percentage of Jewish souls, brothers and sisters all over the world, and in Israel who still have not come close to Hashem. Therefore Hashem has mercy on these children of His and is waiting for them as well, and does not bring the full redemption to the world yet. G-d doesn’t want to lose any Jewish souls along the way. Therefore some things are done in a gradual manner and He tries to ignite the Jewish souls from within from different events that go on in the world. In this way their souls may be lit up as well. Everyone will want to join the redemption wagon as well. I was standing there with the thousands of Jews that came to express a desire for the change within the government. I felt a closeness to everyone, when we stood there and said Shema Israel! Everybody’s body shook – I felt as though we were on the bottom of Mount Sinai. We are seeing the true redemption unfold right in front of our eyes. I am sure that many people who attended felt the experience and touched their hearts and souls and sparked their desire for the true redemption.
May we merit the full redemption in mercy and with togetherness with all our brothers and sisters not only in Israel but in the whole world as well. May the time come when all our brothers and sisters come home to the chosen land, not only physically but spiritually and mentally as well. Amen.
