It seems natural that the release of hostages from Gaza would engender jubilation in Israel. Yet, it doesn’t seem like the right response. Of course, there is relief … for some. Too many are still in captivity. Many of those returned from the tunnels no longer have a house, perhaps no home, no family, no sense of security to welcome them back.

That some have been freed is no cause for celebration; the world should be clamoring for the immediate release of all those being held! The world is too quiet about them.

You can almost hear their captors’ calculating “How many of our own, or how much more popular support, can we get — and how much more time can we buy — for another ten of theirs, then another ten, and another ten…?”

Meanwhile, the people who perhaps knew better than to expect governance from Hamas are suffering immensely. In yesterday’s New York Times, six (!) journalists wrote about how Israel has bombed Gaza “back to the Stone Age.” Heart-rending story after anguished anecdote; there’s no reason to disbelieve it.

Yet, despite all the shouting about proportional response, there is not a breath, not a whisper, about Hamas’ responsibility to ease the suffering of Gazans with its stockpiled fuel, water, and food. Nor is there a word about Hamas having the power to end Israel’s justified assault. Not a glimpse, not a mention of protestors demanding anything of Hamas. Israel is demonized; terrorists are lionized.

Our daughter the reservist has been granted a leave, so we will soon get to hug her at the airport and take her to her niece’s bat mitzvah in a few weeks. How eager are we?

I hope I’m correct in reading her permission to travel as a sign that another war front is not likely to open soon. She expects to resume reserve duty when she returns to Israel. We appreciate that it will be hard for her to be away from her unit and home. And we will be thankful for every minute we’ll have with her.

(PS: this morning, the Times phone app shows a video of a tour bus carrying returned hostages. As the video tracks the vehicle, one word — הַמְאוּחֶדֶת — of the tour company name on the bus stands out; me’u’chedet מְאוּחֶדֶת means “united.”)

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Many private initiatives are sending supplies of all types to Israel, for the soldiers and for the many Israelis temporarily relocated from hot spots. Shirat Hayam is participating in one — check the e-tone or see below! Please send me details about others you know of and I will include them in a subsequent “About Israel.”

am yisrael chai ! עם ישראל חי

Rabbi Jonathan Kremer

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Where can we give money to help? (click on the bold name of the organization)

Federation: Contribute through our local federation; national federation (JFNA) will consolidate gifts designated for Israel Response and direct the funds appropriately.

JNF – Israel Resilience Fund

FIDV–Beit Halochem: In the United States, FIDV–Beit Halochem, a not-for-profit, tax exempt [501(c)(3)], organization is the only authorized institution whose purpose is to facilitate the rehabilitation of disabled Israeli veterans at state-of-the-art Beit Halochem centers in Israel, which for many become a kind of second home.

Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba

Magen David Adom

Dror Israel

Friends of the IDF

JDC (Joint Distribution Committee)

Israelgives

Shields of Steel

BRING YOUR IDF DONATIONS TO SHIRAT HAYAM BY DECEMBER 9!