Our Boys, Our Brothers, Our Hope

Tags: Living Israel, Terror

Sitting in my office, answering emails, working on the future and fundraising. Yet, my mind is occupied, like almost everyone else, with hope and prayer that Gilad Sha'ar, Eyal Yifrach and Naftali Frankel are returned home today - alive and well. In the midst of the search overnight, a barrage of terrorist rockets was launched at the South and shots were fired at a vehicle on the Tunnel Road. Life goes on here but there are questions weighing heavily on the minds of almost all of us. Loren Sykes

Israel is very familiar with demonstrations of mass unity and solidarity. In times of crisis, this highly fractured nation has an uncanny ability to look beyond its divided neighborhoods, its tensions and its innumerable segmentation of race and origin, and actually unite as one people. Debra Kamin

In Israel everyone knows someone who knows someone. The "six degrees of separation" concept is much narrower in a small country where many people have common experiences. When one person's son is kidnapped, everybody feels it. We in the U.S. feel it, too. Ilene Schneider

So what do you do when you take the stage after a horrible news day? Well, in this country, you bring it up, you acknowledge the pain, and then you move on and laugh. What else can we do? Yes, it is worth it being a part of this special place. It is always worth it. May G-d and the IDF bring these boys home soon. Benji Lovitt, The Joy and Pain of Loving Israel

So we scratch our heads and ask why, but there's never an answer. Living here in a heterogeneous and often fractious society, and feeling that all the more so within the different factions of the religious camps, I’m amazed at what I see happening. No handing out of candy, no calls for revenge kidnappings or worse (well, very few at least), but prayer. 

Organised, not so organised, but all centred around the same canon of tefillot and tehillim. This kind of kipa standing next to that kind of kipa, women and men, religious, traditional and not so traditional. 

The army has named the operation to return the boys “Shuvu Achim” – return of (our) brothers. And somewhere inside of me I feel that this tragic situation has been brought upon us as a kind of Tikkun Olam – to remind us that no matter what our differences are we are all brothers (and sisters), and that if we are divided we are easily defeated. 

So maybe that’s why. May they come home safely and speedily. Boaz Fletcher

Has the world we live in become so blinded by ideological and political divisiveness that it is too much to expect that no matter what side of any political spectrum you fall out on, the grabbing of three kids under the age of 20 who were on their way home to their families for the weekend can be anything but horrific, tragic and unconscionable?! Where are you justice of the world? Where are you lovers of life, liberty and freedom? Doni Kandel, The Silence is Deafening

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, מַתִּיר אֲסוּרִים.

Maybe some people just can't imagine how deep this feels and hurts...and the implications and ramifications of what soon can happen...again...between all of our peoples here in the middle east..but the temperature is rising again and I fear is about to boil over once more... Mark Lazar

Thinking of my friends still serving in the IDF who have been working tirelessly to bring back the three boys kidnapped by Hamas, and praying for their swift success. If anyone can do it, they can. Abby Chernick

Tehilim 126 תהלים

Return, O Lord, our captivity like rivulets in arid land. Those who sow with tears will reap with song.

שׁוּבָה יְהֹוָה אֶת שְׁבִיתֵנוּ כַּאֲפִיקִים . הַזֹּרְעִים בְּדִמְעָה בְּרִנָּה יִקְצֹרוּ:

It is vital that we internalize the fact that the War of Independence is not over. Our neighbors near and far are not willing to accept Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people. They will continue to make every effort to tire us out from living in our homeland, with the hope that we will move to Berlin, Brussels or Toulouse.

In light of these circumstances, we must make clear to our many enemies and our few friends that we have no intention of getting tired and giving up. For 2,000 years, we prayed to return to Jerusalem. We never stopped hoping, and ultimately, at the big moment, we did return. We must let everyone know that we are determined to continue to fight bravely, for another 2,000 years, for our basic right to live in our homeland. The only way for the days of waiting for peace to be shortened would be for the Palestinians to become convinced, beyond any reasonable doubt, that the Jews are prepared to live by the sword and draw it from the sheath whenever necessary. Haim Shine

The Land of Israel is our home, where we stand our ground and stop running, both as individual Jews and as a people. Here and now is where we choose not to live in fear. Dave Bender

In the face of negativity, we can can all do something positive. Let's take on one new positive act/mitzvah, and inspire our friends to do the same to merit the safe return of Eyal, Gilad, and Naftali. Matisyahu

Operation Shuvu Achim – Have no doubt, for our children, we will fight. We will bring them home. We did not rebuild our ancient homeland to allow our children to be kidnapped and murdered here. This is Israel, our land, and we will protect our children. Paula Stern, A Request to all Citizens of the World

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Great rabbinic leaders, Jewish activists, high school students, and Israeli soldiers all gathered together, raising their voices in unison to advocate on behalf of fellow Jews…simply because they are fellow Jews. 

We must continue to gather together in locations across the globe to demand the release of our children and protest the silence of our elected officials – unrelenting, unyielding – until Gil-Ad, Eyal, and Naftli return home safely.  
Nachum Segal, Don’t just hashtag, join a rally

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS, SHARE YOUR SUPPORT. TOGETHER, WE FIND STRENGTH IN OUR CONNECTION TO ISRAEL AND HER PEOPLE.

If (G-d forbid) it was one of your children, imagine the strength you would get from seeing people and communities that you have never known, all standing together, united in hope and prayer for your sons safe and speedy return. Sussex Friends of Israel.

What It Feels Like From Here

Tribute Song: Bring Our Boys Back