We mourn those murdered in Israel. And we in NJ stand in solidarity

Elizabeth Halverstam, Joan Ornstein and Paula Star
·4 min read

We are only starting to mourn the now at least 1,000 murdered and pray for the 150 hostages and over 2,000 injured in the horrific and unprecedented attack on our brothers and sisters in Israel, the worst humanitarian attack in Israel’s history. This week, we have witnessed the most savage and brutal scenes since the Holocaust atrocities, and as attacks are still ongoing, we need to know how to understand the situation, which is grounded in, feeds on and grows in the soil of anti-Semitism. The murder of civilians, the kidnapping and torture of women, children and the elderly; this incredible and unspeakable brutality is nothing less than a pogrom in its most historic sense.

An estimated 3,000 people came to the Kaplen Jewish Community Center on the Palisades, in Tenafly, to take part in a rally for Israel, Tuesday, October 10, 2023.
An estimated 3,000 people came to the Kaplen Jewish Community Center on the Palisades, in Tenafly, to take part in a rally for Israel, Tuesday, October 10, 2023.

This war is the result of the growing demonization of Israelis and Jews, of defining Zionism as an evil and of dignifying terrorism as legitimate resistance. As Jonathan Greenblatt, head of the Anti-Defamation League stated, this war is not about a two-state solution, or a peaceful resolution of a conflict, but only about anti-Semitism, about murdering Jews.

Why is this the case?

  • First, this assault has nothing to do with a gut response to “occupation.” Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, and in fact at least 17,000 Gazans cross the border every day to work in Israel. There should be no mistake that this was a well-engineered, well-financed terrorist action supported by enemies of Israel outside of the Middle East, who have only one interest, the destruction of Jews. There should also be no mistake that Gazans are being held hostage as human shields as surely as any kidnapped Israelis. There is little patriotism among Gaza’s citizens. Every year at least 250-300 thousand Gazans who can scrape up the means emigrate out of Gaza.

  • Second, this attack has nothing to do with a two state solution. Recent ongoing negotiations toward a hoped for peace with Saudi Arabia included concessions to the Palestinians, removal of unauthorized settlements and potential stability in the Middle East. In fact, Hamas blatantly made clear at the beginning of its incursion that this was a warning to anyone in or outside of the Middle East, NOT to make peace with Saudi Arabia. The aim of this war is only the destruction of the Jewish State.

  • Third, this is not a war over land that will end in a negotiated peace, because the other side does not want peace. Those states, Jordan, Egypt, others, who wanted peace and land borders,  have made peace. This enemy, Hamas, Hezbollah, do not want land. This is a war over emotions and an existential belief neither Israel nor Jews have a right to exist on any land, in any circumstance and in any place on this earth. 

  • Lastly, this is not a political war. Not one IDF soldier or reservist has refused duty for this war, including former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, an opposition leader, who reported for reserve duty on Saturday. The opposition parties led by former Prime Minister Yair Lapid have offered to take part in an emergency Unity Government and Netanyahu has accepted the offer and called for its immediate implementation. This also happened at the outbreak of the Yom Kippur war and like the Yom Kippur war, this war will be fought by the generals, not the politicians, and when it is over, and when Israel prevails, which it will, the mistakes will be assessed as they were 50 years ago, and will most likely change the face of the current government. 

In the face of the known facts of the Hamas savage slaughter of civilians, there are already those out in force advocating for the terrorists and demanding Israel cease its retaliatory operations.

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How can we help support Israel?

So how can we help? We can stay educated, and educate others, we can stay abreast of the situation, we can give to the many emergency funds already established, we can pray if we are so inclined, and we can stand firm with all of our National Council of Jewish Women Sections across the country in support of Israel, and in the hope for peace, as so eloquently stated by our national President, Sheila Katz — “NCJW unequivocally condemns this violence from Hamas and urgently calls for a peaceful resolution, allowing Israelis, Palestinians, and all in the region to live in safety.”

We can most importantly remember, believe in, and convey the message of the statement made exactly 50 years ago by Golda Meir: “Israel will prevail because Israel must prevail; Ein Breira (no choice), there is no other option.”

Elizabeth Halverstam, Joan Ornstein and Paula Star are co-presidents of the National Council of Jewish Women Bergen County Section.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Israel war: NJ mourns the murdered and stands in solidarity