Let’s Join Together in a Prayer of Thanksgiving!
The events that we witnessed early this morning are nothing short of a miracle. Gilad Shalit, kidnapped on June 2006 by Hamas Terrorists who infiltrated Israel, is now back home with his family. I call the events miraculous because no other People in the world would be willing to pay such a tremendous price for the release and return of one of its children. This past Saturday Morning, during services I spoke extensively on this subject (you can listen by clicking here!) and I am convinced that one of the most important characteristics that we possess as a People is the tremendous reverence that we have for life!
Lost in the tremendously emotionally charged moments that we experienced in the past hours is the little known fact that over the last sixty three years of its young history, Israel has freed 13,509 prisoners in order to win the release of a total of 16 soldiers. An average of well over 800 for each one. Seeing Gilad Shalit walk out of that hell, seeing him smile and embrace his parents is worth EVERYTHING… It says it all. We can’t allow the number of terrorists that we hold in jail dictate the nature of the destiny of our people!
Gilad Shalit’s safe return does not make The World or Israel more or less dangerous but it certainly makes The World more human and Israel even more relevant. Why? We just showed the entire world, including the enemies around us that we are indeed different! The story is not about the terrorists, the story is not about vicious criminals being set free. The story is about not letting hate and vengeance take the best within us. The story is about the optimism, vision and love for life of The Jewish People.
Join me in reciting this beautiful prayer (below) composed by The Masorti (Conservative) Movement in Israel on the occasion of the release of Gilad Shalit. This Simchat Torah we will be thanking God for the safe return of one of our children to the midst of his family and his people. We will be thanking God for the opportunity granted to him and to us, to begin again…
Let our voices join together as we let the world know that for us, as Jews, life is the most important thing we have, it is a gift from God and we don’t ever take it for granted.
Wishing everyone a meaningful end of Sukkot. Moadim L’Simchah;
Rabbi Felipe Goodman
