By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal
SAN DIEGO — “If indeed an Arab youth has been murdered for nationalistic motives, this is a horrifying, shocking act. There is no difference in blood. Murder is murder, whatever one’s nationality or age. There is no justification, no forgiveness and no atonement for any murder whatsoever.”
These are not the words of some left-wing liberal Peace Now-nik. Rather they are the public statement of Yishai Frenkel, uncle of murdered Israeli teenager Naftali Frenkel, speaking in the name of his family.
While I was saddened and angered that three young Jewish Yeshiva students were kidnapped and murdered by Palestinian terrorists, I was shocked and horrified by the allegation that an innocent Palestinian boy was kidnapped and murdered by Jews in revenge. While I understand how some Palestinians rationalize and celebrate the atrocity of the murder of three Israeli youths (though I find their logic warped and unconscionable), I don’t understand how Jews, especially religious Jews, can justify the murder of innocent Arabs.
According to the L.A. Times (July 3, 2014), “A Facebook page demanding revenge for the three Israeli teens attracted a following of tens of thousands in recent days, as well as an outpouring of hatred and vitriol against Arabs.”
The secretary general of World Bnei Akiva, the Orthodox Zionist youth movement, Rabbi Noam Perel, posted on Facebook: “An entire nation and thousands of years of history demand revenge. The government of Israel is gathering for a revenge meeting that isn’t a grief meeting. The landlord has gone mad at the sight of his sons’ bodies. A government that turns the army of searchers to an army of avengers, an army that will not stop at 300 Philistine foreskins.” (The latter refers to King David, who killed 200 Philistines and presented their foreskins to King Saul.) The disgrace will be paid for with the blood of the enemy, not with our tears.”
After many Bnei Akiva members condemned his words, Rabbi Perel removed them, claiming that he had been “misunderstood.”
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Shabbat services on Saturday, July 5, at Tifereth Israel Synagogue in San Diego will include memorial prayers for the murdered Israeli teenagers. The Conservative congregation will hold an open forum following the service to discuss the increasing circle of violence between Israelis and Palestinians, as well as recent events in the Middle East that have repercussions for Israel.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
It is one thing for the government of Israel to attack Hamas strongholds in order to protect its citizens. It is quite another for Israelis to take the law into their own hands.
The State of Israel and Jews the world over must condemn the kidnapping and murder of the three Israeli Yeshiva students. But we most also condemn violence against innocent Palestinians, so called “Price Tag” acts of vengeance, calls for the death of Arabs, and unlawful and illegal acts by Jews, as well as Palestinians. Hatred breeds hatred and violence breeds violence.
In this week’s parasha, the prophet Bilaam is paid to curse Israel, but blesses Israel instead. The leaders of Israel and the Palestinians must find a way to stop the ever-increasing spiral of violence, and to turn the curse of murdered children into a blessing.
*
Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal is spiritual leader of Tifereth Israel Synagogue in San Diego. He may be contacted via leonard.rosenthal@sdjewishworld.com