By Judy Lash Balint
JERUSALEM — The funerals in Jerusalem on Wednesday for the four latest Jewish victims of Muslim terror were heart-wrenching. The unbridled pain of Miriam Monsonego’s brother; the wailing of the friends and relatives and the sobbing eulogy of Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shlomo Amar were hard to take, but tragically, not a unique occurrence in this country.
Little more than a year ago, thousands of mourners gathered to take their leave of the Fogel family from Itamar, parents and children, likewise slaughtered in cold blood by Arab terrorists. No, those who in their stunned grief call for French Jews to make aliya, cannot bear to acknowledge that Jewish children in Israel are murdered here too, just because of who they are. Yes, we live in a sovereign Jewish state with a strong army to protect us, but they’re no match for those whose will is to kill Jews wherever they may be found.
In the face of such dark evil, however, there is light and hope from ordinary Israelis who have created extraordinarily effective frameworks to help those affected by terror and illness to go on.
Whether it’s the One Family Fund and the Koby Mandell Foundation that provide amazing emotional and physical support to those affected by terror, or l’havdil, the Tishkofet-Maagan initiative that exists to stand by those stricken with life-threatening illness and their families, or one of the many uplifting projects created in the memory of fallen soldiers, such as the Bayit Shel Benji, they all speak volumes about the strength and fortitude of Israeli society and the life-affirming values that unite us as a people.
The memory of Rav Yonatan Sendler, Gabriel and Aryeh and Miriam Monsonego will be a blessing.
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Balint is a freelnce writer based in Jerusalem. She may be contacted at judy.balint@sdjewishworld.com