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Leon Tamar Rabbi Aminadav
Gamaroff Krieger Grossman

rior to October 7, from my home in Aus- he war began right as we were introducing really shouldn’t complain, so many
tralia, I witnessed a battle between two a new foundation to improve education others have it worse.” I’ve heard
opposing camps in Israel, centered on in Israel. Rather quickly, it was I who got a this sentiment repeatedly in the
proposed changes to the judicial system lesson in education. I learned about Israe- last few months alongside any
Psurrounding the Supreme Court of Israel. Tlis’ resilience, our people’s deep-rooted “I admission of suffering or trauma.
As a Jew living in chutz la’aretz, I was deeply commitment to each other, and our society’s My wife Rachel often speaks of army wives
saddened by the mass protests and hatred extraordinary resilience. My mind-frame shifted who inevitably end conversations about their
expressed through words and deeds. “Far right” from what support can we provide Israel to the challenges by saying things like “...but I really
or “far left,” “secular” or “religious,” “demo- understanding that in so many ways, Israel can’t complain, my husband is able to come
cratic” or “anti-democratic” – the words used already has what it needs; the people of Israel home.” Or another who hasn’t heard from her
throughout that time emphasized differences are its great strength and that the world needs husband stationed on the Lebanon border in
and opposition. Israel more than Israel needs the world. weeks, “I can’t complain, at least my husband
On October 7, Hamas terrorists invaded Israel As an olah, the last few months have made isn’t in Gaza.” And from the woman whose hus-
and massacred, tortured and kidnapped over me feel more Israeli than ever before. I feel part band is in Gaza, “I can’t complain, he’s alive and
1,200 Jews. They didn’t distinguish between us of something so much larger than myself. I well.” Even the woman whose husband in miluim
– whether a Jew was left-wing or right-wing, for feel safer here under the threat of rockets than tragically died from his wounds said at shiva
or against a two-state solution, or secular or I do outside of Israel, where overt and latent when we visited, “I can’t complain, at least I got
religious. They simply massacred Jews or anyone antisemitism are constantly lurking. Here my to part from him in the hospital.”
associated with Jews – just as the Nazis did. enemy is clear, but in the United States and Mi k’amcha Yisrael… The suffering is real and
Europe it is often hiding just beneath a polite
The lesson is clear. Jews focus far too much it’s important to validate the range of emotional
on our differences, and not nearly enough on veneer. responses. But so is hakarat hatov. The dual per-
what we have in common and what binds us Although I miss my friends and family, I now spective of deeply feeling our loss and looking
together as a nation. We must all do our absolute realize that I am a part of a family of about 10 for blessings – not silver linings – lends meaning
best to change this and emphasize what unifies million Israelis. I am deeply touched by their acts to our lives.
us – not what divides us. of kindness, love, strength, and communal sup- Chazal point out that Leah was the first to
port, as well as the spirituality of the people. We express hoda’a (gratitude) when she named
are all expressing our innate potential under fire: Yehuda, perhaps precisely because of the back-
Israel is strong because its people are committed drop of her feeling distanced from Ya’akov, evi-
to their nation and to each other. denced by the names of her previous children.
True gratitude is only possible when we feel the
pain in our lives, which highlights the blessings
of daily life. This coexistence of suffering and
gratitude is the Torah’s path to resilience.

Rabbi Aminadav Grossman is the Rav of Beit
Tamar Krieger is the Executive Director of the Knesset Carmei Zion in Carmei Gat and the mental
Tzemach David Foundation and is an international health professional for overseas students at Yeshi-
Leon Gamaroff is a management consultant in educational consultant, curriculum designer, and vat Har Etzion. He is an alumnus of Mizrachi’s Shal-
Australia, and is currently in Israel as a volunteer leadership trainer. Originally from the Philadelphia hevet and Musmachim programs, and serves as a
during the war. area, she now resides in Jerusalem. reservist at the Shura base of the army rabbinate.

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