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Rabbi Dr. Jerold Isenberg

A PARADIGM OF UNITY

n the midst of the 2014 Gaza war, Israel, but “family” transcends biol- mitzvah observance and good deeds.
there was a special funeral. As ogy. Max personified love and chesed But we also need something else: to
Iexpected, it was sad, an honor to with his helpful disposition. And he express hakarat hatov (gratitude) for
a life cut short and a measure of com- was resolute. With his poor Hebrew the soldiers who demonstrate the
fort to the mourners. Unexpectedly, language background, he was not highest form of gemilut chasadim
it was a perceivable demonstration of accepted into the Golani Brigade at (benevolence) every day. Putting their
extreme unity. first. Instead of settling for a different lives on the line to protect someone
assignment, he went back to the US, else’s life. 1
My wife and I joined an estimated improved his Hebrew skills and reap-
30,000 others on Mt. Herzl to pay plied. His grit and determination paid Precisely what Max Steinberg did.
final respects to Max Steinberg, a off, and moreover, eventually earned
young man from California, who him the highest marks in his training His family, friends and officers all
two years earlier had participated in and the utmost respect of his com- spoke of his smile and modesty. His
Taglit-Birthright. It opened his Jewish rades and officers. joy of life and his strength of charac-
eyes, convincing him that Israel was ter. But mostly they told of his com-
his true home and inspiring him to He was killed in action in Gaza. mitment to Israel. A dedication born
join the IDF. of his conviction that for a Jew, Israel
Max’s parents, whose very first visit to
Max was laid to rest on that hot Israel was to bury their son, said they was home, and for him, protecting
Wednesday morning. had no regrets. Max’s entire life had that home was life’s highest purpose.
been a blessing. They found solace Throughout the funeral, red alert
The light rail to the military ceme- and comfort in his heroism and ded-
tery on Mt. Herzl was an experience; ication to his new connection to his alarms on smartphones were indicat-
huge crowds in confined spaces. At ing Gazan rockets targeting the south.
every station hundreds watched over- roots and his people. As Max’s father This underscored the significance of
and brother said Kaddish, the “Amen
stuffed train cars pass them by. The Y'hei Shmei Raba…” of thousands of what Max had died trying to accom-
throng swarmed over every walkway plish. The unfinished mission, the
and climbed onto rocks and retain- co-mourners filled the mountaintop objective still to be attained.
in a tangible manifestation of achdut
ing walls. The mountain top seemed
incongruously alive. (unity). Dati-leumi, charedi, chiloni, Not in his death, but in his life, Max
native and tourist, soldier and office Steinberg taught us about the oneness
Suddenly, I was struck by the moment. worker, student, professional, babe- of Klal Yisrael. A young man, neither
All that had happened in the previous in-arms, elder with cane and every- dati nor chiloni. Just a young Jewish
weeks: kidnappings, murders, rockets, one in between – all backgrounds, man. He felt the connection to Israel,
ground action, terror tunnels, sacri- all uniforms, all flavors of Jews came to his roots, to his people; to their rich
fices our brave soldiers had made, all together for 90 minutes to share the history and their magnificent destiny,
came together. The quiet in the air grief. As the chazzan’s booming voice and he answered their call for help.
was broken by an announcement – recited the tefillot, it was chilling in Max reached across the ocean and tied
what to do if the air raid siren went its pureness and its timeless connec- his California family together with his
off during the funeral. As if the mul- tion to Yahadut, a unifying encounter newfound family in Israel. We all need
titude could somehow find shelter. It that bound all of us together on that to emulate that achdut.
reminded me of the “duck and cover” mountain.
drills during the Cold War. Duck,
cover and pray, was the message. In these days around Tisha B’Av, when
Thank G-d we heard no sirens that we mourn the churban, shedding tears 1 As explained by Rav Aharon Lichtenstein.
morning. for the past, and expressing prayers for Rabbi Dr. Jerold Isenberg is Chancellor
the future – for the rebuilding of the Emeritus of Hebrew Theological College and
Max was a chayal boded – a lone sol- Beit HaMikdash – we need to pray Executive Director of Mizrachi – Religious
dier. He had no blood relatives in better, learn more, and increase our Zionists of Chicago

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