I know it’s the third week in a row I’m discussing the situation in Israel and anti-Semitism worldwide, yet I will continue to discuss this until the war is over and all people are out of harm’s way. Additionally, I want to help others be aware of what is really going on, so they’re less likely to turn a blind eye.

First, I want to address a question that has really been bothering me and I’m baffled by, yet I don’t have any answers.

The innocent Palestinian people who are dying is absolutely breaking my heart, and the fact that many people must die to create safety is baffling, yet I wish there was an alternative. If there is one, please suggest it, because I’m out of ideas.

Hamas needs to be eradicated in order for anyone in the region to be safe. This includes Jews and Palestinians, alike. This isn’t an us against them—this is Israel against Hamas, and all the other terrorist organizations in the region.

The problem is, Hamas puts their headquarters underneath hospitals, hides hostages in civilian areas, and uses innocent people as human shields.

We are commanded to have mercy, to be kind, and to offer grace, yet we are also commanded that if someone is coming to kill you, kill them first.

I’m sitting with these emotions: empathy, sadness, and pain for the innocent lives lost, and anger and passion to eradicate the enemy.

On another front, we have kids on college campuses tearing down posters of the kidnapped, pledging death to Jews, and I don’t believe we are doing enough about it. I’m not sure what to do, I just know it must be stopped.

The population I’m most baffled by are those who continue to see Israel as an apartheid state, that don’t have inherent hate for the Jews, and that believe what happened on October 7th is fake news; these people are so confused, and can’t imagine how evil like this exists

My question is, how do we educate them? How do we teach people to maintain their desire to take care of the less fortunate, without it meaning they have to condemn people for defending themselves?

War sucks. It really does. Accepting that evil exists is hard and painful, yet these are both realities, and we must protect people from mass destruction and from genocide, no matter what or how.

On an individual basis, I want to suggest we offer to others what Nelson Mandela offered to the guards in the jail who were sent to beat him. Every day, he would tell the guards that he understood they didn’t want to harm him—rather, they were being forced to as part of their job; he met them with kindness, and eventually none of them were able to beat him.

I’m not suggesting we allow ourselves to be beaten. I’m suggesting that we must do what we need to do to protect ourselves, and not be proud nor happy about the destruction. We must always do our best to meet people with kindness.

This week, let’s not revel in the destruction of our enemies. Let’s remember that it’s an unfortunate reality, and we must have empathy for all who are suffering.

Accountability, Community, Unconditional Love

Asher

Image

I want to remind all of you that you can hear more on my podcast, Showing Up. We have lots of amazing shows with interesting guests on a variety of personal development topics. It would be great if you could also rate 5 stars, review and subscribe to the show. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/showing-up-with-asher-gottesman/id1489856285y

Posted in Thought of the Week