Iran's Attack on Israel
April 14
Dear Friends,
Since October 7, Jews around the world, and we at Mishkon, have taken to singing verses from the liturgy Acheinu kol beit Yisrael ha’netunim b’tzarah u’v’shivyah ha’omdim bein bayam u’vein bayabasha/To our brothers and sisters, all the House of Israel, those ensnared in trouble or held captive, whether at sea or on land … . The liturgy continues, imploring God’s intervention to bring the afflicted out of darkness, out from their anxiety and trauma and into the warmth of light and freedom. The soulful melody of Abie Rotenberg has helped turn this somewhat-obscure piece of liturgy into a unifying anthem of solidarity and prayer for solace.
Tonight, as Shabbat ended, I heard of Iran’s attack on Israel, a retaliation for Israel’s attack on an Iranian embassy in Syria. Hundreds of drones and missiles rained down on many parts of Israel but were nearly entirely thwarted by Israel’s defense systems and by American naval interceptions. So far, there are no fatalities and little damage in Israel. Thank God.
I know that many are on edge and worrying about where this will lead. Our feeling of vulnerability has been accentuated not only by the Hamas attacks of October 7 but also by strong feelings of abandonment. Most Jews alive today have no personal memory of these feelings of isolation and shattered trust. But our history and even our liturgy is shockingly aware of it. Painfully, this is not new.
But I am convinced that, despite the eruptions of anti-Semitic hatred and the makings of global conflict, the State of Israel and the Jewish people are strong and will be OK. We will come through this, and our future will be safe and secure.
The attack was announced by Iran as a retaliation for Israel’s strike — a response to months and years of Israel contending with Iran’s proxies of Hamas and Hezbollah. Pundits in Israel and elsewhere have understood that Iran had no choice but to make a big show of retaliation. But, they continue, Iran is not interested in an all-out war with Israel, let alone with the United States. As unsuccessful as this attack was, I get the feeling it was just serious enough for them to save face and to show their Islamist allies they are still a regional power to reckon with.
There are some very old festering hatreds and challenges, but there are also fresh opportunities for stability in the region as additional Arab states are realizing they have more to gain from an alliance with Israel than from holding on to old conflicts. Let us pray that these trends continue and succeed in being God’s agent in delivering us the safety and security we so desperately desire.
In just over a week, it will be Passover, when we recount being taken out from the narrows of oppression in Egypt and brought into the light of freedom and redemption. I can think of no better blessing for us to contemplate than the conclusion of “Acheinu,” Hamakom yerahem aliehem v’yotziem me’afela l’orah/May God have mercy on themand bring them out from trouble to tranquility, from darkness to light, from subjugation to redemption. May God bring the hostages home, and may we once again feel trust, security, and brotherhood among our neighbors and the international community.
--Rabbi Katzan
