A Trip to the Northern Negev Desert and the Nova Festival Site - Rabbi Hillel Gold

King Solomon states at the beginning of the Book of Ecclesiastes, “what is crooked will not be able to be straightened, and what is missing will not be able to be counted.”  As many of you know, I made my permanent move to Israel exactly 3 years ago, at the beginning of 2023.   Little did I, or most anyone else, fathom what would occur eight months after my arrival: the massacre of Simchat Torah 5783 on October 7.   But despite it being nearly 2 ½ years since that devastating day, and despite my hearing others speak, or reading of others recount their visits, I had personally never ventured down south to “The Otef”, the Gaza envelope, nor seen the site of the Nova festival where hundreds were massacred on that dreadful day.

As I have lived my day to day life over these past 30 months, for the most part, life has gone on as normal, once the shock of October 7 began to fade.   Certainly there were various disruptions, and there were family members called up to serve in “miluim,” Army reserve, and the angst and worry that goes along with that.  But daily life on the street on the surface returned to normal.   Pictures of the hostages were posted and signs imploring “bring the hostages home now” adorned buildings and street corners.  But still there was a strange sense of normalcy, certainly here in Jerusalem, which I leave VERY infrequently.

But then I made my visit this week to the heart of the disaster, and like a tune that one might get in one’s head and not be able to stop the tune, this verse from Ecclesiastes punctuated my thoughts and I just could not shake it.   The Gaza envelope, prior to October 7, was in many ways a serene spot.   Certainly, there were many security precautions, but the residents of that part of the country lived their daily lives as close to normal as they could.   In fact, I saw that personally when I made a trip to that same area just a week or so after my 2023 arrival.   But this trip was different.  It first hit me when our tour bus made a stop at a gas station/mall in the area.  If there was one picture of a murdered Israeli, there were hundreds.  Thus, seeing the pictures of the murdered innocents and other pictures of soldiers who fell in battle protecting – or trying to protect – their fellow citizens, left me with the impression that no matter how much time will pass, what was made so crooked on October 7 will indeed never be straightened.  The pain in the area of the Otef seems not to have dissipated. That pain is carried forward day after painful day. As one sees the pictures and reads about the lives of the many murdered on that horrible day, whether at the Nova Festival Site, or at the kibbutzim that were invaded, we will never be able to count all the contributions, advancements, and additions these Kedoshim, these holy souls, would have made to Israel and to world society; and so, it will be impossible to count what they can no longer contribute.

As my trip continued, I thought about the time of year we are now observing in the Jewish calendar.   Next week is Purim, which means that this Shabbat is known as Shabbat Zachor, the Shabbat of Remembrance.  It is the Shabbat that we are commanded to remember another massacre in early Jewish history, the massacre by the Amalekites, Haman’s ancestors, who attacked the recently freed Israelite slaves shortly after they had crossed the Sea of Reeds into safety.   Our tradition is especially harsh on them.   Like the Hamas murderers who killed women, children, babies and the elderly, the Amalekites attacked the rear of the Israelite camp, the women, the children, the babies of the community.  The Israelite army was in front; Amalek aimed for the rear. They showed no care or respect for human life.  It was a forerunner of what would take place 2,000 years later.

And so, even as we are commanded to remember an event that occurred 2,000 years ago, even if not commanded, morality insists that we remember and never forget the horrible day of October 7.   That day was indeed a tragedy, one that marked the greatest number of Jewish lives lost since the Holocaust.  But that day was significant for another reason.  It was the day that opened the floodgates of hatred against Israel as well as the Jewish people the world over.   Whether in the United States, or Canada, or Australia, or Israel, an unprecedented attack on our lives and liberty has been unleashed since Hamas’ attack.   The rabbis condemned Amalek stating that their attack on the Israelites then led other nations, who had been in fear of the Israelites due to God’s protection, to lose their fear.   Hamas’ evil and bold maneuver have led people the world over to proclaim “open season” on Jews, Jewish life, the State of Israel, and Israelis.

Like Amalek, may we never forget the barbarism that Hamas has unleashed on the Jewish collective of the 21st century.   Like the Jews of Shushan, under the leadership of Mordecai and Esther, may we emerge victorious against our enemies, despite the high cost already suffered, and may we be blessed to observe this Purim and future Purims with joy and celebration and without concern for our liberty and welfare.

This is the impression that this trip to the Otef, the Gaza envelop, imprinted on me.   May the memories of the many who lost their lives on that day, and in the subsequent days and years since that massacre, all be remembered for a blessing.

Rabbi Hillel Gold  

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As always, I would be delighted to hear from you.

You can reach me at Ravhillel@yahoo.com