Zichronam L'vracha – May Their Memories Be For a Blessing Bring Them Home!
Last Saturday, the IDF found the bodies of six of the hostages, killed by Hamas as the IDF’s rescue operation drew near. All Israel, and the world Jewish community, mourn them and send prayers of condolences to their families:
Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23; Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Ori Danino, 25; Alex Lobanov, 32; Carmel Gat, 40; Almog Sarusi, 27.
Five of the dead were taken captive by Hamas at the Nova music festival, Carmel Gat was taken from Kibbutz Be’eri. Hersh Goldberg-Polin had become the face of the hostages, as his parents Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg-Polin had worked tirelessly to keep Hersh and the other hostages in the public eye.
Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog said in a statement that the “heart of an entire nation is crushed into pieces”.
Our Torah portion this week, Shoftim, tells us “justice, justice, you shall pursue” (Deuteronomy 16:20). The blood of the hostages is on the hands of the terrorists of Hamas. Justice will come when this terrible war ends and the leaders of Hamas are held to account by the international community.
We pray for new leadership to arise in Gaza, the West Bank, and in Israel, whose only goal will be to work together to find a solution to this conflict that will bring peace, freedom, self-determination, and dignity to both the Israeli and the Palestinian people.
-Rabbi Bonnie Margulis
Comments