TBS News and Information

It is perhaps unwise to try to confront the humanitarian situation in Gaza in the short confines of this newsletter, but it surely requires a response. It is simply heartbreaking and awful, and, at the same time, complex in its nuances and truths. Many have addressed the situation from the perspective of Jewish values. Let me offer you two that I found meaningful, plus my own thoughts.

The umbrella organization for Israeli Reform Judaism has said, in part, “For the past 20 months, we have been enduring an unbearable period—a time of war and tremendous loss of life, with countless casualties and injuries, including many soldiers and civilians. … Hostages remain held in dire conditions by Hamas. Israeli society remains deeply traumatized by the massacre of October 7 and yearns for the return of the hostages and an end to the war. As a result of the ongoing war, severe humanitarian conditions have persisted in the Gaza Strip, affecting both its residents and the hostages, with growing concerns of acute hunger. The war continues to claim the lives of many innocent Palestinian civilians, including numerous children. … We call upon the Government of Israel to redouble its efforts to secure the release of the hostages, while also minimizing harm to innocent civilians and doing everything possible to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. This includes ensuring sufficient and appropriate aid enters Gaza and that steps are taken to guarantee that the aid reaches its intended recipients rather than falling into the hands of terrorist groups.” (Please read the full statement here.)

The Union for Reform Judaism and other American Reform organizations wrote, in part, “The ongoing crisis in Gaza is a devastating reminder of the immense human cost of war. Nearly two years into Israel’s war against Hamas, Israelis are still waiting for the return of their loved ones held hostage, and innocent Palestinians are caught in a mounting humanitarian catastrophe. Hamas has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to sacrifice the Palestinian people in its pursuit of Israel’s destruction, but Israel must not sacrifice its own moral standing in return. Neither escalating military pressure nor restricting humanitarian aid has brought Israel closer to securing a hostage deal or ending the war. … While it is imperative that Israel and the U.S. resume diplomacy to bring home all hostages and end this war, denying basic humanitarian aid crosses a moral line. Blocking food, water, medicine, and power—especially for children—is indefensible. Let us not allow our grief to harden into indifference, nor our love for Israel to blind us to the cries of the vulnerable. Let us rise to the moral challenge of this moment.”

(Please read the full URJ statement here.)

Obviously, these excerpts only give a sense of the full statements, which are powerful and well- written. Please follow the links and read them in full.

In my Shabbat sermon last week, I shared some of my reflections on the situation, the multiple truths to hold at the same time, and some steps we might take in response. (You can read the full sermon here.) I closed with words of prayer from Rabbi Felicia Sol and Rabbi Roly Matalon:

“We pray for a cessation of the violence and the safe return of the remaining hostages. We pray for our ability to hold in our hearts at the same time the suffering of Israelis and Palestinians. We pray that we don’t harden our hearts or refuse to see what is happening before our eyes. We pray we preserve our humanity. We pray for the future of both peoples on this land … that there will be an awakening and a realization that the only path forward is one of coexistence.”