The Short Vort by Rabbi Eisenman

Yesterday, when I made my way down south to see firsthand the destruction wrought by our enemies, there were two reactions which I was privileged to witness time and again.

As opposed to seeing former sites of Jewish destruction, most notably the Holocaust, where the most pervasive feeling one feels is one of utter destruction and death.

And no one tells (or is even interested in telling)the story of how Jews remained resilient and attempted to rebuild Warsaw after the war.

Quite the opposite.

Jewish reaction to the former Jewish communities which were decimated is one where Jews are more than thrilled to rid themselves of their Polish past and relegate Poland to a tourist industry where Jews can fly in first class, drive on luxury tour busses, eat five star Glatt-kosher meals- daven at the grave of a Tzadik and be back in New York before Shabbos.

There is no talk of rebuilding.

There is nothing more than waxing nostalgic and davening when visiting the blood soaked soil of Poland or Hungary.

Not so at all in the Land of Israel.

When we arrived at Sderot which was hard hit in the Simchas Torah massacre, there was no dwelling mournfully on what was.

Rather, there was great emphasis on what is and what will be.

That’s not to imply there was no mourning of those who gave their live’s Al Kiddush Hashem, there certainly was.

However, the emphasis was on the Chessed at the time of the massacre.

The acts of bravery done by local civilians who fought as lions to protect their fellow Jews- that was the topic of conversation

And there was even greater emphasis on rebuilding.

Indeed, we met numerous people who relocated to the southern towns of Sderot and others specifically after October 7th.

The feeling of resilience, rejuvenation and rebuilding were the central themes we heard over and over again.

There is also tremendous Chessed being done as we speak as volunteer posts have been set up offering for free anything from a hot meal to an extra pair of wool socks for any soldier passing through.

Most of all, the greatest feeling which was palpable was: hope.

These people are hopeful, or as we would say, they are Baalei Bitachon-full of hope and belief in the future of the Jewish people in their promised land.

I came away from them, not just mourning the past, but, rather, invigorated and reenergized about building the future!