On the eve of Tisha B'Av, we find ourselves grappling with a similar contemporary reality. An external enemy has dealt us an unbearable blow and continues to threaten our home. Yet, as history teaches us, the greatest threat to our existence is not from the outside, but from the division within ourselves. It is threatening to tear apart Israeli society and the ties and defense systems we've woven over the years with our allies, primarily the US.
Terrorist organizations observed the internal rifts in our society before October 7 and identified the security weakness this division created. As grief often does, the pain led to temporary unity immediately afterward, but the cracks have reappeared, and here we are, divided once again. The problem worsens when our internal struggles are broadcast to the world. The world is watching – not just our enemies seeking points of weakness, but our allies as well.
As someone living between Israel and the US, I can say with a heavy heart that even our steadfast and good ally is not turning a blind eye to the general chaos, and this impression worries me personally. I'm concerned about the day when the great US will start reconsidering its relationship with us and when it stops believing there's a future with us. We've already seen this happening in the Democratic Party over the years. Even those who prefer to bury their heads in the sand and think the world should mind its own business and leave us to ours will one day have to understand that in case of a multi-front war – Israel will need its allies by its side.
However you look at it, internal strife doesn't earn us any points or bode well. To the outside observer, it doesn't matter if the reason is political, moral, or ideological. You already know the solution to these nightmare scenarios. The word "unity" may already sound worn out to many of us, but today, it's more relevant than ever – not just as an idea, but as a course of action, as a lifeline for the country's existence as a lesson from the past.
If there's a beautiful example of putting aside differences for a greater shared goal, it's our soldiers. On the battlefield, there are no sides. Everyone sacrifices themselves and works together for the same goal. We must be worthy of their sacrifice and not return to the events of Yom Kippur 2023 in Dizengoff Square.
Words create reality, and change begins with actions. Each of us has a part and responsibility in this matter. Tisha B'Av must remind us that there's no guarantee of Jewish sovereignty in the land of Israel. Our stability depends on our unity; only then can we face the challenges and secure our future as a state and a people. We must learn from the past. Let's not lose the third temple as well.
