The solemn vow of "never again," words we did not always fully comprehend, sworn with quivering lips, clenched fists, and voices stifled by tears in the wake of the Holocaust – that pledge is being realized today. The ayatollahs and their abettors envisioned a far different narrative for the chapter now unfolding.
Not merely 14 lives lost, each a universe in itself. Not only hundreds injured or widespread devastation where missiles struck, but a calamity magnified tens of thousands of times – hundreds of thousands dead, millions wounded, entire cities leveled, utter destruction. This marks the divide between the history being shaped today and the fate they intended for us – nuclear warheads, stopped just shy of the final hour.
These are historic days, unembellished and undeniable. If this truth eludes you, picture a towering skyscraper. Each level signifies a year or an era. Ascend its heights, climb as far as you can, and gaze down upon the moment we inhabit now.
Consider the trials the Jewish people faced over the last century – the unimaginable depths of the Holocaust, and, in a different vein, the Yom Kippur War and October 7, alongside the soaring triumphs – the founding of the State of Israel, the Six-Day War, the destruction of nuclear reactors in Iraq and Syria, and now this.
Israel stands firm, no paper tiger
June 13, 2025 (17 Sivan 5785) is a salvation akin to 5 Iyar, when we established a Jewish state and reclaimed sovereignty over our land – the moment we began anew to mark our years of independence, after earlier eras of autonomy slipped away.
The night spanning last Thursday to Friday was another such night of independence, when we reaffirmed our self-determination. This moment recasts the war that erupted on Simchat Torah – the war across seven fronts – as our second War of Independence. In many respects, 2023–2025 echo the transformative years of 1947–1948.
Israel is decisively confronting a true existential threat aimed at its heart. It is cutting off, for years to come, the lifeline sustaining Hamas. It is sending a clear message to Hezbollah and all our adversaries, near and far, that a new dawn is breaking. It signals to the "moderate axis" nations in the region that Israel is no mere paper tiger – when called to strike the "head of the snake," it acts, even at the eleventh hour – and we are fortunate to have acted in time – even thousands of miles from its borders.
The modern Haman sought to kill, destroy, and eradicate the Jews, from the youngest to the eldest, children and women alike. The Haman of our time boasted of these intentions openly. Given the opportunity, he would have executed them, just as his proxies attempted on Simchat Torah, 20 months prior. The singular lesson we have carried since October 7 and enacted on June 13 is this – our enemies mean precisely what they declare, and we must take their words at face value, not reinterpret them.
Even those who oppose or critique Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must recognize the immense responsibility he and his government bore in this pivotal moment, making a critical and essential decision. Netanyahu, whose record of failures rivals his record of achievements in grandeur, merits profound respect and gratitude. He is the leader. He bears responsibility – for the catastrophic lapse of October 7 and for the extraordinary, singular triumph of June 13.
These days reestablish Israel, under his stewardship, as a regional powerhouse – recovering from the profound setback of October 7 – having already reshaped the battlefield and reality on other vital fronts, while Gaza and our hostages still await a decisive resolution and deliverance.
