Published: 17 October 2023
Last updated: 5 March 2024
ANAT HOFFMAN: Despite the shock and grief, there is comfort in courage, caring and the hope that Israel may re-examine its sense of omnipotence.
My husband Yanay and I hugged each other for 45 minutes after the shock of seeing the news filled with the faces of murdered Israelis. Engulfed in grief, rage and shame, we feel shattered. This is the moment to actively seek sources of hope. Hugging your loved ones is a good start.
There is hope in embarking on the road to becoming sober. Israel has allowed itself the illusion that we can survive in this neighbourhood relying completely on our military force. The time has come to face reality – a mighty military force is not enough.
We will also need to actively pursue peace with our enemies. We lied to ourselves saying that our hand is outstretched towards our neighbours in peace. We believed that it is their fault we have not reached it, they lack motivation, they are the problem.
Well, it's time to wake up and realise that we have become so drunk with our own omnipotence, we are the ones who are not ready for what it takes to make peace. Messianic religious elements within us are convinced that God has chosen us above All Nations and we have allowed those elements to dictate Israel's choices.
My grandmother told me on the eve of my wedding that I will have to make a decision during my married life whether I want to be right or whether I want to stay married. This applies also to relationships between nations.
Israel will now have to face the fact that our current rule over millions of Palestinians is unsustainable and that we must make the necessary compromises that enable all people living between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea to thrive in liberty and self-determination. We can't fix what we can't face, says James Baldwin. This applies in Israel today.
I believe we will have to face our zealots and extremists. We will have to embark on a Judaism that places people at the centre, not holy relics and holy sites. If only this crisis can heal us from the malignant strand of Messianic Judaism and lead us towards a renewed commitment to human rights, religious pluralism, racial tolerance, and gender equality, then there is hope.
