By Susan C. DeMari
After reading Eikev I pondered when Moses goes on to warn of the annihilation of many people that will be delivered by God to be destroyed, whether some will read the passage and think solely about what is happening in Gaza. Or will others see it and embrace the optimistic takeaway that Eikev is about the story of Israel, the people, and the Jewish homeland, blessed by God “more than all the peoples”?
When I last wrote a Jewish thought on the Torah portion Vayigash, I made mention that we do not see the hand of God in what happens to us. However, in this week’s portion, Eikev, Moses emphasized that if the Israelites obey God’s rules, they will receive blessings, which caused me to reflect and be reminded that our Jewish community is safer because all of us have willingly engaged in a comprehensive effort to protect Jewish life by working collaboratively. While it cannot be measured by numbers alone, and security may not have been a blessing of obedience considered, I look over my shoulder and celebrate that summer camps remained free from unwanted intrusions, Baruch Hashem (Thank God)!
It has been a blessing that our preparedness security trainings, hiring off-duty law enforcement during worship services/special events, better securing our facilities, and working as a community have contributed to our overall safety for Jewish Buffalo. However, we are faced with the challenge of continuing to prosper, avoiding complacency, and investigating what still needs to be accomplished.
The Jewish community today is facing dilemmas as challenging as many in its history. In addition to dealing with rising antisemitism, we are facing a backlash from the war in Gaza and the possibility of an even greater war in the Middle East. Israel has lost the PR battle with Hamas. People quickly forget the horrors of the October 7th invasion and remember only the images of Israeli bombs hitting terrorist sites. How do we deal with these issues? What can our ancient words tell us?
The resiliency of the Jewish people has deep historical roots, and I am confident that as a community, we have what it takes to go from strength to strength and do our very best to stay safe. Security is something that all of us want; it provides us with the freedom to live, worship and play in a safe environment. Even so, Jewish Buffalo is vulnerable to disruption. What can you do about it?
“You shall not see your brother’s ass or his ox falling [under its load] in the road and hide yourself from them. You shall lift it [the load] up with him” (Deut. 22:4). Whether you’re a congregant, member, staff, or volunteer, take the time to reach out and get involved by asking what you can do to help with security in your surroundings. Participate in the trainings offered throughout the year, donate to help, Secure Jewish Buffalo, and stay vigilant, without hesitating to reach out and “Say Something” when you “See Something.”
What do the ancient words tell us? I choose optimism. The answer in Eikev is that we must not lose faith. Faced with catastrophe, faced with animosity and hostility and war, the Jewish people must maintain our faith in God, in the Ten Commandments and in God’s promise that “your days will be multiplied, and the days of your children, upon the land that God vowed to your fathers to give to them for as long as the heavens are above the earth.” We need to stand fast in our faith and our beliefs, we need to stand fast with Israel, and we need to remember why this is so: Eikev. Because.
Susan C. DeMari is the Director of Community Security at the Buffalo Jewish Federation.
