‘How many Jews does it take to change a light bulb?”
“What? Change?!”
We all know that famous joke. That stubbornness, that biblical quality of stiff-neckedness has characterized our tenacity under stress and our refusal to bow to despots or despair over the centuries.
However, the ability to change, to adapt to new circumstances to survive, has been the key to our longevity. As we migrated from country to country and continent to continent, we maintained that delicate balance between fitting in within new, diverse societies while still holding fast to our eternal traditions.
Change can be frightening, even fatal, if carried too far – but it is a necessary component of progress and perseverance. As ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “Change is the only constant in the universe.”
We – here in Israel, if not worldwide – are in need of change and in desperate need of healing. Our society has been torn apart at the seams, and we are hurting. The fiber of the people of Israel is stretched to its limit, and we must do something to right the wrongs and cure the ills before they become terminal.
The central problem we face is the ongoing disparity between those who do National Service and those who do not. This is a uniquely modern Israeli phenomenon, unknown for 2,000 years.
For centuries, we lived with risk, bound to the whims of our host countries, without an army to defend us. But the bold decision to seize our destiny and return to our own land comes with its own dangers and its own special responsibilities.
This has become even more acute since Oct. 7, when war crossed our borders and every home became a target for missiles and misfortune.
No more exemptions
We no longer have the luxury of maintaining only a “professional army” while others sit out the conflict. We need every citizen to do his or her share in defending the nation.
It is a wonderful, Fiddler on the Roof dream to sit at the eastern wall and study Torah, oblivious to the outside surroundings. But it currently is neither practical nor halachicly permissible. The Torah explicitly forbids us to “stand idly by our brother’s blood” (Lev. 19:16) and reminds us that “no one’s blood is redder than another’s” (Yoma 82). The haredi establishment’s utter refusal to defend the state is a sin against God, as well as the nation.
The horrific scene of thousands of arrogant yeshiva students blocking the highway and holding signs that read “We prefer to die rather than serve in the IDF” is an unforgivable insult and lack of gratitude to the many thousands of soldiers who risk their lives on a daily basis, as well as their courageous wives who must manage for months without them.
While there are indeed many sources stating that Torah study protects the Jewish people, other equally reliable sources (e.g., Sotah 8:7) require everyone to join the battle when existential danger is at hand – even “the bridegroom from his chamber and the bride from her wedding canopy.”
The Torah records that during the worldwide famine, Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy food. Rashi comments that, in reality, Jacob had more than enough food to survive. But, he says, it would not have been appropriate for the family to enjoy its prosperity while everyone else suffered. So, too, the refusal of any segment of the population to exclude itself from the national need – particularly in war – is a failure of moral and spiritual integrity.
As long as the present government is held hostage by one specific sector – one that is primarily concerned for its own, partisan good – there will only be ongoing strife, dissension, and polarization. We need change, and we need to heal that open wound.
Sgt. First Class Yona Betzalel Brief was born in Jerusalem to American immigrant parents. He grew up in Modi’in, where he attended yeshiva high school and volunteered with special-needs kids. He spent 18 months studying Torah in the Bnei David pre-military academy, and in April 2021 enlisted in the IDF, achieving his goal of joining the Duvdevan unit. He later completed training as a combat medic.
On Oct. 7, 2023, Brief and his comrades were sent to the hard-hit Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where they fought terrorists while working to protect residents. While going house to house, Brief’s commanders were fatally wounded, and when Brief rushed to try to save them, he was shot 13 times in the legs, back, and arms. He tied tourniquets on himself and dragged himself to safety.
After several hours, he was airlifted to Ramat Gan’s Sheba Medical Center, where he fought for his life for the next 417 days. Both his legs were amputated above the knee; he had more than 20 surgeries and spent part of the time in a medically induced coma.
But he also spent much of the time awake and entertaining visitors from around the world, singing, praying, and providing inspiration to them – even participating in the brit milah of his nephew at his bedside. Ultimately, his wounds were too severe, his liver failed, and Brief died on November 26, 2024.
In commenting about the upcoming election, Brief’s mother, Hazel – who stayed at her son’s bedside and did not sleep in her own bed for more than a year – made the following impassioned plea:
“We are a nation of walking wounded. We carry trauma, grief, and exhaustion in our bodies and our homes. Our children spend endless days on reserve duty; our grandchildren are growing up with one parent at home instead of two. We once said, ‘Together we shall prevail,’ but somewhere along the way, our togetherness was fractured.
“The leaders we choose in the coming election must be more than policy-makers. They must be healers – leaders who can mend a divided people, soothe a wounded nation, and help us find peace within ourselves so we can stand strong against the dangers around us.
“We are fortunate to have people who embody this spirit, individuals such as Naftali Bennett, Chili Tropper, Gadi Eisenkot – who lost a son and two nephews in the war – and Yuli Edelstein, a former prisoner of Zion. Some of them stood beside us during Yona’s 417-day fight for life, and they continue to support not only our family but many others as well.
“Naftali Bennett sat in Yona’s ICU room many times, sharing stories of growing up as the child of immigrants. He played guitar and sang with us. He bore witness to our hopes and pain. He highlights the need for a shared commitment for all young adults to fully serve our nation. Chili visited us weekly in the ICU and would go on to sit with wounded soldiers in rehab. We need healer leaders who will honor our wounds, remember our fallen, listen to many voices, and help us rebuild our sense of togetherness.
“In this election, we stand at a pivotal crossroads: a chance to choose healing, support, and unity. Only by reclaiming our togetherness can we rise stronger, conquer the threats beyond our borders, and mend the fractures within our very souls.”
The last of the 39 actions prohibited on Shabbat is makeh b’patish, “the final hammer blow” that completes a vessel. Over the past 78 years, we have built a magnificent vessel called the State of Israel.
Unparalleled in history, it has welcomed our far-flung people and has been the wellspring of daily miracles, the kind predicted by the prophets, yet only dreamingly imagined by our ancestors.
If we are to complete that holy vessel, we must heal, we must change, and we must unite in common cause to prevail over our enemies and bring the dream to its full reality. ■
The writer is director of the Jewish Outreach Center of Ra’anana. rabbistewart@gmail.com
