The focus of the world is on the fate of the thousands of refugees trying to flee for their lives from the terror directed against them. How ironic that when the situation continues against Israel and even before we had our State, the situation was totally different and the world turned a blind eye and heart away from us.
Thankfully we now have not only a homeland, we have a State and can protect our heritage, if our government so decides that our security forces are allowed to do so. Not that we do not still face hatred and continued attacks against us, both verbal, written and physical ones.
This time of the year holds many hopes, prayers and memories for the Jewish people and for us personally. We are thrown back into memories, some wonderful and some so painful. about occurrences during this season.
The wonderful memories of beautiful prayers, family celebrations mingle alongside of the painful memories of this time of the year. For us who lived through the Yom Kippur War and suffered during that period we are always thrown back into the nightmares. For me personally, the nightmare of being informed as a young new mother and wife that my husband was reported MIA in the southern front, and the long endless nightmare until by miracle he came back.
Then four years ago today to be exact, the nightmare of a horrific terror attack on Highway 60, when young Asher Palmer and his infant son, Yonatan HY”D were murdered by a gang of terrorists who invented a way to throw a boulder from a moving vehicle into the window of one of our cars in order to ensure the lethal impact. Asher and Yonatan were on the way to Puah, the young pregnant wife and mother for Shabbat when the tragedy struck.
Today when I went up to their graves in Hevron on the memorial day, it was so difficult and painful to realize how much time has gone by since then.
While in Hevron to pray at the Cave of the Patriarchs before I went up to the cemetery there, I saw very large groups of “Breaking Silence”, along with other anarchists who come to incite and spread hate against us, and go to support the families of Arab terrorists who murdered innocent people only because we are Jewish.
While the attention of members of our government focuses on, and they express their concern and pain over (and rightfully so) the tragic situation of refugees, it is only right that first of all they make order in our home, in our Land and ensure the prevention of murderous attacks against us and prevent those who hate us from coming and aiding and inciting the Arabs to more terror and hatred.
It is the responsibility of our government to first take care of the Nation of Israel and ensure the safety and security of our Nation and Land, and it is my prayer that on this New Year we shall witness this finally happen.