Learning available for all

Charles Flum, President

At a recent service at Naples Jewish Congregation, Rabbi Herman gave an impassioned sermon about Ukraine and Israel. His remarks about Israel are as follows:

There is no country in the world more caught between a rock and a hard place than Israel. Let’s look at the facts. 1. There are Russian jets, and their army, right on Israel’s borders in Lebanon and Syria. 2. For Israel to strike at the Iranians when they move military assets near her border with Syria, she needs Russian permission. It must be coordinated with Russia to avoid any accidental confrontation between Israeli and Russian jets, which would result in Israel shooting down a Russian jet. That can’t happen. Israel’s ability to control Iran on her borders is dependent on her relations with Putin. 3. There are 200,000 Jews in Ukraine, 1 million Jews in Russia, and their safety depends, to a great degree, on Putin. Israel needs a working relationship with Putin to keep them safe and that is Israel’s first responsibility. It is the reason Israel was created. It is her raison d’etre. There are those who will say, “America and the West will support you, Israel, if Russia begins to threaten you.”

No, they won’t. What country in their right mind would trust America or the West to actually get involved other than with sanctions?

Israel’s relationship with Russia and Putin are so important that Prime Minister Bennett met with Putin last Shabbat for three hours of talks.

Notice that everyone says that they understand that Europe and NATO, which we are part of, can’t join the war because they can’t risk a war with Russia. Well then, they need to understand that Israel can’t aff ord to alienate Putin too much either, because alienating Putin puts her and the Jews of the Ukraine in danger. It is very diffi cult as well for Israel to close its borders to Russians because there are 1 million Russians in Israel and many have family there.

And what of Jews who want to go to Israel and get out of Russia and the Ukraine? Israel can’t risk having the iron curtain fall on them. Remember, no Jews can be denied entry into Israel, so how does Israel close its borders to Russia? Does it say except for Jews? Putin would allow that? Would it not create strong antisemitic reactions in Russia and the Ukraine as well?

It’s up to NATO to crush Russia economically. Israel has no real power here. We need to recognize that and explain it to those who are disappointed in Israel’s response thus far.

Finally, there is a beautiful and powerful Hebrew Maxim – Et Laasot Lashem. It means it’s time to act for God — meaning to act in the name of God to save lives.

This is just a small sample of the incredible amount of learning our rabbi shares with us. We have services every Friday night in April at 7 p.m. If you want more information about “The small Temple with a big heart,” please visit our website at www.naplesjewishcongregation.org. Come join us.