By Rabbi Ben Tzion Krasnianski
Director, Chabad Upper East Side
March 18, 2024
I for one am very happy that Senator Chuck Schumer said what he said because if that’s what he and his colleagues really feel, think and believe, the moment we’re in is too serious and critical for anything less than the unvarnished truth. In all honesty I’m more sad then angry. It pains me that he has such a low opinion of his own family, his own brothers and sisters.
It’s almost the equivalent of getting up and saying don’t destroy Berlin and defeat Hitler and Nazism or don’t bomb Japan because our number one priority should be the German civilians in Berlin and the Japanese civilians in Japan. The only reason it’s not really a fair comparison is because the Hamas are worse than the Japanese who would rather surrender unconditionally than see their own country destroyed. Hamas, however, are such savages, barbarians and so absolutely evil that they would rather see every home in Gaza destroyed and their own brothers’ sisters and families killed so that they could blame the Jews! They could end this today by immediately giving up all the hostages and surrendering unconditionally. They are plunging the depths of evil, depravity and darkness. They belong in their 300 feet underground tunnels unfit for G-d’s sunlight, goodness and kindness.
The call for Israel to cease fire and to spare Hamas is unusually cruel and heartless. Terrorism is like cancer. If you are compassionate and have mercy on the tumor it will metastasize out of control and kill you and kill itself in the process. It’s suicidal. The compassionate thing to do is to obliterate the tumor. We defeated Nazi Germany where they surrendered unconditionally, consequently we’ve had 80 years of genuine peace with Germany and we defeated imperialist Japan where they surrendered unconditionally and we’ve had 80 years of genuine peace with Japan.
The Jewish people are a holy people and Israel is the Holy Land because it engenders the holiest value of all which is the absolute sanctity of life. No one would dare suggest that Jews should stop eating kosher because it may offend our arch enemies. There’s an even more important value, something that’s holier to the Jewish people than eating kosher and keeping the Shabbat, the protection of one single life. Jews fight ferociously for the protection of one life with the same fierceness and zeal that our evil enemies fight for death.
If Israel does deserve criticism, it’s why it waited until October 7th. After the very first missile was lobbed by Hamas against civilians, after that very first nazi level war crime, Israel should have stopped everything, declared war, mobilize, crushed and eradicated the tumor that is Hamas. Life is not a right it’s a privilege from G-d almighty who is the only true giver of life. We exist and live by the grace of G-d. The moment you dedicate your life to hurt, maim and kill others you forfeit your privilege to live. Hamas has dedicated all of its resources to one goal, to kill as many Jews as possible. They say openly that if their friends in the West will help Israel snatch defeat from the jaws of victory and allow Hamas to triumph and remain standing, they will do October 7th again and again and again. This is a clash of civilizations, it’s a spiritual battle between good and evil. In order for us to live they must die or surrender unconditionally, for if they continue to live then we die.
The Talmud (tractate Kiddushin 70a) states that Anyone who disqualifies others that is a sign that he himself is flawed. If anything, Israel and the Jewish people have found their way since October 7th. This is such a proud moment for our generation. Jews have never been more united. Every Jew feels mobilized and on a mission, called to duty to fight this good battle. Two Jews three opinions, yet we’ve witnessed an unprecedented unanimity in Israel where the cabinet has unanimously rejected calls for two states. Where 99 knesset members, almost every last Jewish Knesset member, have rejected the calls for two states. Let’s be clear there never will be a Palestinian state in the Holy Land of Israel not in G-d’s lifetime. The model for genuine peace is the Abraham accords where Israel is not asked to sacrifice its safety and security for delusional pipe dreams. The only lasting solution is peace for peace where the Jewish and Arab cousins live side by side in genuine peace, in mutual respect, where both people thrive and flourish peacefully and not a single life is put in danger!
Senator, I’m afraid it’s you who have lost your way. You represent us we are your constituents, the largest concentration of Jews in the world outside of Israel. Did you ask us what we think? Thank G-d 80% of Americans are with Israel as well as the overwhelming majority of Jews. Why become the spokesman for the fringe Nazi sympathizers in your party. It’s shocking that the museum crowd those who spent hundreds of millions of dollars on Holocaust museums promising ‘never again’ as well as the Hollywood crowd who make blockbuster films about the Holocaust yet when another Holocaust happens they distinguish themselves by their thundering silence or worse by publicly siding with the modern day nazis.
Senator, please don’t let this be an eternal stain on your good name. Your hurtful words were heard around the world so your Teshuvah must be commensurate. Your apology to every Jew around the world, to every Jew that ever lived and to all future Jews and to every decent and righteous non-Jew should also be heard around the world.
We are at a crossroad. This is a moment of truth. Everyone is exposing their true colors. The question is ‘To be or Not To Be’. Are you on the side of 3800 years of Jewish history, the side of truth, goodness , G-dliness and reality or not. Not only are we on the winning side we are on the only side. At the end of the day truth will win, truth always wins, but truth does need a little help. It needs us to have the Churchillian courage to speak the truth.
I have never been prouder of our Israeli brothers and sisters. The attack on October 7th was an attack against all of us. Israel’s courage, spirit, steadfastness and clarity of purpose is breathtaking. We ask Israel, please don’t pay attention to your foolish and misguided critics. Continue to lead and teach the world how to fight the absolute evil that is in our midst. We salute you and encourage all decent and civilized people to join us in cheering for Israel from all the rooftops and to help Israel in any way possible. L’chaim, to total victory!