I had just finished writing this week’s Shabbat Encouragement when I heard the horrific news of the murder of young Israeli embassy staffers Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim outside the Capitol Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. last evening. No words can describe the flood of emotions personally, and worldwide, in reaction to such a blatant act of religious hatred in our Nation’s capital. Cruel, callous, cold blooded, hatred based on antisemitism, poorly masked behind political jargon. These crimes are the next level of hate-filled actions which we can only hope will embolden vast majorities worldwide and governmental leaders to stand against, as at least has been the reaction of many so far. Yet at too high a price of the blood of these innocents. . .

The wounding is too fresh for new words to come. I can only say the sentiments expressed below regarding acts of antisemitism as catalysts for change are still relevant. Sadly, these tragedies make the light of love approach Yuval Raphael shined last week lose a bit of its luster, at least in these painful moments of sadness.

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New Day Will Rise – Part 2

Last week we marveled at the ability for Yuval Raphael to fend off hatred and protest regarding her participation in Eurovision 2025 as Israel’s representative. Not only did she perform a song uncharacteristically for this competition filled with lyrics of love, but she also ranked first in receiving the most number of votes based on individuals voting from around the world.

She even managed to rank second overall when the first place popular vote was combined with the European broadcasters’ jury placed her as fourteen which, in my opinion, clearly was to balance out the weighted tally of all votes so she could not end up first. It is unlikely the peoples’ votes and judges’ votes could be so far apart on the merits.

How I am reminded of the plight of individuals against the establishment, be it governmental, political, institutional, or generally. Do governments really represent their populace even some of the time? Perhaps they do for part of society but many feel disenfranchised. Even if an individual is in agreement with a governmental position, does that define all dimensions of the person’s life ?

Specifically, no matter where Ms. Raphael stands vis-à-vis the Israeli government’s stand on the Middle East situation, can she not be judged for her talent? Even further, based on her own personal experience, is she not worthy, best equipped, to sing a song of pain, suffering, and miraculously, hope?

Regardless of her nationality she did not deserve “boos” and worse, even storming of the stage as she performed. Yet due to this mistreatment and abhorrent behavior, the world was awakened to the reality of antisemitism and showed its rejection of such injustice by overwhelmingly voting her as the winner based on popular vote.

Just as the European broadcasters turned a deaf ear to Ms. Raphael, so too did the leaders at the time of Yeshua. It is often such divisiveness, such pushing back against authority, such ability to recognize wrong that awakens and provokes us to cause change for the better.

History is marked by pendulum swings. When all is smooth sailing not much changes. It is often during times of social upheaval, mistreatment, prejudice, even war that protests awaken others to recognize that without standing up for what is right and good, all can be lost.

We are living in days of extremism. Most are polarized in their views with few in the middle, or so it seems. So to see the ability for so many around the world able to set aside their personal views on a hot topic – the situation in the Middle East vis-à-vis Israel – and vote for Ms. Raphael, a universal symbol of unthinkable suffering yet of hope and love – is truly encouraging to us all.

If we seek the light, we will find it, despite the circumstances, for God’s light cannot be shut out. Rather it is an indestructible, tangible Presence when we do our part to bring forth its healing power with courageous acts of love and kindness.

We can only pray for God to reveal how we are to respond in these days of triumph . . .

and terror (added today).

Shabbat shalom.

Diane