Op-Ed: You Need to Actually Do Something
by Yosef Hershkop
The news that we started to receive as we entered Simchas Torah put us in a situation where we truly had to have ‘Simcha Poretz Geder’ to continue honoring the Yom Tov. The massacre of the largest number of Yidden in a single day since the Holocaust, which we might even be able to refer to it as a mini-holocaust, was the planned mass murder of Yidden, and we should all recognize that 70 years after the Holocaust we are witnessing similar scenes. Meanwhile, we are also witnessing the same world apathy, (and in some cases worse than apathy).
During the Holocaust, much to our shame, Yidden living in safety didn’t step up to the plate at the level that Am Yisroel needed them to. I don’t want to speak negatively about Yidden at a time like this, so I’ll just encourage everyone to read the books about Rabbi Michoel Ber Weissmandl and other Holocaust rescuers. All of the uncomfortable details are there, but the bottom line is if you don’t want to tell your grandchildren that you did absolutely nothing during these times, then you need to actually do something.
The good news is what you need to do is a lot less life-changing or risky than what was required 70 years ago. Nobody is asking us to facilitate bribes to Nazis or to forge passports. Nobody is even asking us to get on a plane to Israel, (at least not at this time), so what can we do? There are enough tasks that every yid can do at his comfort level.
If your comfort level is just to make a donation to an Israeli soup kitchen or medical organization, then go and do that. If your comfort level is to get involved in helping a specific army or civilian security unit, then go and do that. If your comfort level is to help pack duffle bags, then go and do that. And of course, if you are in a position to influence via the media or political contacts, then that is also very important.
Most important is of course to increase in all aspects of Torah, Tefillah, and Tzedakah and take the time to start learning the Rebbe’s shitas on Shleimus HaAretz. If you are young, (of course those in yeshiva should listen to their Hanholah), go and get involved in real advocacy. Go with some friends to Manhattan to join the various protests and counter-protests (listen to all police instructions).
On a personal level during the 2014 war I was zocheh to be a co-organizer of the largest grassroots pro-Israel rallies, and the connections I built with Yidden of all backgrounds have remained until today, and many of them have started to attend Chabad events through that experience. To be clear, you don’t even need to go to Manhattan.
The beautiful record-breaking Tefillah gathering we had outside 770 Monday night, besides the (most important) Ruchnius perspective, the media and elected officials also took note of it. We managed to be the first mass gathering of Yidden anywhere in the USA since the horrific tragedy.
To end off, just go and choose one or two things that you will do, and go do them. This is an Eis Ratzon and you don’t want to miss the Zechusim that comes from this.
