1 Operation Pillar of Defense Our Jewish tradition is no fan of war. On the contrary, we Jews yearn constantly for peace and this is reflected in many of the prayers found in tonight s service. Yet our Jewish tradition is clear that, sadly there are times when war is necessary. There are times when war is the only option. Such a war is called a Milkhemet Mitzvah - A war that has the full sanction of our tradition a commanded war. And although we hope that the current operation being undertaken by the IDF against terrorist infrastructure in Gaza will not escalate to an all-out war, I think that most of us will agree that the operation is morally justified. I think most of us will agree that it rises to the level of Milkhemet Mitzvah. It does so simply because it is defensive.
2 It is aimed at protecting the citizens of Israel against ongoing rocket attacks being launched more and more frequently from Gaza. Over the past 11 years Hamas has hit Israel with over 13,000 rockets. That s an average of about 3 rockets per day. In the face of much internal dissent, Israel withdrew unilaterally from Gaza in 2005. Following Hamas s takeover of Gaza and expulsion of Fatah in 2007 the rocket attacks became so frequent that in 2009 Operation Cast Lead was launched. Things got quieter for a while after that but attacks resumed with 2600 rockets being launched since then. In recent months the attacks have become more frequent, 300 in the month leading up to this new Israeli offensive. Until now Israel has shown remarkable restraint and has responded only on a very local, strike by strike basis.
3 Imagine waking up to the sound of sirens and knowing that you had less than 15 seconds to scramble yourself and your family into a safe room or a bomb shelter. Imagine being on the freeway, or at work, at school, or at the mall when a siren goes off. On the roads, cars stop and people lay down on the pavement. At school, terrified children rush to shelters. Imagine being at work and knowing that a rocket siren is sounding and your kids, or your elderly parents, or your spouse are within the target area but you have no way of helping them. Any time of the day or night, for residents of Israel s south this has been a constant and daily challenge for years. Hamas now has rockets that can reach over 45 miles into Israel. Nearly 5 million Israelis are in that target zone. As we have heard in the last 24 hours, rockets have set off sirens in Tel Aviv and even Jerusalem. To give a local sense of the distances, the type of rockets Hamas has could target Newport Beach from as far away as Santa Monica, San Bernardino or Carlsbad.
4 Like any country, one of Israel s top priorities is the defense of its citizens. The time came this week for Israel to say enough to attacks on its civilians and so we now have Operation Pillar of Defense. On a phone call with Rabbis earlier today, Israeli Consul General David Siegel shared Israel s three main goals in this operation- 1. To remove the strategic threat to Israel posed by longer range missiles coming out of Gaza. 2. To restore quiet and security to southern Israel. 3. And finally to restore Israel s deterrence so that Hamas will cease attacks on Israel because it will realize that such attacks are not in its own interests. Amid the terrible news of conflict, with civilian casualties among Israelis and Palestinians, there is some good news. The morale in Israel is high. There is a consensus among Israelis that this operation is justified and necessary and much of the world agrees. The white house, congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle, the state department and others have come out clearly on the side
5 of Israel in affirming its right to self-defense and calling on Hamas to de-escalate the situation. Leaders in Europe, Canada, Australia and elsewhere have made similar statements. And Israel is conducting its operation with the highest professional and ethical standards. While Hamas deliberately aims at civilian targets in Israel - schools, homes and playgrounds. Israel aims to minimize civilian casualties on the other side through the use of carefully targeted surgical strikes. But this is made very difficult since Hamas launches from and stores missiles in Schools, homes and Mosques. The truth is that Hamas is guilty of war crimes on at least two accounts first for deliberately targeting Israeli civilians and second for using its own civilians as human shields. This is their bizarre version of a win-win situation. There is also some comfort in the knowledge that the Israeli-made, US-funded Iron dome anti rocket system has been successful so
6 far in intercepting 90% of rockets that were on their way to builtup areas in Israel. As we gather this Shabbat we do so in Solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Israel. We are concerned for their safety and hope for the resolution of this conflict. But what can we do? I d like to suggest the following four actions: 1. Follow the media and call or write in to respond to present Israel s point of view. 2. Educate yourself about what s happening and help friends and family understand why Israel has undertaken this offensive. 3. Support important organizations that work for Peace and Security in Israel like AIPAC, the JNF, Magen David Adom and so many others. 4. And finally, donate through Jewish Federation to the Emergency fund that has been set up to help Israelis in need as a result of this crisis.
7 Friends, our Jewish tradition is no fan of war. Yet, as the stain glass window behind me attests, war is sometimes necessary. In a quote from Kohelet Ecclesiastes we read - There is a season for everything under the heavens. The final line on your left says: Et Milkhamah v et Shalom there is a season for war and a season for peace. Sadly now is a season for war. May a secure, meaningful and enduring peace come soon to Israel and to all the world. Ken Yehi Ratzon, may this be God s will. Amen.