To the Editor:

As Hanukkah approaches, it ushers in a reflection. Though not a religious holiday, Hanukkah remains firmly relevant to present-day Judaism. The holiday’s origins date to the Jewish revolt and restoration of the Israeli kingdom in 164 BCE. Although the rebellion was subsequently quelled by the Greeks (though a Jewish kingdom persisted until the Roman sack of Jerusalem), it reminds me of the indomitable Jewish spirit and connection to Israel. Hanukkah emphasizes resilience, and confirms our commitment to our homeland, despite what other forces might desire. And like the ancient Israelites who held out against a Greek assault, we still hold onto our land and values.

My family has been living on the Vineyard since the 1940s. My grandparents currently reside on the Island year-round, and I have spent nearly every summer of my life there. When I had my bar mitzvah, it was on the Vineyard. My rabbi lives on Martha’s Vineyard. For me, an element of Jewish identity will always be inexorably linked to the Vineyard.

I now live in Israel, Herzliya presently, but I used to live in Ashkelon, a city some 15 kilometers from the Gaza border. I’ve been to Sderot, and stood outside the police station where they displaced the twisted remnants of Hamas rockets. That same police station was demolished, and 50 Israelis were slaughtered there, on Oct. 7, by terrorists. Where I am now, north of Tel Aviv, we still get sirens, and see the interceptions over our heads. I have friends who died or were injured at the Nova party. Yet still, we persist. Despite what the Greeks, Babylonians, Romans, Ottomans, Germans, and a host of other countries tried, we remain.

Hanukkah represents all that Israel is, and why it must exist. Hanukkah is the story of standing in the face of impossible odds and withstanding. We have no other choice, because we know the dangers faced in the Diaspora. We are still withstanding terrorism, unjust international ridicule, and rampant anti-Semitism from the West.

I am currently pursuing a degree in diplomacy and strategy at the Lauder School of Government at Reichman University. The focus of my degree is to create viable routes to enduring peace. Israel isn’t going away any time soon — despite what some people might want. The Jewish people are resilient, and if we can fight off five armies simultaneously, we can and will defeat Hamas. This raises the question of what to do the day after we remove Hamas.

First, Israel should demilitarize the Gaza Strip. Never again can it be used to store rockets, anti-tank weapons, and other devices used to terrorize and slaughter Israelis. Second, Israel should rebuild Gaza, ensuring that concrete goes to housing and not tunnels, as Eylon Levy suggested. Furthermore, Israel and the Abraham Accords partners should oversee this endeavor. The U.N. has proven itself unreliable in Gaza. For example, a U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) warehouse was stormed by desperate Palestinians today. They found a cornucopia of undistributed aid. Another example of U.N. ineptitude: An Israeli hostage was held in an UNRWA-employed teacher’s house. Last,
Israel must ensure that Gaza does not become another hub of extremism. This starts by securing the people of Gaza another chance to create a home free of the barbaric terrorists they’ve been subject to since 2007.

Such a strategy would accomplish two main objectives: A more peaceful Gaza, unable to attack Israelis, and reaffirming the desire for peace with our neighbors. Who knows, such a process could also lay the groundwork for renewed peace talks with the Palestine Liberation Organization.

If this war has proven anything, it’s the very spirit of Hanukkah. I was in Tel Aviv protesting against the judicial reforms that threatened to tear Israel apart. Now I see a united, resilient country that will continue to withstand those who seek to destroy Israel. Orthodox, National Religious, Arab, or secular, the modern tribes of Israel are together, and resilient in opposition to those who seek our destruction. So for the Jews in the Diaspora, when you light the menorah tomorrow night, remember not only the historical significance but the current. In the face of Roman destruction or Hamas terrorism, Israel and its people persist.

Am Yisrael Chai
Herzliya, Israel