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Lighting Up the World
US President Harry Truman receives a menorah gifted by visiting Israeli Prime Minister David Ben Gurion and Abba Eban, Israel’s envoy to Washington. Photo: National Photo Collection of Israel / Government Press Office
JNS.org – A fellow was shipwrecked on a faraway island and barely managed to survive. Finally, after a long time, a ship passed by, and he managed to attract its attention. Some sailors in a small boat came to rescue him. But before he boarded, the officer in charge said, “Here’s a few recent newspapers. First, have a look at what’s going on in the world and then you can decide if you really want to rejoin civilization.”
After the ghastly Oct. 7 massacre in Israel, instead of being condemned, the monstrous perpetrators are championed around the world. A “court of justice” seeks to tie the hands of the victims who have responded in self-defense. The entire Middle East powder keg is in danger of blowing up any minute. There’s also a raging war in Ukraine and trouble spots dot the landscape of the entire world. Antisemitism is exploding internationally on a level not seen since the Holocaust.
Our generation is so lacking in wisdom, morality, logic and level-headedness that one can only wonder if any sound leadership will ever emerge. Maybe we should all find a quiet little island to escape to.
But we have been taught that it’s our mission on earth to change the world for the good. No matter how evil or corrupt society may be, it’s our job to make a difference. Call it tikkun olam or a “Light unto the Nations,” but we are here to make a positive difference.
But how? We are small and the world is big. The task seems so monumental and overwhelming as to be an impossible dream.
So let me tell you a true story.
This week’s Torah portion, Terumah, recounts that, back in the wilderness, Moses was instructed by God to build the sanctuary and all its sacred vessels: the ark, altar, table, menorah and more.
The menorah, the golden candelabra, was to be constructed from one solid piece of gold, hammered out and sculpted with many decorations on each branch.
The intricate design of the menorah puzzled the great leader. So, according to the Midrash, God told Moses: “Don’t worry. You just throw a piece of gold into the fire, and I will do the rest.”
Miraculously, the beautifully designed menorah came out of the fire. This explains why the Torah uses the word tayaseh, “shall the menorah be made,” a passive tense, rather than “shall you make the menorah.” It does so because Moshe didn’t actually make the menorah himself. Rather, it was made for him by God.
But was fashioning the menorah really so difficult and complicated? Betzalel, Moses’s chief designer, was a master craftsman. Much of the work in the sanctuary required exceptional skills and creative talent, but the workers still managed to do it. Indeed, the cover of the ark with the winged cherubs was also made of one solid piece of gold. Why did the menorah, in particular, present such a quandary for Moses?
My saintly teacher and mentor, the Rebbe, shared a profound interpretation: Moshe was not so perplexed by the physical instructions for building the candelabra as he was by its stated mission—to illuminate the world. The light of the menorah was to symbolically light up the entire world, far beyond the confines of the sanctuary. The seven-branched candelabra corresponded to the seven continents of the world and its light was to reach them all.
So, Moses pondered: “The world is so full of darkness, paganism and depravity. Barbaric nations surround us—Egyptians, Canaanites, Amalekites. How will a little candelabra illuminate so much darkness?”
Thus, God told Moses, “You put the gold in the fire, and I will do the rest.” This means: While you personally may not be able to change the world, remember that you are not alone. I will help you do it. I am with you. Your candelabra is not “made in China,” it is made by God. It is a Godly tool, a divine device, and God can achieve infinitely more than any human being.
And so it is today. Yes, it is a dark world. Dark and gloomy indeed. And it can be very depressing to all good people. The evil, the hate and the outpouring of such venom on the streets of the world’s capitals are all too much to bear. But always remember: You are not alone. Your efforts are not limited by your mortal constraints. God Himself empowers all decent and upright people with superhuman strength to defeat darkness and to light up the world with the power of good.
Some 125 million people watched the Super Bowl this past Sunday. Whether they were more interested in the football or Taylor Swift I’m not sure. But for 30 seconds a ray of light pierced the noise, penetrated the escapist indifference and shone a courageous message of decency and dignity; of virtue, integrity and sensitivity. It made the world stop, think and take notice of what is right and what is wrong. Thank you, Robert Kraft, for spreading so much light.
The Ethics of the Fathers teaches us, “It is not incumbent upon you to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” We may not be able to finish the task of changing the whole world, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. If every individual did his or her share, who knows how much we might achieve? One good deed goes a long way. Every Shabbat candle helps banish the darkness.
Whatever corner of the world we brighten, it will help illuminate the entire world. It is a gargantuan effort, but God is with us.
The post Lighting Up the World first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Father of Israeli Wounded in New Orleans: ‘Part of his Skull is Missing’
A member of the National Guard Military Police stands, in the area where people were killed by a man driving a truck in an attack during New Year’s celebrations, in New Orleans, Louisiana, US, Jan. 2, 2025. PHoto: REUTERS/Octavio Jones
JNS.org – In an interview, Israeli Hagai Levin described the impact of the injuries sustained by his son Adi, a member of the IDF Armored Corps, during the New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans by an ISIS-inspired terrorist who murdered 14 people and wounded dozens of others. The terrorist also died.
“His state fluctuates, but I’m optimistic. I’ll bring my son home. His life will change—he’ll have metal rods in his arms and legs, an open head wound and part of his skull is missing,” Hagai said.
“There are still injuries we’ll fully understand only in a month when we begin the head rehabilitation process. But he’ll return to us, and for that, we’re moving our home from the Golan Heights to Tel Aviv to be closer to Tel HaShomer Hospital [Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan].”
Adi remains bedridden, as does his friend and fellow IDF soldier Y. (who chooses to remain anonymous out of safety concerns). “I miss everyone terribly and am deeply grateful to the Jewish community here for their support,” Y. said.
The pair’s visit to New Orleans was part of a planned three-month road trip that took them from Nebraska to Los Angeles and then on to Texas and Louisiana. They did not make it to their planned destination of Florida.
Having seen the security camera video of the attack, Hagai said that the vehicle driven by Shamsud-Din Jabbar “hit Adi head-on, crushing his legs and head, dragging him along the road, and pushing his friend to the side.”
While praising the hospital as operating at an “incredible standard” and saying that “we are receiving exceptional care,” Hagai said that “despite their travel insurance, a single day of hospitalization here costs roughly the equivalent of the entire annual budget of Israel’s healthcare system combined. The expenses will exceed a million dollars.
“We are facing a long recovery ahead. He’s spent two weeks in the emergency room and will need several months in rehabilitation with complex surgeries. We won’t return to Israel before April.” Hagai said.
The post Father of Israeli Wounded in New Orleans: ‘Part of his Skull is Missing’ first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Netanyahu Hosts Trump Envoy on Gaza Hostage Talks
Steve Witkoff, founder of the Witkoff Group, gestures during a rally for Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden, in New York, US, Oct. 27, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
JNS.org – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Saturday afternoon with President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, in what was described as a “surprise visit” to discuss the multilateral negotiations with Hamas for the release of Israeli hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza.
Witkoff arrived in Israel after talks in Doha with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
Channel 12 cited a “senior Israeli” saying that Trump has been personally involved in the matter over the last couple of days, expressing his desire to urgently cement a deal before he enters office on Jan. 20.
Netanyahu is expected to hold a security assessment after which he will decide whether to send an Israeli delegation to Doha headed by Mossad and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) chiefs David Barnea and Ronen Bar, respectively.
According to Ynet, “additional progress” has been made in the negotiations but disagreements remain.
The report mentioned the transition from stage one of the proposed truce—a “humanitarian” phase of releasing hostages—to stage two as the main hurdle. The sides are arguing about legal wordings and each is insisting on keeping a degree of “freedom of action,” Ynet reported.
Qatari-owned, London-based newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed quoted a senior Hamas official as saying, “The final vision of the agreement is finished. There are arrangements between the mediators regarding the announcement of the agreement. We are all waiting for the envoy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to arrive in Doha and render his approval for the latest amendments.”
However, various Arab- and Hebrew-language reports gave conflicting reports on whether Hamas agreed to hand over a list of live hostages held in the Gaza Strip.
During a press conference at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on Tuesday, Witkoff, a Jewish businessman and longtime friend of the president-elect, expressed optimism about the ongoing discussions.
“I believe they’re doing an excellent job in Doha,” Witkoff said. “I’m hopeful that by the [Jan. 20] inauguration, we’ll have positive news to share on behalf of the president. It’s really the president’s vision, his reputation, and his words that are driving these negotiations. So, hopefully, everything will come together, and lives will be saved.”
When asked whether a deal could be reached before his inauguration, Trump said, “There better be.” He reiterated his stark warning about the fallout for Hamas if the hostages are not released.
The post Netanyahu Hosts Trump Envoy on Gaza Hostage Talks first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Los Angeles Issues New Evacuation Orders as Thickening Smoke Causes Health Emergency
Flames rise from a structure as the Palisades fire burns during a windstorm on the west side of Los Angeles, California, US, Jan. 8, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ringo Chiu
i24 News – The Palisades fire raging in the Los Angeles region shifted east on Friday night, triggering new evacuation orders and further aggravating the titanic health and safety emergency in America’s second largest city.
Palisades is the largest of six simultaneous wildfires that have devastated Los Angeles County neighborhoods stretching across an area larger than San Francisco since Tuesday, killing at least 11 people and damaging or destroying around 12,000 structures. The numbers are expected to rise once it is safe enough for firefighters to conduct house-to-house searches.
The LA Department of Public Health said it had declared a local health emergency and issued a public health officer order in response “to the widespread impacts of the ongoing multiple critical fire events and windstorm conditions.”
The statement further said that “the fires, coupled with strong winds, have severely degraded air quality by releasing hazardous smoke and particulate matter, posing immediate and long-term risks to public health.”
Allegations of leadership failures and incompetence were flying, with Governor of California Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass singled out for opprobrium.
Newsom ordered state officials to determine why a 117 million-gallon (440 million-liter) reservoir was out of service and some hydrants ran dry, calling it “deeply troubling.”
Los Angeles fire chief, Kristin Crowley, said city leadership failed her department by not providing sufficient funds for firefighting. She also pointed out the lack of water. “When a firefighter comes up to a hydrant, we expect there’s going to be water,” she said.
The post Los Angeles Issues New Evacuation Orders as Thickening Smoke Causes Health Emergency first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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