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This Year Proves That God Exists Even in the Darkest of Times
In 1966, Richard Rubenstein, a theologian grappling with the existential aftermath of the Holocaust, shocked the Jewish world with his groundbreaking work, After Auschwitz. Casting the Holocaust as an anomaly that defied religious faith, Rubenstein challenged the very foundation of traditional Jewish belief, declaring that “God is dead.”
This provocative notion was a radical reinterpretation of the 19th-century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s declaration that “God is dead,” a statement Nietzsche used to express the collapse of traditional values and the erosion of absolute moral certainties in the modern world, resulting from an unprecedented crisis of faith.
For Rubenstein, however, the overwhelming horrors and brutality of the Holocaust — where six million Jews, including one million children, were brutally murdered — made it impossible to believe in an all-powerful, benevolent God who intervenes in history.
Rubenstein argued that if God truly controlled the course of human events, then He must have willed the atrocities of the Holocaust — a concept Rubenstein found morally repugnant. In confronting this terrifying possibility, Rubenstein aimed to expose what he saw as the hidden, darker implications of classical Jewish theology. He believed he was stripping away comforting illusions and forcing a confrontation with the unsettling truth that, at best, God is not as we have traditionally understood Him to be.
Although, despite his radical rejection of the traditional God of history, Rubenstein, a paradoxical figure in post-Holocaust theology, never entirely abandoned the concept of the divine. He continued to wrestle with a profound sense of loss as he searched for meaning in the very mystery he had declared dead.
One traditional theologian who challenged Rubenstein’s view was Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner, a leading Orthodox thinker, who offered an entirely different perspective. Rabbi Hutner acknowledged the profound mystery of the Holocaust but insisted that it was unequivocally part of the divine plan, which we, as limited human beings, cannot fully grasp.
Rabbi Hutner spoke of the Holocaust as a form of Chevlei Mashiach — the birth pangs of the Messiah — emphasizing that Jewish suffering has always preceded periods of redemption. For him, the Holocaust was a call for Jews to deepen their faith and commitment to the Torah, even when confronted with such overwhelming tragedy, in the belief that “in the concealment itself lies the pathway to redemption.”
This contrast between Rubenstein’s and Rabbi Hutner’s approaches to the Holocaust highlights the profound tension between what is hidden and what is revealed — a theme central to Parshat Nitzavim, where Moses declares, “The hidden things (nistarot) belong to God, but the revealed (niglot) things belong to us and to our children forever” (Deut. 29:28).
This critically important statement of faith underscores the duality that defines our relationship with the divine: certain aspects of God’s will and the workings of the universe remain concealed, always beyond human comprehension, while others are revealed to us, guiding our actions and responsibilities.
This tension between the hidden and the revealed becomes even more complex when we consider that what we think of as hidden may one day be revealed, and what we perceive as revealed may ultimately prove to be beyond our understanding — hidden in a more profound sense.
In the unfolding of history, certain events or truths that seem clear and understood at one moment can later become obscured by new revelations or more profound mysteries. Conversely, the hidden may reveal itself suddenly — and when that rock is lifted, what we find underneath may shock us to the core.
This dynamic has been playing out in stark relief over the past year as we consider the events of October 7th and what has happened since. One horrific day and its aftermath have brought to light the deeply entrenched hatred against Jews and Israel that was somehow previously hidden from — or ignored by — much of the world. We simply did not know the breadth and depth of Jew hatred, and now we know.
At the same time, the full extent of how the events of that terrible day came to pass and the forces at play that allowed it to happen remain shrouded in mystery, leaving us grappling with the limits of our understanding as we try to make sense of what has been revealed and what remains concealed.
Some might react to the revelations of deep-seated animosity and antipathy towards Jews and Israel, particularly by those we thought to be considered and intelligent, in much the same way Rubenstein responded to the horrors of the Holocaust — with a profound sense of despair and disillusionment.
When the spotlight catches these dreadful sentiments and their cheerleaders, it is easy to feel overwhelmed, as if the very foundations of our moral understanding have been shaken. We could succumb to the darkness of these revelations, questioning the trust and values we once held dear.
Or, we could take a different approach and say that God has done us a great favor by arming us with previously hidden information that we now need to effectively navigate the complexities of our world. Though painful and disturbing, this knowledge is crucial if we are to find a path forward. The nistarot have evolved into niglot, and can serve as a guiding light, helping us to better understand the challenges we face so that we respond with greater clarity and purpose.
Most importantly, in the face of these revelations, we must not retreat into despair, but rather, we must rise to the challenge that these newfound niglot present. The exposure of hitherto hidden hatred and animosity is both a warning and a call to action. It reminds us that while nistarot belong to God and may remain beyond our grasp, niglot are ours, and we must confront and address them.
Let us thank God that we have been given the clarity to see the world as it truly is, without the comforting illusions that once shielded us from harsh realities. This clarity, painful as it may be, should not be seen as a burden—but rather as a source of empowerment, equipping us to act with purpose and determination. It demands that we respond—not with fear, but with faith; not with resignation, but with resolve.
As we move forward, guided by what has been revealed to us over the past few months, let us deepen our commitment to our values, strengthen our communities and Jewish identity like never before, and work untiringly to ensure that the lessons of the past and the truths of the present propel us towards a future that is better for us all.
In this way, we will transform the darkness of recent revelations into a beacon of hope, ensuring that the path we forge for ourselves is illuminated by truth, faith, and a commitment to God’s purpose that still guides us — even through the most difficult of times. God is not dead. He is very much alive.
The author is a rabbi in Beverly Hills, California.
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Iranian Media Claims Obtaining ‘Sensitive’ Israeli Intelligence Materials
FILE PHOTO: The atomic symbol and the Iranian flag are seen in this illustration, July 21, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
i24 News – Iranian and Iran-affiliated media claimed on Saturday that the Islamic Republic had obtained a trove of “strategic and sensitive” Israeli intelligence materials related to Israel’s nuclear facilities and defense plans.
“Iran’s intelligence apparatus has obtained a vast quantity of strategic and sensitive information and documents belonging to the Zionist regime,” Iran’s state broadcaster said, referring to Israel in the manner accepted in those Muslim or Arab states that don’t recognize its legitimacy. The statement was also relayed by the Lebanese site Al-Mayadeen, affiliated with the Iran-backed jihadists of Hezbollah.
The reports did not include any details on the documents or how Iran had obtained them.
The intelligence reportedly included “thousands of documents related to that regime’s nuclear plans and facilities,” it added.
According to the reports, “the data haul was extracted during a covert operation and included a vast volume of materials including documents, images, and videos.”
The report comes amid high tensions over Iran’s nuclear program, over which it is in talks with the US administration of President Donald Trump.
Iranian-Israeli tensions reached an all-time high since the October 7 massacre and the subsequent Gaza war, including Iranian rocket fire on Israel and Israeli aerial raids in Iran that devastated much of the regime’s air defenses.
Israel, which regards the prospect of the antisemitic mullah regime obtaining a nuclear weapon as an existential threat, has indicated it could resort to a military strike against Iran’s installations should talks fail to curb uranium enrichment.
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Israel Retrieves Body of Thai Hostage from Gaza
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz looks on, amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, in Jerusalem, Nov. 7, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
The Israeli military has retrieved the body of a Thai hostage who had been held in Gaza since Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack, Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday.
Nattapong Pinta’s body was held by a Palestinian terrorist group called the Mujahedeen Brigades, and was recovered from the area of Rafah in southern Gaza, Katz said. His family in Thailand has been notified.
Pinta, an agricultural worker, was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz, a small Israeli community near the Gaza border where a quarter of the population was killed or taken hostage during the Hamas attack that triggered the devastating war in Gaza.
Israel’s military said Pinta had been abducted alive and killed by his captors, who had also killed and taken to Gaza the bodies of two more Israeli-American hostages that were retrieved earlier this week.
There was no immediate comment from the Mujahedeen Brigades, who have previously denied killing their captives, or from Hamas. The Israeli military said the Brigades were still holding the body of another foreign national. Only 20 of the 55 remaining hostages are believed to still be alive.
The Mujahedeen Brigades also held and killed Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, according to Israeli authorities. Their bodies were returned during a two-month ceasefire, which collapsed in March after the two sides could not agree on terms for extending it to a second phase.
Israel has since expanded its offensive across the Gaza Strip as US, Qatari and Egyptian-led efforts to secure another ceasefire have faltered.
US-BACKED AID GROUP HALTS DISTRIBUTIONS
The United Nations has warned that most of Gaza’s 2.3 million population is at risk of famine after an 11-week Israeli blockade of the enclave, with the rate of young children suffering from acute malnutrition nearly tripling.
Aid distribution was halted on Friday after the US-and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said overcrowding had made it unsafe to continue operations. It was unclear whether aid had resumed on Saturday.
The GHF began distributing food packages in Gaza at the end of May, overseeing a new model of aid distribution which the United Nations says is neither impartial nor neutral. It says it has provided around 9 million meals so far.
The Israeli military said on Saturday that 350 trucks of humanitarian aid belonging to U.N. and other international relief groups were transferred this week via the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza.
The war erupted after Hamas-led terrorists took 251 hostages and killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, in the October 7, 2023 attack, Israel’s single deadliest day.
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US Mulls Giving Millions to Controversial Gaza Aid Foundation, Sources Say
Palestinians carry aid supplies which they received from the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in the central Gaza Strip, May 29, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ramadan Abed/File Photo
The State Department is weighing giving $500 million to the new foundation providing aid to war-shattered Gaza, according to two knowledgeable sources and two former US officials, a move that would involve the US more deeply in a controversial aid effort that has been beset by violence and chaos.
The sources and former US officials, all of whom requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said that money for Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) would come from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which is being folded into the US State Department.
The plan has met resistance from some US officials concerned with the deadly shootings of Palestinians near aid distribution sites and the competence of the GHF, the two sources said.
The GHF, which has been fiercely criticized by humanitarian organizations, including the United Nations, for an alleged lack of neutrality, began distributing aid last week amid warnings that most of Gaza’s 2.3 million population is at risk of famine after an 11-week Israeli aid blockade, which was lifted on May 19 when limited deliveries were allowed to resume.
The foundation has seen senior personnel quit and had to pause handouts twice this week after crowds overwhelmed its distribution hubs.
The State Department and GHF did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Reuters has been unable to establish who is currently funding the GHF operations, which began in Gaza last week. The GHF uses private US security and logistics companies to transport aid into Gaza for distribution at so-called secure distribution sites.
On Thursday, Reuters reported that a Chicago-based private equity firm, McNally Capital, has an “economic interest” in the for-profit US contractor overseeing the logistics and security of GHF’s aid distribution hubs in the enclave.
While US President Donald Trump’s administration and Israel say they don’t finance the GHF operation, both have been pressing the United Nations and international aid groups to work with it.
The US and Israel argue that aid distributed by a long-established U.N. aid network was diverted to Hamas. Hamas has denied that.
USAID has been all but dismantled. Some 80 percent of its programs have been canceled and its staff face termination as part of President Donald Trump’s drive to align US foreign policy with his “America First” agenda.
One source with knowledge of the matter and one former senior official said the proposal to give the $500 million to GHF has been championed by acting deputy USAID Administrator Ken Jackson, who has helped oversee the agency’s dismemberment.
The source said that Israel requested the funds to underwrite GHF’s operations for 180 days.
The Israeli government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The two sources said that some US officials have concerns with the plan because of the overcrowding that has affected the aid distribution hubs run by GHF’s contractor, and violence nearby.
Those officials also want well-established non-governmental organizations experienced in running aid operations in Gaza and elsewhere to be involved in the operation if the State Department approves the funds for GHF, a position that Israel likely will oppose, the sources said.
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