Engagement

The above picture is from Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

What a poor attempt to make Disengagement attractive. There is nothing engaging about Disengagement - the name itself represents a regressive spirit of cutting and slashing, retreat and loss. The people leading the Disengagement are the same people who are building a wall - a scar - unto the beautiful landscape of Israel. They believe that the cancer of our enemy has spread so much that we must cut off parts of our own body. Yet these same people couch their radical retreat surgery in the language of 'peace' and 'process' and 'moving forward.'

The Torah tells us that while Abraham was preparing animals for the Covenant of the Parts with Hashem, vultures came down to peck away at the carcass. Undeterred, Abraham shooed away the vultures and proceeded with the ceremony. The Disengagement and the Wall are merely vultures trying to disrupt Israel's progress. Our mission is to calmly shoo away the vultures, and to proceed with our mission.

Those who are shocked by the state of affairs, and those who think everything is falling apart, need to remember the lessons of the Tanach. Jewish history is long, kings come and go, as do periods. Ours is a period of transition and growth - not destruction. Gush Katif and Northern Shomron have only grown since the announcement of the evil edict. Hashem works in mysterious and unorthodox ways. With the help of G-d, Gush Katif and the Shomron, as well as the whole Land of Israel will remain in our hands and will be passed to our children.

This is no time for despair, rather, it is a time of action. Better than a pessimist, is an optimist, and better than an optimist is an activist.

Happy Israel Independence Day!