Last week, I received a call from a doctor who is a member of Sinai Temple. He told me about a patient who brought him an envelope with a message attached. It read, “Here is a donation, please give it to someone who will bless the people of Israel.” On the envelope was a sticky note with the words of Isaiah, a blessing to the future of the Jewish people.
Just moments before, I had received another call from a Sinai Temple member asking me to meet Daniel Sharabi. Daniel, along with his brother Neriya, are NOVA survivors. Daniel was about to come to the United States in October of 2023 to become a commercial pilot when he decided to have a going away party at the NOVA festival. He arrived with his friend Yosef-Haim Ohana, who was eventually kidnapped and is one of the remaining hostages alive in Gaza. Daniel sat in my office and told me his story, what went from instant joy to immediate heartbreak and deep depression. He showed me unimaginable pictures and videos of what he did that day, giving first aid to young people around him. Ultimately, Daniel Sharabi saved over 70 people, hiding them near a tank, and shielding them from terrorists. Today, Daniel is setting up a community center so that NOVA survivors could find a place to have a purpose in their lives again.
Before he left my office, he asked if he could put on tefillin.
The next day, the Flesh Family Sinai Temple Israel Center had the opportunity to host Mayor Alon Davidi, the mayor of Sderot since 2013. He too explained what happened to his city just 1 kilometer from the Gaza border, as 72 residents were murdered and the police station was overtaken by Hamas. Just days later, his entire city fled across the country to hotels in Eilat, the Dead Sea and Jerusalem. After 6 months, he made the decision to open Sderot once again. As his community was recreated so too did the people find purpose once again – children learning, friends playing, neighbors enjoying Shabbat.
This week we read the words in our parsha that we say each time the Torah is removed from the ark, that details how the ark traveled with the people in the wilderness.
In learning the stories of Daniel Sharabi and Mayor Davidi, it is quite obvious that we are still in that wilderness. And yet, it is most beautiful that we are surrounded by a love of Torah, community, and compassion. People with a passion and purpose for life, who understand that even in our most dire of circumstances, there are also beautiful days ahead.
