Israelis, Palestinians, and others were enjoying a music festival in the Israeli desert, unaware of the impending murderous Hamas attack. There is no way that we, safe in our surroundings, can imagine the slaughter that blindsided them.
As we viewed the television reports of this horrific event, we also witnessed a display of courage and kindness that everyone shared with one another. In that moment, no one was questioning each other’s nationality or religious or political affiliation. All were terrified human beings needing each other.
In response to this attack it’s no surprise to learn that Jewish synagogues and Muslim mosques here in the United States are requiring more security measures. Hate has been generated and regenerated over time among anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim sympathizers throughout the world.
In the midst of my armchair diplomacy, my focus is on the recent reporting of 57,000 human lives lost (in addition to countless others injured) in the Israel-Hamas conflict to date. Equally horrifying is the recent reporting of some 500,000 human beings killed or injured in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. These are more than numbers. All of these people had mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandchildren, and dear friends, all of whom are impacted by conflicts.
Seventy-nine years ago, at age 20, I was engaged to Joe, a handsome, kind young man and bright law student. Joe left his studies and the safety of home to join the army. Like so many young people in World War II, Joe was an idealist, willing to fight and die to save democracy and rid the world of dictators and fascism.
That dear young man was one of hundreds of thousands who made the ultimate sacrifice of their lives to fight in the second “war to end all wars,” which did not happen. In fact, millions of Europeans — among them both my mother’s grandparents and my father’s parents — became victims of Hitler’s death camps. War and death, man’s inhumanity to man, continue, perpetuated by greed, hate, and power-madness.
Usually I can find some positive aspect of human behavior to discuss. However, even the kindness and helpfulness shared at the music festival was obliterated by the ensuing hate displayed by all sides as the conflict escalated.
A rage-fueled response is not a pathway to future peace. Israel has the advantage of great firepower and could destroy Gaza and likely other areas in the Middle East, but should they respond with this level of force? Yet Israel is outraged. Can we expect a measured response?
My seemingly impossible hope and prayer is for Israel to heed the teachings of the Bible, that we must turn swords into plough shares so our children can inherit a peaceful world.
Is it possible, amid flaring tempers and incendiary attacks, to shine the light of our humanity amid the dark, destructive actions of Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists? A basic tenet of Judaism is to value every life. The Talmud says, “If you save one life, you save the world.”
The Muslim Quran similarly expresses the sacredness of life. Its fundamental values are to spread peace, tolerance, mercy, and compassion. The Arabic word “Islam” means “Peace.”
How sad to think that, generation after generation, we perpetuate hate. Should I continue to hate Germany because Hitler’s forces killed both my great-grandparents in their death camps and my dear fiance in Normandy? Should I hate the Japanese for bombing Pearl Harbor which killed some of my close friends? How many generations of hate must there be before we learn to accept one another in peace? Let us instead actively find ways to foster our collective humanity.
“All we are saying is give peace a chance.” (John Lennon, the Beatles)
Harriet Hausman, a longtime River Forest resident, is, at the age of 99½ likely the oldest regular newspaper columnist in this country, if not the world.