Tag: batman

Time for Lions, not sheep

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik
Beautiful art in memory of the Bibas children and the missing Shiri Bibas by Joanne Fink

I’m exhausted physically, emotionally, and spiritually today. I didn’t think I had anything left to write. And then a few things happened that changed that.

First, my friend Joanne Fink, an amazing artist, shared what she created in memory of the Bibas children and to remember Shiri Bibas, who’s body was not returned yesterday and who remains missing. This powerful piece of art both warmed and broke my heart at the same time. I look at the pictures of the two boys, Ariel and Kfir, and see their sweetness. I look at Shiri and see a mother in love with her husband and two children, with a family and dreams that were shattered. It leaves me warm inside, broken inside, and confused. I rotate between aching for Yarden Bibas who survived nearly 500 days of captivity and torture by Hamas only to come home to discover his children were brutally murdered and his wife is dead and pure rage at Hamas for how they murdered these children and their mother. That doesn’t even take into account the Red Cross who never visited a single hostage, UNRWA who participated in the events of October 7th and who’s employees took and hid hostages. It doesn’t include the ICC and their ludicrous antisemitic claims of war crimes and genocide against Israel. We saw the Ariel and Kfir Bibas what real war crimes look like.

In The Wall Street Journal, Bernard-Henri Lévy poses challenges with what the last weeks of Kfir and Ariel Bibas’ lives may have looked like, after the infant and toddler’s bodies were identified by forensics following their release from Gaza. He writes:

“One must imagine the life of Kfir and Ariel as hostages if, as is probable, they were torn from their mother’s arms. Imagine the life of a baby who spends most of his time in dark, damp tunnels. Imagine the life of a toddler, ripped from his family without understanding. Picture them playing, because children always play. Did they have stuffed animals or spent shell casings? Legos or guns to lick instead of honey-coated letters? Were they hungry? Thirsty? Did they scrape mud with their tiny nails or drink contaminated water? Did the captors change Kfir’s diapers, or did they let him sit in his own filth until his skin burned? Did they have talcum powder? Medicine for fevers? What did the masked jailers do when the boys cried, were scared of night noises, or asked the stars about their fate when they were briefly allowed outside? Did they hit them? Strike them with rifle butts? Did they amuse themselves by firing their Kalashnikovs into the air to frighten them further? Did Ariel become the guardian of his baby brother? Did they live out their brief lives together or separately?”

I doubt that they were treated humanely. I doubt that Kfir had his diaper changed frequently if at all. The horror that this toddler and infant must have experienced is unbearable. Before reading his words, I couldn’t go to a place of imagining how their life must have been from October 7th until their death a few weeks later. Now it is all I can think of. That, along with the ways that Hamas, UNRWA, the Red Cross, the UN, the ICC, and all those who used their Jew hatred to ensure these children suffered horribly, should pay for their crimes. It may not be healthy, but I want vengence. I want those involved with this evil to pay a horrible price. I want the world to understand that Jewish blood and Jewish lives are not cheap. It has a high price. Perhaps when the Jew haters see the price that is paid for those who choose evil and hate, we can encourage others to walk away because they don’t want the consequences of their actions and of their hate. It would be nice if we lived in a world where people were filled with gratitude all the time, appreciative for what that have, and didn’t hate those who were different. Unfortunately we don’t. We live in a world where peace comes through strength and often times through fear. People choose not to act because of the fear of the consquences rather than their righteous belief and actions. It is why there is a status titled “Righteous among the nations” for those who were not Jewish yet stood up and took action against the Nazis of their own free will. The reason is that is not the norm. It’s not what people usually do.

I knew that I would be angry if it turned out the Bibas family was murdered by the terrorists. I didn’t think I realized how angry. I didn’t think I prepared for my anger at the world for minimizing the fact that it was the ‘INNOCENT CIVILIANS’ that kidnapped the Bibas family. I didn’t prepare myself for the brutality of their murder or how they would be returned. I was worried that their murder might be like God with Pharoah, hardening my heart. It seems each hostage return shows more and more of the visciousness of Hamas. Their evil. Starving the hostages. No medical care. Beating them. Isolating them. The horror stories go on and on and those are just the ones we know. Unfortunately I am sure there are many more that aren’t public and may never be public. The way that Ariel and Kfir were murdered, strangled by adult terrorists and then having their bodies desecrated to attempt to hide the way they were murdered, is the icing on the cake for me. I’m done. Any hope that I had for peace are gone. There can be no peace with these monsters. I always had problems with the commandment in the Torah to completely destroy Amalek, even making the point that the obligation is the complete destruction of the Amalekites. It didn’t seem to fit with the Jewish values of Tikkun Olam (repair the world), the Jewish opportunity for Teshuvah (repentence) or our value for human life. In light of October 7th and now the knowledge of the murder of the Bibas family and these beautiful children, the context seems a bit clearer. Sometimes the opportunity for Teshuvah are simply lost. Sometimes the only way to repair the world is to remove things from it, the way we remove tumors from our bodies to allow the body to heal. Sometimes the only way to save lives is to eliminate others. It’s hard writing these words. It’s difficult feeling their impact as they sink in. It is even harder and more difficult to hear the stories of those taken hostage, to stand at the site of the Nova Music Festival and try to comprehend the evil that occurred there, or to walk through Kibbutz Kfar Aza and see what happened to these peace loving people who only wanted to live there in peace with their neighbors in Gaza. I don’t know if this makes me a bad person or it is a character flaw. I only know that it makes me human and that I will fight for the eradication of evil no matter who it is, no matter who they target, and no matter the cost. Evil simply can’t win. Hamas and the terrorists are evil.

Each Friday, my friend Ari Shabat send out a short video about the Torah portion or something related, connecting it to our daily life. This week he talked about prayer and the Bibas family. How we have prayed for this family to return safely for over 500 days. How these children have become part of our life and we only want to see the them returned and returning to life. Despite all our prayers, this did not happen. So does prayer work? Was it worth it? They were murdered in November 2023 and we have been praying for them even after they were actually dead.

The answer is yes. The proof is that on the same day they were officially declared dead and the corpses of these beautiful children were identified, 3 bombs blew up on busses outside Tel Aviv at 9 pm. After a thorough investigation, 2 more bombs were found on busses in Tel Aviv, set for 9 am. There is a big difference in 9 pm and 9 am. At 9 pm the busses were parked and nobody was on them. At 9 am, they would be packed with people and in major city centers. Perhaps, our prayers that couldn’t save the Bibas children and their mother, because they were already dead, instead saved hundreds of people on the day their death became official. You can watch his video and think about it yourself

Since it was made official that the Bibas babies were murdered, my social media feed has been filled with images. I wanted to share some of the powerful ones here. The Bibas family will not be forgotten. The massive outcry is far overdue. The reality of Hamas and how they attacked, murdered, and kidnapped those who most wanted peace is beginning to sink in for the masses. The President of Argentina made a day of mourning for the Bibas family (they are Argentinian). Americans finally woke up to the fact that there were Americans murdered and taken hostage on October 7th. The public displays that Hamas has held upon each hostage release is finally being seen by the masses who chose to ignore evil.

This morning I say this video of the Bibas family. It broke my heart to watch. I urge you to watch it. You will be deeply touched knowing this bright family, filled with hope for the future, filled with love and joy, was exterminated my Hamas and their evil.

When I saw this video of Ariel Bibas, in full batman costume, running down the sidewalk and heard his voice crying out in joy, I was devastated. Watch it and yoou will realize that the’innocents in Gaza‘ not only kidnapped this little boy, they handed him over to Hamas who then strangled him with their hands and then brutalized his dead body to try to cover it up. Unbelievable evil. Unbelievable horror.

Ariel Bibas (z’l) as Batman. He and Kfir were part of all our families.

I have been changed since October 7th and again just this past week with the confirmation of the murder of Ariel, Kfir, and Shiri Bibas. It is no longer enough to try to wake up those who have their heads in the sand. It is no longer enough to try to educate those who don’t know. It’s time to wake those who will fight. It is time to take those who are ready to fight, who are ready to take action, who understand that the world of October 6, 2023 no longer exists and never will again. We live in a new reality and a new world. Are you a sheep that needs to be woken up? Are you a sheep that needs a lion to protect you? Or are you a Lion, ready to fight. Ready to defend your life and your people. Are you willing to take the risk and hope that you and your family are not next or are you going to do all you can to ensure that the murder of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir never happens to another Jewish family again? It’s your decision. It’s your actions. It’s up to you to decide. I know that I’m a lion. I am roaring loudly so you have to listen. And I will fight to protect my family – not just my wife and children, but my entire Jewish family around the globe. If you are a sheep, that means I’ll be doing my best to protect you until you decide you want to be a lion too.

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A day of powerful mixed emotions with a lesson learned.

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

Today was both a day I had dreaded for a long time and one I had happily anticipated for a long time. Talk about a conflict of emotions. Today, the bodies of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas along with the body of Oded Lifshitz were returned to Israel from Gaza by Hamas. Since October 7th, along with so many others, we hoped and prayed for the return of the entire Bibas family. We were afraid that they would not return home alive. When Yarden was returned a few weeks ago, we hoped the family would be reunited and we would get to experience that joy. Today, we officially knew, that joy would never be realized.

More than not realized, the way Hamas returned the coffins of these children they attacked, kidnapped, held hostage, and murdered was disgusting. The way they paraded the coffins of Oded and Shiri through the streets of Gaza was horrifying. Just when you think they can’t sink lower, can’t show the world just how evil they are even clearer, they do.

Hamas locked the coffins and didn’t give Israel the keys. They put propoganda inside the coffins. They put pictures of other hostages on the exterior of the coffins. They used a full size for both Ariel and Kfir so the world wouldn’t see how they murdered the innocent children that they kidnapped and took hostage.

I know I am not alone in grieving the loss of the Bibas children and their mother. Of feeling the unimaginable pain of Yarden. The Bibas family loved Batman and the images of them wearing Batman costumes and shirts and pajamas are iconic. The piece below captures our loss powerfully as Batman himself grieves as the three orange stars in the sky remind us what we have lost.

A cartoon by Israeli artist Adva Sanot – The Bibas family loved Batman. This cuts deep.

There were busses bombed in Bat Yam today and more bombs found on busses in Tel Aviv that were set to go off tomorrow morning. It won’t get the worldwide attention that it should because the target of the bombs were Jews. The fact that the innocent Palestinians were the ones who planted the bombs, who planned to murder as many innocent people as they could with these explosives will be lost in the media.

The UN continues to brag about how much food and medical attention they have provided in Gaza while also claiming famine and no medical supplies or facilities existing. They can blatently lie because the world allows them to do so. Nobody calls them out on the lies, they instead use them to create more Jew hatred. The other day, comedian Jerry Seinfeld said what so many people are feeling. What so many people have been waiting to hear.

Today was also a day I have been anticipating. This past summer, we lost our 13 1/2 year old chocolate lab, Bella. She brought us so much joy it was very hard to say goodbye. Our house hasn’t been the same since. A couple of months ago, we decided to get another lab. The loss of Bella was so hard on all of us, we decided to get a puppy so we would have her for as long as possible. Today was pick-up day for our new puppy. Today is the day that she came home to live with us. Since we knew we were getting her, she was a part of our family. We visited her about 10 days ago and each day since was another day closer to having her. I got up early, drove to Dunellen to the breeder, and picked her up. She sat on the front seat next to me, chewing on my hand. My thumb was her favorite. Partway home, she decided to climb into my lap, lay her head in the crook of my right arm, and take a little nap. The drive home was special as we bonded.

Charlotte (Charlie) on the way home in the car, in the house, and out in the yard.

The love and joy I felt is indescribable. I struggled with the knowledge that they bodies of Bibas family were being identified at the same time that I was filled with joy as we added Charlotte (Charlie) to our family. Having her home, exploring our house, playing in our yard, bouncing around filled with life, was such incredible light that my heart was full while also being broken.

Watching this little girl hop and run and chase the tennis ball warmed my heart.

I find myself focused today on the power of evil and how it robs us of joy. It robs us of the wonder of life. Hamas is evil. Full stop. They have no redeeming quality. They have no reason to exist other than hate. And they need to be eliminated, not just as an idea but all those who participated in the horror of October 7th, the taking of hostages, the keeping of the hostages, the torturing of hostages. I don’t care if they put on a journalist t-shirt or have a medical degree. They are not journalists or doctors. They are not teachers or leaders of civil society. They are terrorists. They are evil. And they must be eliminated.

In May and July of 2024, I visited the Nova music festival site. It was painful both times. I had a chance to join with others to sing, to bring music back to this place that was ripped apart on October 7th. Both times I got to hear the story of Rami Davidian, a farmer at a local Moshav, who saved 750 people from the Nova site on October 7th. I was able to video record his talk in July. Near the end, he talks about what he did on October 8th, when he returned to the site to provide some dignity to the dead. As he talks about the women who were tied to the trees that he cut down, closed their legs and covered them for dignity as he said the Shema over their bodies, you can see the pain in his eyes. The emotion gets to him more about October 8th and what those women endured before being murdered than anything on October 7th. As he looked at the trees, I could see him still seeing the women tied to those trees. It’s something I will never forget and I can’t imagine how he will live with those memories. Stolen joy. Stolen life. Stolen dignity.

I know that I have changed since October 7th. And I know I have changed with the events after October 7th. And I know that the murder of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas have changed me again. I also know that adding Charlotte (Charlie) to our family has changed me in a different way. I won’t let the Jew haters or the terrorists change who I am as a human being. I also won’t let them win. The same way Jerry Seinfeld called out the guy who thought he was being funny, I can also not allow stupid, hateful, racist, bigoted comments to go unchallenged. We can all stand up and speak out the same way that Secretary of State Marco Rubio wouldn’t allow CBS Anchor Margaret Brennan to get away with telling a lie and speaking untruths on Face the Nation. We need to be forceful like Seinfeld and Rubio. We need to not allow the lies to go unchallenged.

We need to remember the facts and not be afraid to say them. A large-scale survey of Gazans, conducted by researchers from Oxford University and published in Foreign Affairs just last week, showed that 98% of those surveyed described themselves as religious, and nearly as many said they saw the conflict with Israel in religious, not political terms: The Jews were usurpers who must be banished. How? When asked, 47% said they wanted to see Israel destroyed and replaced with a strict Islamic state governed by Sharia law, and 20% said they would settle merely for the forced removal of all Jews and their transfer to wherever it was their ancestors had lived prior to immigrating to Israel. You can read an article about the study here.

This isn’t about land or a state. This is about eliminating the Jews. Those who want to argue otherwise need to be called out and held to account. No more hiding. No more quiet. No more putting our heads in the sand. It’s not just that we owe it to ourselves and to our children and grandchildren. We owe it to Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas.

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