Tag: hamas

If not now, when?

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

This week, the bodies of Judi Weinstein Haggai, 70, an Israeli who held U.S. and Canadian citizenship, and her husband, Gad Haggai, 72, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, were recovered in Gaza and returned to Israel. Let that statement sink in. They were innocent civilians, murdered by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Murdering them wasn’t enough for Hamas. They had to take their dead bodies and bring them back to Gaza, further tormenting their families. Almost 20 months later, their bodies were found by the IDF and returned to Israel for burial.

This is outrageous. Murdering innocent senior citizens is horrific. Kidnapping their bodies to cause more emotional harm is inhuman. Yet the world wasn’t bothered by this. It was almost a non-story with no outrage. The fact that there remain 56 hostages in Gaza, 20 months later, and that 36 of them are dead bodies doesn’t cause the world any agita.

Judi Weinstein Haggai (z’l) and Gad Haggai (z’l). May their memories always be a blessing.

The United Nations security council, on the same day that the bodies of Judi and Gad were recovered, attempted to pass a resolution demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza without linking it to the release of hostages. The United States veto stopped the other 14 other members of the council who voted in favor of the resolution from this bigoted resolution. The resolution described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “catastrophic” and called on Israel to lift all restrictions on the delivery of aid to the 2.1 million Palestinians in the territory while not assessing any of the blame to the UN or Hamas. The UN doesn’t deliver the aid and Hamas steals the aid and sells it on the black market. The UN fails to support the efforts of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) who on its most recent day of operations distributed 1,441,440 meals and who over the 8 days of their operation have delivered approximately 8.48 million meals, all without the corruption of the UN or allowing Hamas to steal from them. How do we know that the GHF is actually working? Hamas and the UN are doing everything they can to shut it down. It’s a threat to their power. It’s a threat to their control. We see Hamas shooting those trying to get food from GHF.

Video of Hamas shooting and killing Gazans lining up to get food

With Hamas losing control and the people of Gaza believing they can speak their minds without the risk of being killed or having their family killed. As they speak out publicly, a different story is being told that what the media and the UN have been feeding the world. This is why you don’t see it on any media – it goes against their agenda. Watch and listen yourself.

Listen to the people of Gaza speak directly without the lies of the UN or the media

Despite the words of the people of Gaza, despite the proof of no famine and food getting directly to the people in Gaza through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, countries such as England, France, and Canada continue to blame Israel and try to force peace without the hostages being returned and without Hamas being removed from power. The antisemitism is coming from leadership of many countries along with people who need to have a cause to fight for because they have no meaning in their lives and need to find somebody to blame or need a cause to fight for, regardless of whether it is just or righteous. People like Greta Thunburg, who had her fifteen minutes of fame and needs to find a way to be back in the public eye. What better than to blame the Jews to become popular again? Why not take a small ship with enough food for those on it and a few people in Gaza, publicize it to the world, knowing you won’t make a difference but will get lots of media coverage. People like her care more about their own image and their own PR than the people of Gaza. They’d rather align themselves with Hamas, a terrorist organization, to get visibility and remain in the public eye.

Greta Thunburg once stood for something – now she’s just another Jew hater

Nattapong Pinta, a Thai national, was working in agriculture in the south of Israel on October 7th. He isn’t Jewish, isn’t Israeli, but was working in Israel which was enough for Hamas to kidnap and then murder him. This week, Israel recovered his body. That’s the evil of Hamas. They are born of hate. They feed on hate. If you are not part of Hamas or supporting Hamas in some way, you are a target of Hamas. Too many people don’t want to accept the truth. They want to find humanity where there is none. They’d rather see an underdog than true evil. They chant ‘Globalize the intifada’ and when it comes to them, to their city, to their neighborhood, and affects their lives, they will wonder what happened and try to find somebody else to blame.

Nattapong Pinta (z’l)

So we continue to fight. We fight Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran. We fight the Jew haters in the UN, France, and England. We fight those in Ireland and Australia who are terrorizing Jews under the guise of Israel. We don’t let people like Greta Thunberg, the members of the band Green Day, Mark Ruffalo, Susan Sarandan, Kanye West, Cynthia Nixon, John Cusak, Roger Waters and others get away with their lies, hatred and bigotry. We wear our Stars of David, Chai’s, and Kippot proudly while ensuring we have a mezzuzah on our door to signal our pride. We thank our allies like Patricia Heaton, who has chosen to publicly support the Jewish community and created a movement of non-Jews who are putting a mezzuzah on their home to show their support publicly.

Actress Patricia Heaton putting a mezzuzahon her front door, showing her support of the Jewish community

And we both give money to help support Israel, Israelis, and our local Jewish communities while also going to Israel to volunteer and show our support. I’ve been to Israel 23 times and the last 3, all after October 7th, have not only been incredibly meaningful to me but have also been meaningful to Israelis. I will never forget all the thank you’s I received, the stunned Israeli’s who couldn’t believe I would come in the middle of a war, the leaders of the town of Shlomi, a small religious town in the north of Israel who had been relocated to a hotel in Jerusalem for well over a year who not only were inspired by seeing us in Israel but that we prayed, learned, and were proud to be Jewish.

If you have been fighting, keep fighting. If you haven’t begun fighting yet, it’s time to begin fighting. If you’ve been to Israel since October 7th, go back. If you haven’t been to Israel since October 7th, it’s time to go. As a friend of mine’s mother told her right after October 7th, “If you don’t go, you’ll never forgive yourself.” The time in now to fight for the Jewish people, for Israel, and for yourselves and your family. The words of Rabbi Hillel are often quoted and sometimes sound like a cliche. Today, they mean more to me than ever. I hope they inspire you. As he famously said, “If not now, when?”

Speaking out against Jew hatred

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

A college friend forwarded me this post on LinkedIn by a friend of hers from childhood. In her own words, “I grew up w Joel. He is the best in his profession. He composes music for ads & commercials. He wrote the music for 7 commercials that ran during this years Super Bowl. He is a giant in the industry.” When I read his post I was horrified and inspired. I was angry and I was proud. I could relate. It’s personal. For all of us.

Last year, I was honored to be named Jury President for Music & Sound Craft at the 2025 The One Club for Creativity. I’ve supported The One Club for decades as a sponsor, advocate, judge, and multi-award winner. JSM has earned dozens of One Show Pencils and topped the One Show Global Creative Rankings both globally and domestically.

Shortly after accepting, I received an email from the CEO and Board stating that my personal social media posts unapologetically condemning antisemitism and supporting the Jewish people were “too much” and “triggering” to some at the Club. They said such posts would not be “tolerated.” They objected specifically to my use of the word eradicate when describing what I hoped would happen to the terrorists of October 7. They didn’t like my post celebrating the IDF’s elimination of Sinwar, the architect of 10/7, who raped, mutilated, burned babies, and held hostages. My expression of joy in his demise, they said, was also “too much.”

I refused to accommodate and resigned.

They knew my nephew serves in the IDF. This isn’t theoretical. It’s personal. My values, my family, my identity, my people were under attack. Again.

In a follow-up call, TOCC leadership asked what they could do to keep me. I requested one simple thing: a specific, standalone statement condemning antisemitism—like they’ve done for BLM, LGBTQ+, AAPI, Ukraine, and others. Instead, they sent a vague, diluted message grouping antisemitism with racism, xenophobia, homophobia, Islamophobia, etc., scheduled to run on Holocaust Remembrance Day.

I told them how tone-deaf and offensive that was. They refused to revise it. And then… said nothing. Complete silence. No statement at all. No support for Jewish creatives in our industry. No condemnation of antisemitism.

I also pointed out that only 1 of 42 board members is Jewish, despite generations of Jewish creatives who helped shape this industry. I can name at least 100 deserving Jewish creative leaders off the top of my head. That silence and lack of representation speaks volumes.

I formally cut all ties. I won’t support any organization, especially in my industry, that refuses to condemn antisemitism. This was a choice. And a refusal.

Many urged me to stay quiet. That going public might hurt the business I’ve built over 35 years.

I can’t.

I will not be silenced. Not now. Not ever. And certainly not by an ad awards show that acts as moral authority on every issue and condemns all forms of hate, except Jewish hate by consciously and purposely remaining silent while Jews are hunted, threatened, and murdered. Again.

I was a Jew before JSM. I’ll be a Jew after JSM.

Am Yisrael Chai.

Joel isn’t the only one who faces this type of Jew hatred, discrimination, and expectation to just accept it. It happens to most of us every day and we don’t even see it or realize it. Some of us even think it’s acceptable because we have ‘privilege’. We cannot stay quiet in the face of this hatred. We cannot stick our heads in the sand and hope that it will just go away or leave us alone. History has shown us that it never does. It comes for us all in the end. We must fight back. We must stand up and speak out. Staying quiet isn’t an option. Joel isn’t. Neither should any of us.

Britain suspended free trade talks with Israel and the EU said it will review whether Israel is violating the human rights clause of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. France, the U.K. and Canada threatened  sanctions against Israel. All because Israel refuses to let Hamas, a terrorist organization still holding Israeli hostages, stay in power to murder, rape, and kidnap more Israelis. They think we are the same Jews of the past who meekly hid and accepted our fate. They are 100% wrong. Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke up powerfully about this today.

“The world is telling us to end the war,” Netanyahu said, in the first press conference he has held in Israel since December. “I am prepared to end the war according to clear conditions: Hamas lays down its weapons, steps down from power, returns all the hostages, Gaza is demilitarized and we implement the Trump plan” to relocate residents of Gaza. Whoever is calling for us to end the war is calling for Hamas to stay in power,”

Love him or hate him, Bibi won’t just accept our fate as Jews to be that of victims. Neither should we. Joel showed us how to stand up and speak out. Bibi showed us how to do it. The question is, what will you do? Will you be like Joel and stand up and speak out despite the personal risk? Will you stand up to Jew hatred in the face of your ‘friends’ like Bibi is doing to the UK, France, Canada, and the EU or will you fold because they are your ‘friends’?

The choice is yours. Take the risk now or wait for the inevitable that has happened over and over again for thousands of years? I know what I am doing. I’m going to stand up and speak out. I’m going to fight Jew hatred publicly, no matter the personal cost.

Leslie Stahl, CBS, and the media should be embarrassed and ashamed

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

On their website, CBS states, “One of America’s most recognized and experienced broadcast journalists, Lesley Stahl has been a “60 Minutes” correspondent since 1991.” She should be embarrassed for her lead in to the interview she just did with Yarden Bibas for 60 minutes. Planting a false narrative to blame Israel, stating that Israel broke a ceasefire that expired when Hamas refused to move into phase 2 of the ceasefire, and holding Israel accountable for hostages being scared while kept in captivity, she showed herself to be a stooge for the media and their anti-Israel narrative.

When Yarden told her that the Hamas terrorists wouldn’t give them much food, she took the side of terrorists, trying to blame Israel by stating that perhaps they just didn’t have any food. Yarden corrected her that they did have food and would eat it front of her. That Hamas terrorists would tell them that they were giving them just enough food to keep them alive for 5 years in horrible conditions. He further told her that they learned that one of the terrorists liked massages so they would give him massages for extra food. Her response? Silence. No condemnation.

Watch the 60 minutes piece in which Yarden Bibas is interviewed.

Yarden tells her that they told him he would find a better wife and have better children after telling him that Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir were dead. Her response was “did they really say that?” and nothing more. It’s disgusting. As I watched the interview, I found her repugnant and the CBS angle an attempt to take the barbaric actions of Hamas and make them Israel’s fault.

The pain of the stories told in the piece were clear. The horrific actions of Hamas were clear. Yet Stahl and the editors at CBS were unmoved. There was no condemnation. No shock and awe at this inhumane treatment. As I watched it, I got the feeling that both Stahl and the bigwhigs at CBS believed that they deserved what they got. They seemed only sad that they had to cover it at all and shed any light on the proof of Hamas being evil and terrorists.

The piece ended and they transferred to 60 minutes Overtime, and additional online peace to extend the “conversation.” In 60 Minutes Overtime, Stahl talks with Keith and Aviva Siegel, the “Hamas militants” according to Stahl. She can’t even call them terrorists. Once again, she begins the interview and piece by framing Hamas as simply “militants”. She talks about Kibbutz Kfar Aza and shows a little bit of video from the Kibbutz but nothing that comes close to what it really looks like. I’ve been to Kfar Aza twice since October 7th and the things I saw there will never leave my mind. The brutality that occurred there is something I will never forget. The stories I heard from the IDF and from residents who lived there and had just returned are beyond horrific. Yet Stahl and CBS show none of these images. They minimize what happened that day.

The roof in one of the young people’s apartments, destroyed by grenades while she was there.
Listen to the description of what happened at this house in Kfar Aza. CBS and Lesley Stahl won’t tell you

When she reports on Keith’s release from captivity, she calls it a ‘bizarre ceremony’, quite an understatement for what it really was. Ongoing terrorism. Brutal treatment of a hostage.

The emotion from the hostages and the videos was clear. How anybody can watch and listen and not be horrified, not be offended, not believe that what happened is not just criminal but also not want to outwardly speak out against it is beyond my comprehension. Stahl and CBS show their bias throughout.

The CBS Overtime interview with Keith and Aviva Siegel

It goes beyond just CBS and Lesley Stahl. This week, Tal Shoham testified at the UN in Vienna. The UN has showed itself to hate Jews and hate Israel. There are decades of proof that they treat Israel and the Jews differently than any other group or country in the world. Read Shoham’s testimony – it’s difficult to get through. After reading it, try to defend Hamas in any way. Try to defend Hezbollah, the Houthis or Iran. It’s pure evil that must be eradicated.

Tal Shoham testifying at the UN in Viennna

“During these 50 days in isolation, shackled and starved, it was not ordinary hunger, but survival hunger, where a crumb becomes your entire world. When your body aches constantly from hunger pains.

On day 34 two human skeletons entered my room. Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa-Dalal. They told me they were beaten daily, forced to sit facing the wall, with bags over their heads, unable to move. If I thought my hunger was extreme, their was even worse. Their thirst was so intense that they would drink foul smelling salty toilet water contaminated with metals and filth.

In an act of deliberate cruelty, the terrorists forced Guy and Evyatar to watch me being released. Why, I ask you. Why would any human go to such length to inflict such torment.

During 505 days in captivity we were rarely not starving. There were many times we received just one pita bread for an entire day. We begged our captors, flattered them, even agreed to give them massages. Anything for another crumb of food. Traumatized by hunger, we collected crumb after crumb, dividing any grain of food after careful counting. Guy would sometimes spend an hour, ensuring fair distribution of every ounce.

You might assume this is the situation throughout Gaza. But the terrorists holding us always had abundant food, including fresh vegetables and fruits.

For the final 8 months of my captivity, we were held in a dungeon dozen of meter underground, with only a hole serving as a toilet. The humidity left our clothes and matrasses perpetually wet. We sweated and choked from lack of oxygen. In conditions so deplorable, no animal has ever been kept this way. We were constantly hungry and thirsty. Severe vitamin C deficiency caused Evyatar and me develop muscle inflammation.

Sadistic guards tortured us daily physically and mentally. Sometimes we were in darkness so profound, we could not see our hands in front of our faces. Meanwhile next door Hamas terrorists enjoyed a well-lit air conditioned room with plenty of food.

Hamas most dangerous weapon is not their rockets or their cruelty. It’s the fundamentalist education used to raise the next generation of terrorists. This education rejects the possibility of any state or people not governed by extreme Islamic law. In Hamas value system human life holds no worth. If we don’t recognize this, we live in illusion that will first doom Israel and then threaten the entire world. The International community must reject beliefs that foster terrorism.”

This is the reality of Hamas. They are not freedom fighters They are terrorists and pure evil. Those defending them are fools, bigots, and evil as well. Imagine being so thirsty that you would want to drink contaminated toilet water. Imagine being forced to humiliate yourself and give terrorists torturing and starving you massages for crumbs of food. Imagine living with constant hunger pains, choking from lack of oxygen…

Then imagine you are Leslie Stahl, hearing this firsthand. Talking to the parents of a current hostage who is being beaten, starved, and abused. Watch how she reacts with a flat affect. Watch and listen to how she responds. It’s as if she is a robot. No empathy. No compassion. As I watch her, I find myself thinking that she is trying to find a way to defend them, as she did earlier in the interview, and is upset that she can’t.

Watch and listen to Lesley Stahl and her lack of empathy, flat affect, and inability to condemn Hamas.

I am disgusted by Leslie Stahl and 60 minutes. How does she sleep at night? How do the higher ups at CBS keep their jobs? How do these people live with themselves?

How can the main stream media not make a major story as Hamas reduces their reported death toll by 3,400 names? They actually removed people’s names from the most recent death reports in Gaza, admitting they lied about people being killed who weren’t. For those who pay attention, this raises new concerns of inflated figures by Hamas.

This change included removing 1,000 children that had previously been reported killed in the war. Andrew Fox, associate fellow at the UK-based think tank Henry Jackson Society, was quoted stating, “If you were seeing indiscriminate killing, you would expect roughly 26% adult male deaths.” He continued, “In the 13 to 55 age group, which is Hamas’ fighter range because we know they use child soldiers, it’s 72% male in that age group.” 

“So all these things clearly point towards combatants being targeted rather than just indiscriminate killing.”

Yet the media remains silent. CBS, 60 minutes and Lesley Stahl make sure to tell their story based on lies. You won’t see this in the NY Times or Washington Post. None of the other major networks will cover this. They prefer the lies.

I know that October 7th and the aftermath has become a part of who I am. I spoke out against all hatred before October 7th. Now, I will never stop speaking out against evil and hate. There may be consequences as a result. It may impact my business and who will work with me. I don’t care. The fight against evil and hate is too important. If people like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Anwar Sadat, and Yitzak Rabin can risk, and lose, it all, then who am I to not be willing?

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Anwar Sadat, and Yitzhak Rabin (A.I. generated picture).

At the end of the day, we all have to live with ourselves and our decisions. When I close my eyes at night, I must live with my decisions and actions. How I sleep is determined by my decisions and actions. I want to be an example of morals, ethics, and values to my children and eventually my grandchildren. My children know what I have done, said, and written since October 7th. They can answer the questions my future grandchildren may ask with stories of my visits to Israel, volunteering there, and show them what I have written to stand up to hate and evil. What about yours? What do you stand for? Will you be one of those people that your grandchildren look back upon and ask where you were? What you did? Why you were silent? Only you can answer that question. Know that it is NOT too late to start now. The fight against evil and hate is nowhere close to being over. Join in the fight. Stand for something that is based on morals, ethics, and values.

Or don’t, and let the future generation judge your inaction.

The world is the way it is because we allow it. It’s beyond time to speak out and no longer allow it.

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

On his TV show this week, the comedian Bill Maher made fun of the Republicans and the Democrats and their unwillingness to cut the defense budget. He noted that there were only two things that they could agree on. Defense spending was one. The other, he joked, was to “Keep your eye on the Jews. You never know what they are up to.” He was kidding, sort of.

We live in a world I never imagined. A world which I read about growing up. Pogroms in Poland. Jews rounded up in Germany. Antisemitic propoganda believed as truth. Media spewing Jew hatred as facts. Growing up in a Jewish home where we went to synagogue every week, where I went to Hebrew school 3 times a week, we were taught about our history of being oppressed, of being outsiders, of being beaten and abused. We learned about the destruction of the first and second temple. We learned about the pogroms and the Shoah. We thought it was history and would never reoccur. We believed in the saying, “Never Again” and that the world believed it too. We were naive. Our parents were naive. Even our grandparents, who lived through the Shoah, were naive.

This week, Eli Sharabi, one of the hostages taken by Hamas on October 7th and held for 491 days before his release, spoke at the United Nations. He has previously spoken with President Trump and with Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister of England. His stories of torture and captivity are horrifying. They prove that Never Again was a lie. They prove that Jew hatred is alive and flourishing and what will happen to all of us if we allow it. If we stay silent. If we don’t fight back.

Eli Sharabi addressed the UN. It’s a must listen and watch.

I was talking with a friend today who, out of the blue, thanked me for my public advocacy and outspokenness since October 7th. I told him that we could not afford to be silent. We were no longer those Jews who were silent and went quietly. There are still plenty of Jews who think we can assimiliate and be accepted. They think that if we just go along, if we just put others before ourselves, if we just don’t make big fuss, they will leave us alone. They fail to learn the lessons of the Jewish people throughout our history. Those who hate us will never leave us alone. There is nothing we can do to just fit in and be ignored. As my friend Fleur Hassan Nahoum has so powerfully and eloquently stated, “The problem is not that there is no Palestinian State. The problem is that there is a Jewish State.” The problem is that we exist. When I listen to people like Bernie Sanders and Peter Beinart, I get sick to my stomach. They think we can survive by hiding, by helping those who want us dead.

Life is short. I was lucky to know all four of my grandparents until I was in my early 20s. My wife knew both my grandfathers. I knew all four of her grandparents. My kids knew all four of her grandparents. It makes life seem long. It’s a fallacy. My father died a few months before I turned 55. It wasn’t long enough and I wasn’t old enough. Life is short. We have to treasure every moment and we have to fight for it. Judaism teaches that those who save a life, save a world. That’s how precious it is to us. It is why we make these terrible deals with Hamas to get our hostages home, dead or alive.

My four grandparents with my brother and me

It is why we need to maximize what we do with our time. Just trying to wait things out doesn’t work. It’s why we need to treasure the relationships we have and not waste a minute of them. It’s why we have to speak out and speak up against evil and injustice. No perceived injustice but real injustice. Our world today loves to make up injustice. Lie on your green card application? Incite violence? Spew hatred? Violate the agreements you made to get your green card? As soon as there are consequences for your actions, you are the victim of injustice. Not those that you harmed. Not the system that you abused.

Our time is not guaranteed and we never know when our time is up. Today in Israel, an 85-year-old man, Moshe Horn from Kibbutz HaZore’a, was killed in a terror attack in northern Israel. The terrorist, 25-year-old Kerem Jabarin from Ma’ale Iron, carried out a car-ramming and shooting spree before being neutralized by Border Guard soldiers. Horn’s son, who was driving the vehicle with his father as the passenger, witnessed the attack and stopped the car. As he did so, his father was struck by the terrorist’s gunfire. A 20-year-old soldier suffered injuries caused by the vehicular attack and was evacuated to the Ramabam Hospital in Haifa.

Hate and terrorists ended an innocent man’s life. A man who wasn’t done living but who’s life was stolen from him. And, I found out a few hours after his murder, a man who is who related to a friend of mine. Jewish life is like that. There is no 7 degrees of separation (or Kevin Bacon) in the Jewish world. It’s one or two. I didn’t know Moshe, yet I know his family and now I grieve a little more with them. I will continue to stand up and speak out in Moshe’s (z’l) memory.

This past week, my friend Dave also died. It was unexpected. We spoke that morning and things were good. He died unexpectedly that night and was found the day after. I miss our daily conversations. I miss his jokes and how we laughted together. It is a reminder that we never know when our time is up. There are no guarantees in life.

Me with my friends Ron (left) and Dave (z’l) in the center.

Both Moshe and Dave woke up on the day they died with plans for that day and the future. Neither of them got another day to live. If we don’t know when it is our time, why would we waste a single day? Why would we tolerate the intolerable? Why would we enable hate? Why would we accept evil? Eli Sharabi experienced true evil for 491 days. Despite the horrific things he endured, he is choosing to speak out. He is choosing to share his pain with the world so that people understand what is really happening. If a man who endured 491 day of hell, who lost his wife and children to murderous terrorists, who came out of captivity looking like a Holocaust survivor, can have the courage to stand up and speak out, why can’t we? If you don’t have the courage to do it on your own, watch Eli do it and draw your courage from him. Draw it from Mia Schem and Emily Damari, two hostages who refuse to be silent about what they endured. Mia, who recently shared what happened to her and her fears of being pregnant. If they can do it, we have no excuse for not speaking out.

Mia Schem sharing what she experienced and her great fear

In memory of my friend Dave and Moshe Horn as well as all of those murdered by Hamas terorrists, in honor of Eli Sharabi and all those who are fighting through their own pain to speak out and share the horror with the world, I vow to never be silent. To stand up and speak out. To fight evil no matter the cost.

The world is the way it is today because we have allowed it. It is past the time to stop allowing it. If you want to live in a different and better world, it is up to you to take action. It is up to each of us to fight evil. We have our heroes to inspire us. I choose a better world. I choose to take action. What about you?

Eli Sharabi, a former Israeli hostage released by Hamas in Gaza last month, holds of a photograph of his wife and two daughters killed by Hamas, as he addresses a meeting of the United Nations Security Council at the U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S, March 20, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Segar

You’ve gotta fight, for your right, to get real information (sorry Beastie Boys).

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

We have seen the pictures and videos of the hostages coming out of Gaza. They are horrifying. The images of Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami and Or Levy when they were released was horrifying. It was like watching the survivors of the Nazi death camps all over again.

Eli was brave enough to share his story in a powerful interview. It won’t be shown on 60 minutes or Dateline. It won’t be widely publicized through the western media. The question is if you will have the courage to watch the entire interview. To hear his story of captivity and torture. To experience the evil that he did. And then, will you share the interview? Will you talk about the interview? Will you make sure others see and hear the truth. The video is below. The decision is yours.

Yarden Bibas, who was kidnapped, abused, tortured, and held hostage by Hamas along with his wife Shiri (z’l), and children Ariel (z’l) and Kfir (z’l) spent 484 days in captivity. After his release we all learned that the rest of his family had been murdered by Hamas a month or so after being taken hostage. Brutally murdered, their bodies desecrated afterwards to attempt to hide how they were strangled by their evil Hamas captors. Yarden wrote a powerful letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu this week. In many ways it speaks for the Jewish people. Get the hostages back and then destroy Hamas.

Yarden Bibas giving the eulogy for his wife and two beautiful children, murdered by Hamas

Here os full letter that Yarden Bibas wrote:

Mr. Prime Minister,
My name is Yarden Bibs, and while they read my speech to you, I sit Shiva on my wife Shiri and my children Kfir and Ariel. Innocent and innocent children who were kidnapped from their homes and murdered captive. They could have and should have been saved.

The cursed terrorists conquered Nir Oz with flip-flops, my family and I were brutally kidnapped from our home to Gaza.

On that cursed morning, the state was not in Nir Oz. There were only local heroes – members of readiness classes and brave fighters, who did everything they could and even paid with their lives.
And today, 514 days later – I returned from Gaza to an unimaginable reality in which I was forced to bury my entire family in one day. I don’t wish this horrible nightmare on anyone. And despite the terrible pain, I ask you at this moment to stop. The stage of revenge has not yet reached. At this point we are obligated to immediately return our brothers, including my best friend David Kunyo and his brother Ariel. David, my friend from the first grade, the neighbor from the Kibbutz, who fell in the Hamas tunnels. I know I won’t be able to hug my children and wife anymore. But Emma and Yuli – David’s daughters, who were kidnapped by themselves to Gaza when they were only 3 years old, are waiting to hug him. Sharon’s wife deserves to hug him.

After we bring back David and all the hostages, I will be the first to support all your actions to overthrow Hamas. As a resident of Nir Oz, I know that we will be forced to defeat Hamas because otherwise we will not have security, but we must always preserve the sanctity of life, the honor of the dead and leave no one behind, otherwise we have lost who we are. Mister Prime Minister, 514 days and nights have already passed and you and your government still have not taken responsibility. The demand to set up a state inquiry committee is a demand that with israel united around it – 83% of israel citizens demand it, along with 1,500 October Council families and I am among them. Its goal is not personal persecution, but to produce lessons to prevent the next disaster. I call you Mr. Prime Minister – unite the nation israel give calm to our souls, uphold the will of the people and the families. Inform today about the establishment of a state inquiry committee that will strengthen the security of Israel prevent another disaster, and give me and everyone with israel answers.

How did it happen that nine-month-old Kfir, and four-year-old Ariel were kidnapped and murdered together with Shiri’s mother in unimaginable cruelty?

How did we get to the point that during the long hours at the police station no one came to save us?
I keep thinking and regretting that I didn’t take better care of my wife and kids. It is eating me up inside. And I only had a gun and I will be a simple citizen in a quiet kibbutz. Do you think about it? Do you also find it difficult to get through day and night without a heavy sense of responsibility for what happened? Are you able to say this loud and clear?

So many citizens are asking for forgiveness. So few politicians apologize.

So many civilians and fighters taking responsibility. So few members of government take responsibility.
My sister Ofri said at the funeral a sentence that I deeply connect with: “Forgiveness means accepting responsibility and a commitment to act differently, learning from mistakes.” There is no point in forgiving before the defectors are investigated, and all position holders will be held accountable. Our disaster as a nation and ours as a family should not have happened, and it must not, must not happen again. “I have no interest in closing account of the past, I try to gather strength and look ahead. I ask that we all do our best to make it better, more close and stronger here. From the window of the car that led us on the funeral journey, I saw the people of israel I saw a broken country – religious, secular and ultra-orthodox, standing together with flags and tears. I felt like they were really with me. I didn’t know them but I felt they were my brothers and sisters. What are you doing in leadership to maintain this togetherness? Do you get up every morning to separate or to strengthen us a little more from the inside? In my eyes it’s not less important your role than sending planes to eliminate enemies. This is our strength. This is our spirit.

In conclusion, I appeal to you Mr. Prime Minister, I have not yet entered my home in Nir Oz and I do not know what awaits me inside. I’m asking you to come along with me, to join me for the first time since October 7. I ask we do it together. If we do not look disaster in the eye, we cannot recover.“ 

Yaron Bibas letter published in many newspapers

This should be the lead on the news. After having his wife and two babies murdered by Hamas, he is not calling for vengence. He wants the rest of the hostages home. He also acknowledges the evil of Hamas and that they must be destroyed but the lives of the hostages come first. Despite the lies of the media, despite Hamas using child soldiers and human shields, the humanity of Israel is real and continues to be hidden, the lies continue to be told, and the world continues to believe them.

Amotz Eyal

My friend Amotz Eyal is the founder and CEO of TPS-IL. It’s something you have probably never heard of. Until I met Amotz, I hadn’t either. TPS-IL, officially known as The Press Service of Israel, is an Israeli news bureau. It is the equivilant of AP and Reuters only when it comes to reporting from and about Israel, TPS-IL is actually factual. Their reach across the globe, outside of America, is incredible. Last month, Amotz was in Orlando and we spent two days together. I learned so much, not just about TPS-IL but also about him.

On October 7, 2023, Amotz got a phone call that something was happening but the photographers couldn’t get there to document it. Of course he volunteered to go take pictures and video, even though he is the CEO. He told his wife he would be home by dinner. As he began taking pictures, he quickly realized that this wasn’t something small and he put his camera away and moved towards the fighting. He ended up in Sderot and took over operational command to defend the city against the Hamas invaders. He ended up home 3 months later. He is still active in the IDF, commanding an elite unit. The first morning in Orlando, he stood outside our first appointment on the phone with his unit, planning their raid of Jenin to eliminate terrorists and capture weapons. He hung up the phone, joined me for our meetings that day as if nothing was happening. The next day he showed me pictures of the weapons they captured in Jenin. If only the mainstream media (MSM) would cover what really happens.

Hamas child soldiers. This is what the Jew haters are defending.

Amotz just wrote a powerful piece in the Jerusalem post titled, Propaganda without boundaries: How Hamas exploits, abuses, weaponizes children. It should be on the front page of every newspaper, covered by every major news network, but it won’t. You can read it and see just how Hamas is inculcating hate, using children as weapons and as soldiers. It is horrifying.

The truth is cleverly hidden by the media that we see and the narrative that they tell us and want us to believe. A perfect example is the recent ‘documentary’, No Other Land, about Masafer Yatta in Judea and Samaria (often called the West Bank). The truth of the village is very different than what this alleged documentary claims and what the mainstream western media tells you. Read the article by Honest Reporting and learn the real history.

Masafer Yatta & Khan al-Ahmar: Behind the Headlines

If you want another source to read, check out the JNS article about Masafer Yatta. The truth is out there. Documented history is out there. You can choose to find out what the truth really is or you can believe what you are being fed. The choice is entirely yours.

It gets worse. Oscar-winning Pallywood star Basel Adra of No Other Land was caught on video, lying about what happened. Here he is setting fire to Palestinian structures —but telling people to say “the Jews did it” for the cameras. Facts don’t matter. The truth doesn’t matter. The media determines the story they want to tell and makes up what they need to tell it. My blood boils when I see it happen over and over and over again and nobody held accountable.

Basel Adra, now an Oscar Winning Director of a documentary that lies, is shown lying on film.

Yesterday, President Trump met in the Oval Office with eight hostages that have been released. I found this video of their interaction incredibly powerful. A few quotes really stood out for me. “Horrible, horrible stories. Not even believable.” Then, “Don’t worry, we’ll get them out.” I don’t care what you think of President Trump. Love him or hate him, it doesn’t matter. These are statements that are long overdue. You can see and hear from these 8 hostages what powerful words and actions mean to them and the hostages still in captivity. Our media will not run the stories of these hostages. The media will not highlight the torture that they endured. Freedom of the press was designed so that the press would be able to report the truth, not so they could hide behind it and lie over and over and over again. Yet that is what we are seeing. Lie after lie.

Over a decade ago, I had the opportunity to learn about a new organization, Fuente Latina, that was doing something unbelievable. Having learned that Iran was targeting the Spanish speaking world with anti-Israel propoganda and lies, founder Leah Soibel decided to create a pro-Israel media outlet to share the truth with the Spanish speaking world. In the dozen years since, the work they have done is incredible. In 2024, they took over 100 journalists from Spanish speaking countries to Israel to see with their own eyes what happend on October 7th and what Israel is really like. The content they provide to the Spanish speaking world is incredible.

They created an incredible 4 part docuseries about October 7th that focuses on the Latin Americans that were murdered and taken hostage on October 7th. Most people don’t know that Latin Americans were the largest immigrant group attacked on October 7th or that the Bibas family is Argentinian. I watched the trailer and was captivated. I don’t speak Spanish and as I listened to the tone of their voices and read the subtitles, I was overwhelmed. There was something about watching these people tell their stories, while in Israel, living as Israelis, and speaking Spanish, not Hebrew, that was incredibly powerful. Once again, you won’t see this on 60 minutes or Dateline. You won’t see this type of reporting in our mainstream media. The truth has to fight ten times harder to overcome the lies. Watch the trailer. I’ve seen it half a dozen times or more and it gets me every single time. I can’t wait for the docuseries to be available.

Fuente Latina’s trailer for the docuseries. I can’t wait to see the full series. Incredibly powerful.

So what do you want to do? Do you want to be a lemming who believes the lies they are told? Do you want to ensure you are on the wrong side of history? Do you want to find real information and fight for truth and against the lies. Are you willing to do the work it takes in today’s world to get beyond consuming whatever those in charge want to feed you and instead learn for yourself?

I always go back to the great CBS anchorman Walter Cronkite for inspiration. He knew his job was to share the news, the facts, and the truth and let the viewer consume, digest, and interpret. His tag line, “and that’s the way it is” was the gold standard and his newscasts should be required viewing for all those who are a part of the media today. His final broadcast as the anchorman of the CBS Evening news, ironically enough March 6, 1981, was a classic, but in hindsight, he was very wrong. He talks about a supurb team of journalists and unfortunately that isn’t the case any longer. The news is part of the entertainment division and they are going to tell you a story, the story they want to tell, and it is up to you to decide if you want to consume it. Far too many people don’t understand they are now watching a story created by the entertainment division, not getting the facts. The hardest thing to hear him say is, “and none of that will change.” Walter was very wrong. It has changed.

Each time I write this blog, I think of Walter Cronkite, because I’m going to tell it like it is, or at least how I see it. I’m tired of lies. I’m tired of being fed BS by those with their own agenda. I’ve long tired of being told by others who is good and who bad, who is right and who is wrong, what I should believe in and what I should fight against. The days of Walter Cronkite being the voice and face you could trust to give you the facts are long gone. Now it’s up to each of us to be our own Walter Cronkite. Are you up for the challenge?

Wonder Woman for the Win

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

In January 2025, the Palm Beach Post’s editorial page editor Tony Doris decided to run a political cartoon about the hostages being released from over a year of captivity in Gaza by the terrorist organization Hamas. Doris, who is Jewish, somehow thought that politicizing the kidnapping and torture of innocent civilians was appropriate. The cartoon itself, places no blame or responsibility on Hamas, who invaded Israel, murdered, raped, beheaded, kidnapped, and tortured those they encountered. Even the headline, “a year of merciless war” is clearly a political mistatement as there was no war until Hamas invaded on October 7, 2023 and kidnapped the hostages. It doesn’t reflect any of the terrorists killed in the 40,000 number or any of those killed by Hamas. It is a symbol of the increased Jew hatred and what is wrong with our media.

The Jewish Federation of Palm Beach immediately addressed the cartoon, taking out a full page ad in the newspaper the following Sunday. Gannett, the owners of the newspaper, took the allegation seriously and met with leadership to address the publication of the cartoon, even admitting that the proper protocals were not followed and had they been followed, the cartoon would not have run. They suspended Doris and investigated the situtation before firing him a week later for violating company policy.

“The cartoon did not meet our standards. We sincerely regret the error and have taken appropriate action to prevent this from happening again.” stated Lark-Marie Anton, a Palm Beach Post spokesperson.

Yet it was not until this week, the first week of March, that the firing became public. Both Doris and Jeff Danziger, who drew the cartoon, gave the typical pithy defense. They were criticizing war. They were criticizing the policy of the Israeli government. One is a war veteran so he ‘knows’ what he is talking about. The other is Jewish and believes Israel has a right to exist (but not to defend herself when attacked and not to hold those who invade, murder, rape, kidnap, and torture civilians responsible). Thankfully the leadership of the Federation spoke up. Thankfully Gannett didn’t buy the BS being offered this time. It’s a big deal and shows what standing up and speaking out can do. Neither Doris or Danziger will ever understand what was wrong with the cartoon and choosing the publish it. Neither will ever admit the inherent Jew hatred in drawing and publishing the cartoon. They were held accountable for their actions, which is a big change from what we have seen since October 7th.

To understand how disgusting the cartoon and the hatred that is behind it really are, read the article about the interview with Eli Sherabi, released after 491 days of captivity. A few highlights. Near lynching (by civilians). Starvation. Beatings. Monthly showers with a half a bucket of cold water. “A year and four months shackled by my legs, with chains that wrap around me, with very, very heavy locks that tear at your flesh.”

Eli Sherabi, a hostage in Gaza for 491 days.

His interview has gotten no publicity in the United States. His description of the horrors he faced are not a main story. The evilness of Hamas is not on display because the media doesn’t think it will sell. I urge you to read the interview. It is hard to read, hard to imagine what he and the others endured, hard to believe the world sat idly by. The Red Cross and UN are proven to be worse than I even thought when I think of how complicit they are in what he and others endured. If Eli could endure his captors’ torture, the least I can do is speak out. The least I can do is use my voice and fight back against the Jew hatred. I have the easy part. Any time I think what I have to do is difficult, all I have to do is reread the interview and remember what Eli endured is hard. The rest is not.

The stupidity of antisemites never fails to amaze me. I saw this exchange and rather than make me angry, it made me laugh and cry just a little bit. It’s like those who deny Jews lived in Israel and Jerusalem before Islam and can’t understand why we built a holy wall for our Temple beneath Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque.

If I had to bet, lorrie is either a bible thumper who can quote the story of the sale of Joseph into slavery and his interpretation of Phaoroah’s dreams or a major fan of broadway who has seen Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat multiple times. Yet can’t put two and two together.

I wrote about the Academy Awards and specifically about the accusation made by Basel Adra, one of the Directors of the award winning film, No Other Land. Since then, as result of Adra’s blatent lie, accusing Israel of ethnic cleansing, I have done a little bit of research into the story behind the movie. What I have learned is fascinating. It also both debunks the premise of the movie and highlights just how prevelant antisemitism is in Hollywood and how much they like to promote lies about the Jewish homeland. This is what was written about the movie and the story they tell.

The Film ‘No Other Land’ Sparked Significant Controversy.

In reality, the film is based on a complete Palestinian falsehood known as “Masafer Yatta.”
Let’s talk about it for a bit.

First of all, the film tells the story of Masafer Yatta. The film attempts to convey the narrative that Palestinians have lived there for hundreds of years and that Israel suddenly decided to evict them.
In reality, this was abandoned land that nomadic Bedouins occasionally used for grazing and sometimes took shelter in the caves there. 

In fact, Palestinian construction in the area only began in the 1990s. Before that, there were caves that Bedouins used as seasonal dwellings.  The most important point: Until 1993, the Israeli Air Force conducted attack training in the area. These were full-scale military exercises—of the kind that made permanent residence impossible. This fact alone proves that no permanent settlement existed there.

Only in 1999 did Palestinians file a petition with the court. The simple reason? Until then, the area was of no importance to them, and no one lived there permanently. It’s also worth noting that even afterward, they never presented any ownership documents.

Summary:
Palestinians have never provided evidence that the area belonged to them. Even more striking, it was only many years after the military had been active there that they began constructing homes.

Attached is a screenshot of the court ruling, with an English translation:
ynet.co.il/news/article/r…

בג”ץ: אפשר לפנות מאות פלסטינים המתגוררים בשטח אש בדרום הר חברוןבתום מחלוקת ארוכת שנים, דחה בג”ץ שתי עתירות של פלסטינים החיים בשטח שנמצא בשליטת צה”ל. השופט מינץ קבע כי “ערב ההכרזה על שטח אש לא היו מגורים קבועים בגבולותיו”, אך הוסיף כי העותרים יוכלו להיכנס לאזור לצ…https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/ryxs6swuq

The judge rebuked the petitioners for exploiting the legal battle to continue illegal construction,
even though the court had conditioned its injunctions against demolition on a halt to further illegal building.

In other words: All the demolition footage was staged. They built in a prohibited area precisely so that the IDF would demolish their homes, allowing them to document and publicize it. 

A side note relevant to the previous point:

At 11:15 in the film, they explicitly discuss their strategy to prevent what they fear most:
“I think we can stop the eviction. It will happen if we document and work on the ground.”

It’s astounding how openly Palestinians reveal their well-worn tactic that Israel has been blind to for years: provoking a confrontation, standing by with cameras, and capturing the perfect moment. This is textbook Pallywood. Anyone familiar with Palestinian tactics—not Westerners unfamiliar with their methods—knows that this means: “Let’s stir up trouble, capture the perfect moment, edit around it, and publish.”

This is the same trick they’ve used thousands of times: A soldier turns his rifle, they freeze the frame the moment it’s aimed at a civilian, and they frame it as if he is targeting an innocent bystander.

By the way, the Arabic word ‘Masafer’ means ‘nothing.’ Many believed the area was worthless. 

What bothered me personally the most was the use of children.
And it’s a shame Hollywood enables this.
The same way they arm their children and encourage them to commit acts of terror,
The same way Hamas builds tunnels under schools,
The same way they always send their children—whom they love less than they hate us—into the line of fire, hoping they’ll get hurt so they can parade them in front of cameras,
That’s exactly how children were used in this film.

Why use children and force them to live in a conflict zone solely for political purposes? 

Did you know they even stole the film’s title from the Jews?

https://twitter.com/GAZAWOOD1/status/1896607745949773832

Summary: Why are Palestinians trying to seize Masafer Yatta?

The Palestinian push to take over Masafer Yatta is not coincidental and not simply a ‘survival struggle’ as international media portrays it. This is a well-planned strategy motivated by demographic, political, and territorial considerations in the battle for control of the West Bank.

1. Creating ‘facts on the ground’ as part of the fight for Area C
2. Masafer Yatta is in Area C—territory under full Israeli control according to the Oslo Accords.
3. The Palestinian Authority knows it has no official authority there, so it promotes illegal construction to establish footholds and turn them into permanent settlements.

The goal?

1. International pressure leading to de facto recognition of Palestinian control over the land. 2. Establishing Palestinian territorial continuity and breaking Jewish settlement
3. Masafer Yatta lies between southern Hebron and the Negev—a strategic area linking West Bank 4. Palestinian communities with Bedouin populations in the Negev.
5. Palestinian control there isolates Jewish settlements, preventing Jewish territorial continuity between the Negev and the Hebron region.

European Union & international support

1. The EU directly funds illegal Palestinian construction in the area, despite it being a designated military firing zone.
2. Palestinians receive financial and logistical aid from European left-wing NGOs looking to push an anti-Israel narrative by manufacturing a “forced eviction crisis.”


Exploiting legal and media platforms

1. Palestinians use courts and media to frame the issue as “forced displacement of traditional residents,” even though the area was historically used only for grazing, not for permanent settlement.
2. Branding the conflict as a ‘human rights project’ recruits global support and hinders Israeli sovereignty enforcement.


Conclusion: This is a strategic battle, not a defense of ‘ancient villages.’ The Masafer Yatta narrative as “historical villages” is not backed by facts—permanent settlement began only in the 1990s. The real goal is political: To create Palestinian territorial continuity, isolate Jewish communities, and weaken Israeli control over Area C. The use of media and courts is a calculated move to generate international pressure and solidify Palestinian presence as an irreversible reality.

This isn’t about “another Israeli injustice”—it’s a deliberate strategic operation backed by European funding and a manipulated narrative. 

To mock this film and the way it takes lies and spins it into truth, a fake sequel was created based on October 7th. It is ironic, sad, pathetic, anger inducing, and ultimately a good view into how the world enables terrorists to tell lies to advance their Jew hatred.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1896516233895580145

How do you wrap up a post that starts with a horrific cartoon, has an interview with a released hostage that documents how he was terrorized, beaten, and abused, has a small bit of humor, and thencalls out the lies of an Oscar winning movie? What can possibly sum it all up? I wasn’t sure as I wrote or as I thought how this post would end. And then I saw and listened to Gal Gadot at the ADL conference today. I am not going to comment on it, break it down, or analyze it. I am going to let you listen and feel the impact of her words. We can stand up and speak out. We must stand up and speak out.

My name is Keith. I’m a father, a husband, a brother, a son, a professional, American, a Zionist, and I’m Jewish. I’m going to say it again. My name is Keith and I am Jewish.

Mi Amor – Tears are flowing openly

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

In May 2024, while I was in Israel, two IDF soldiers were killed in Gaza. A day later, we were at the site where the bodies of IDF soldiers and those murdered by Hamas and terrorists are prepared for burial. I will never forget standing outside the van as the coffin holding the body of one of these soldiers was put into the van and then the procession began to take him home to be buried. The back doors remained open so we could be with him as he began his final trip home. One of our members was saying kaddish for his mother and so he said it for the soldier as well. All of our “Amens” were filled with passion. We walked with him as he left the parking lot and began this final journey.

Today the Bibas family took that same final journey. As I watched the video of the beginning of the procession, I was brought back to that day in May. The tears flowing now were the same tears flowing from our group then. The images now are the same as the images then. My heart is broken today just as it was then.

Thousands of Israelis joined along the route taking Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir home for the final time. They had become a part of everybody’s family. Their pictures were at my Seder table, the similarities between their family and mine too similar to not notice. I do not know the family. I have never met the family. Yet I feel that they are a part of my family. Like Jews all around the world, their story, their horror, and their ultimate violent murder. We grieve with Yarden and the family over the loss of this beautiful woman and her beautiful children. It hurts for us as well.

When I read the eulogy by Yarden Bibas, I openly wept. I’m not sure how anybody can read his words and not. It is too easy to see ourselves in his place. They are powerful, loving, painful and emotional. His loss is overwhelming. Yarden’s eulogy follows:

“Mi Amor”

I remember the first time I said “mi amor” to you. It was at the very beginning of our relationship. You told me to only call you that if I was certain I loved you, not to say it carelessly. I didn’t say it then because I didn’t want you to think I was rushing to say “I love you.” Shiri, I’ll confess to you now that I already loved you back then when I said “mi amor.”

Shiri, I love you and will always love you!

Shiri, you are everything to me!

You are the best wife and mother there could be.

Shiri, you are my best friend.

Mishmish, who will help me make decisions now? How am I supposed to make decisions without you?

Do you remember our last decision together?

In the safe room, I asked if we should “fight or surrender.” You said fight, so I fought.

Shiri, I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you all. If only I had known what would happen, I wouldn’t have fired.

I think about everything we went through together—there are so many beautiful memories.

I remember Ariel and Kfir’s births. I remember the days we would sit at home or in a café, just the two of us, talking for hours about everything under the sun. It was wonderful. I miss those times deeply.

Your presence is profoundly missed.

I want to tell you about everything that’s happening in the world and here in Israel.

Shiri, everyone knows and loves us—you can’t imagine how surreal all this madness is.

Shiri, people tell me they’ll always be by my side, but they’re not you. So please stay close to me and don’t go far!

Shiri, this is the closest I’ve been to you since October 7th, and I can’t kiss or hug you, and it’s breaking me!

Shiri, please watch over me…

Protect me from bad decisions. Shield me from harmful things and protect me from myself. Guard me so I don’t sink into darkness.

Mishmish, I love you!

Chuki, Ariel,

You made me a father. You transformed us into a family.

You taught me what truly matters in life and about responsibility.

The day you were born, I matured instantly because of you. You taught me so much about myself, and I want to thank you.

So thank you, my beloved.

Ariel, I hope you’re not angry with me for failing to protect you properly and for not being there for you. I hope you know I thought about you every day, every minute.

I hope you’re enjoying paradise. I’m sure you’re making all the angels laugh with your silly jokes and impressions. I hope there are plenty of butterflies for you to watch, just like you did during our picnics.

Chuki, be careful when you climb down from your cloud not to step on Toni…

Teach Kfir all your impressions and make everyone laugh up there.

Ariel, I love you “the most in the world, always in the world,” just as you used to tell us.

Poopik, Kfir,

I didn’t think our family could be more perfect, and then you came and made it even more perfect…

I remember your birth. I remember during the delivery when the midwife suddenly stopped everything—we were frightened and thought something was wrong—but it was just to tell us we had another redhead. Mom and I laughed and rejoiced.

You brought more light and happiness to our little home. You came with your sweet, captivating laugh and smile, and I was instantly hooked!

It was impossible not to nibble on you all the time.

Kfir, I’m sorry I didn’t protect you better, but I need you to know that I love you deeply and miss you terribly!

I miss nibbling on you and hearing your laughter.

I miss our morning games when mom would ask me to watch you before I went to work. I cherished those little moments so much, and I miss them now more than ever!

Kfir, I love you the most in the world, always in the world!

I have so many more things to tell you all, but I’ll save them for when we’re alone.

Yarden Bibas giving his eulogy of his wife and children who were murdered by Hamas

The Palm Beach Synagogue dedicated a Torah in memory of Shiri Bibas and her children Ariel and Kfir. Yarden Bibas and the entire family gathered together and completed the last letters of the Torah. Yarden wrote the last three letters in loving memory of his wife and children. He said he wants to dedicate the Torah to the Synagogue in the Kibbutz where his children had their Brit Milah. As Yarden and his family prepare for a future they never expected, never wanted, and prayed and hoped would not look like it does, this Torah gave them hope, strength and comfort. May Yarden and the family find peace and hope through this Torah and through the actions of many in the world to do better, to be better, in memory of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas and in honor of Yarden Bibas and his will and fight to live after losing what is most precious to him.

In the midst of our grieving for the brutal murders of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas, we get the example of ignorance, entitlement, and hatred this Sunday at the Oscars. A number of Jew hating, entitled, ignorant, uninformed, and awful celebrities who are a part of Artists4Ceasefire are planning on wearing the red hands pins at the Oscars. Jewish Hollywood has spoken out against them. These “people” have no idea idea what they are supporting. They don’t know the history of the red hand symbol. What they mean and where they come from.

Go to the Artists4Ceasefire website to see who these celebrities are that by wearing this red hands pin are basically putting on a white sheet and hood against the Jewish people. While most of the signers are people I have never heard of or are well known Jew haters, there are some that disappoint me. I enjoy their acting, their music, their art. I choose to not support these ‘artists’ or any of the art they produce because I refuse to support hate. I have deleted Bryan Adams and Annie Lenox from my playlist. I will no longer watch Bradley Cooper, Ben Affleck, Channing Tatum or Selena Gomez on the big or small screen. Jennifer Lopez and Peter Gabriel join my list to avoid. Know that each one of them is declaring themselves to be racists. To be filled with hatred and bigotry. Each one who wears a pin, who signs their name to this effort, is effectively saying they are a member of the KKK. I learned long ago to believe people when they tell you who they are. Every person on their list has self identified as a Jew hating, antisemitic, horrible human being and those on the list who are Jewish break my heart a little more.

Montana Tucker is leading the charge and speaking out. We need more like her.

Screenshot

I no longer watch award shows because they enable this type of bigotry and hatred. I no longer support many of these ‘artists’ who espouse their Jew hatred. I was proud and excited when Jon Cusack blocked me on X/Twitter because I called out his racism, Jew hatred and bigotry regularly. They aren’t entitled to anything. Would you support them showing up at the Oscars in a white sheet, declaring their support of the KKK and hatred towards to African American community? Then why support their showing their hatred towards the Jewish community? Why the double standard. My life is no less because I don’t watch anything Mark Ruffalo, a noted Jew hater, is involved with. The same with Susan Sarandon, Jon Cusack, and many others.

Perhaps the greatest honor we can give to the Bibas family, the best way we can honor the memory of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir, is to stand up to the Jew hatred that resulted in their murder. To hold those accountable who speak out in support of this hatred and their murders. To invest in life and being Jewish. To raise our children and grandchildren to know their story and the story of all those murdered on October 7th and those taken hostage. To remind everybody, including Jews, that it is not just stories in the history book or in the Tanach, it is happening right now, right here, right in front of them. To teach them about the modern state of Israel, raise them as proud Zionists and proud Jews.

History has shown us that when we take action, God is with us and good things happen. History has also shown us that we try to blend in, become part of the majority, shirk our identity, put our heads in the sand, and think of ourselves as anything but Jews first, what happens.

In memory of the Bibas family, all the hostages who have been murdered, in honor of all those taken and still alive, and all those who are actively fighting for the future and safety of the Jewish people, don’t sit quietly on the sideline. Step up. Speak out. Take a position. Get educated. Share what you learn. Spread the truth and fight the lies. I know that I will.

The Bibas kids teddy bear at their grave.
The gravesite of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas (z’l)

We are at war with utter savages. Not human beings who are capable of savagery. Just savages. Irredeemable savages.

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

I do a lot of reading to keep up with things. I don’t depend on one source or one type of opinion (although my wife gives me grief for reading the NY Post, but honestly as a Yankee fan, it is for the sports more than anything else).

The latest image and story that has captivated my heart and mind is about Ariel Bibas’s best friend, Yoav. The story that has been shared is that Yoav has been waiting for his friend to come back from Gaza. He saved a Batman costume for him. He wrote him letters. It’s an incredible friendship story that inspires me to be a better person and a better friend. A 5 year old has become my teacher.

This morning, in Daniel Gordis’s substack, Israel from the Inside, he told an incredible story about Yoav. When told that his friend Ariel would not be coming home from Gaza alive, Yoav refused to accept it. He said, “If he’s coming back in a coffin, maybe he’s standing inside it, which means he’s still alive. He’s still alive, Mommy, you didn’t understand correctly. Because if Ariel is a khalal [Hebrew for “fallen soldier”], it means he’s flying in space [the Hebrew word for “space” is also khalal]. He can’t die. In Israel, there are very smart people, right Mom? So maybe they can invent a special potion that will bring Ariel and Kfir back to life.”

Oh to be 5 years old. To think the impossible is possible. To not really understand complete evil. The innocence of childhood. I hope that Yoav never loses that gift and that he never forgets his best friend Ariel. Maybe Yoav will be the one who changes the world, brings peace, leads the effort to eliminate hate. We can only hope.

Daniel also wrote very clearly and powerfully what I have been feeling. He said it much more succinctly that I have been able to do. He wrote, “We are at war not with mere enemies. We are at war with utter savages. Not human beings who are capable of savagery. Just savages. Irredeemable savages.” RIght to the point. Those who protest on college campuses, in the streets, and other places about Israel defending herself simply don’t understand the reality. They want us dead. Period. No ‘ifs, ands, or buts’. There is no common ground to be found. I am reminded of the famous political cartoon that states it better than any words can.

If we met them halfway, their demands wouldn’t change and we would simply have lost half of the Jewish population. That’s the reality. That’s who we are dealing with.

Nobody said that the Nazis should be allowed to stay in power or have their own Nazi Germany state as a part of Germany after World War II. There are laws to ensure that a child molestor won’t live close to their victim but also not close to any child. Nobody expects a victim of sexual assault to give their attacker a room in their home or welcome them to live in their neighborhood. Yet that is what is expected of Israel. To not just welcome these utter savages as neighbors but to enable them to rebuild their military strength and to be able to once again brutally attack, murder, kidnap, rape, and massacre the Israeli people. It’s beyond absurd.

The past week has been one where I flipflop between anger and range and sadness. Ariel, Kfir and Shiri Bibas’s murders and the stories coming out about how they were murdered along with what Hamas and the terrorists did to their bodies afterwards has my blood boiling. I’ve been in a place of anger and rage much more than sadness. Anger for what they endured. Anger for Yarden and what he has lost forever. Rage at the world who continues to enable and defend the monsters that strangled a 10 month old boy and 4 year old boy and then mutilated their bodies trying to cover up what they did. Enraged at fools like AOC and Bernie Sanders who continue to blame Israel for what the terrorists did and continue to do. Bernie pretends to take a moral stand by defending terrorists and is once again attempting to thwart efforts to support Israel against these savages.

In today’s Israel from the Inside, Daniel Gordis gives me hope and something to strive for. He highlights the Statement from the Bibas family about the upcoming funerals for Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir. They recognize that the country and the Jewish diaspora has an emotional attachment with the family and these children. They also recognize their own need to grieve in their own way this horror. It’s an incredible statement with compassion, care, pain, and beauty.

Daniel then points out, “That’s the difference between them and us. Chants for revenge at Nasrallah’s “funeral”, versus a request for a private, intimate parting at a kibbutz. Murderous savages hailed by their “people,” versus a wife who, too excited for words, just posts three words from a classic poem and that brief post makes the headlines of Israel’s most-read newspaper. 

Irredeemable savage evil, versus a people that still believes in the possibility of goodness. A death cult embraced on American campuses “led” by administrations that have so lost their moral compass that they can’t even say that it’s wrong, versus a national liberation movement (ours, and it’s called “Zionism”) that still insists on believing that better days can lie ahead.”

He reminded me that we are different. That our essence is different. We love and treasure life. We revere it. We respect it. We honor the loss of it. They love and treasure death. They revere death. They celebrate death. We are not the same. Recognizing this, the question becomes, so what do I do with this difference? Daniel tells us in his closing of this piece.

“But that that is what we as a people must do is not in doubt. On a week when what we want most is to obliterate them, the way that we win is by being as different from them as we possibly can.” So we have our charge. We must maintain being as different from them as we possibly can. As much as the anger in me wants them to all be destroyed, Gaza to become a parking lot, eliminate them all so that we don’t make a mistake and let any of the evil continue, that is not who we are and that is not who I am. I’m still struggling with me standing in Kfar Aza during May 2024, watching and listening to the bombs being dropped in Jabaliya and that being the only thing that brought relief and peace to my soul. I said it then and I repeat it now, that is NOT who I am. That is NOT who I want to be. It was who I was in that moment. Our job is to lean into life. Our job is to do all that we can to be better human beings, not to match their level of depravity.

I had a friend reach out to me last week with a challenge she was facing and ask for my help. I was happy to help and did my part. The thanks she gave me over and over was overwhelming. I didn’t help for the thanks. I didn’t help because I was a ‘big shot with connections’. I helped because it was the right thing to do. Thank you Daniel Gordis for your piece this morning that reminded me not only THAT we are different from them but WHY we are different from them. And reminding me that vengance will only make me more evil and will not bring light to the world and to my soul. They will get what is coming to them. I need to work to be a better person and to celebrate life every minute of every day. The anger and rage is still there but it’s quieter now. I don’t need vengence to honor the lives of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas. I need to bring more light into the world to replace their light that was eliminate by evil.

Art by Joanne Fink. Visit her website for more beautiful pieces that will inspire you. https://zenspirations.com/

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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