Living in a time of miracles

As our families and friends in Israel run for their lives many times a day, they are unable to find any semblance of normality almost a month into this war with Iran. As ballistic missiles are being fired from Iran directly into densely populated areas, the world says nothing to assuage this. 

It is astonishing that nobody seems to be censuring Iran for firing cluster missiles into densely populated civilian areas. This breaks all the rules of war, but somehow if it happens to Jews, it doesn’t seem to be relevant. 

Meanwhile, Israel is meticulous and strategically focused on fundamentally degrading Iran’s military capabilities and neutralising its nuclear programmes to ensure it cannot do this again. Not sure anyone has noticed the minimal civilian impact in Iran, or have they? 

Looking to London this week, with the torching of four Hatzola ambulances, I am also not really seeing a massive outcry about this. What kind of person torches an ambulance? That ambulance is an emergency vehicle that saves lives, potentially on an hourly basis. Why would anyone destroy that possibility for another human being? By virtue of the ambulances they destroyed being Hatzola vehicles, the only thing the attackers can guess at is that it would be Jewish lives in question. They would be wrong, considering Hatzola, when called, goes out to save anyone, not just Jews. 

Clearly the attackers didn’t do their homework and were out to harm Jewish lives. 

While I know I have veered onto the topic of antisemitism, I actually want to focus on something far more elusive, and that is miracles. 

And as ugly as the war and hatred for Jews is, there have been miracles all around. 

First off, the torching of the ambulances right next to the Golders Green Synagogue was meant to do maximum damage. I believe those behind it intended for the shul to burn down too. However, with only minutes to spare, someone got inside the shul and prevented it being razed. 

This doesn’t take away from the horror of the firebombing, but it does make me think that a higher power was keeping an eye out for the London community. 

Then, heading to Israel, where a number of missiles are getting past the Iron Dome. It had to happen unfortunately. Only the number of casualties and deaths despite that is comparatively minimal. With the help of G-d, I would say. 

On Tuesday evening, a ballistic missile hit Bnei Brak, a Haredi centre in Israel. It’s part of the Tel Aviv metropolitan area but far more densely inhabited. Bnei Brak is known to be the seventh most densely populated city in the world. As far as I understand, there are between 70 000 and 80 000 people per square kilometre and about 218 000 living in the whole city. 

And Bnei Brak was hit hard. Not by fragments of a missile but a direct hit. The physical damage was extensive. Yet, the hand of G-d was clearly out protecting the inhabitants because there was not one death from this missile. There were seven injuries, most minor, and one of medium severity. 

Some would say this is just good luck, but I find it hard to see it as anything other than a modern-day miracle. 

This war has had a massive impact on people’s lives and nobody has a chance to really go back to living normally. How can you when so many times a day you’re running for safety? People living in more modern abodes have the luxury of a mamad (a protective room in their homes), but most Israelis are running to a communal shelter in their building’s basement or on the ground floor. Others have to do a mad dash to a public miklat (bomb shelter) nearby. Some even run to underground parking lots for safety. The further you have to go, the more frightening it is. Also, what with the many skyscrapers in Tel Aviv, and other cities, I’m not sure how safe I would feel in a mamad in an apartment on the 21st floor. I think I might prefer the mad dash to a shelter. Just saying. 

The point is, this isn’t fun for anyone in Israel. No-one dares take the chance of ignoring the sirens because there’s no mistaking just how real the threat is. So, while I more and more believe that G-d is protecting the people of Israel, there is an essential part to play by every single person in Israel. Even those who – by some miracle – made their way to spend Pesach in Israel. 

And while we may not be seeing the parting of the Red Sea right now, we are seeing miracles. We aren’t seeing burning bushes as such, but somehow lives are being protected. 

In our front-page story this week, we tell of a freak accident in which a woman in our community was run over by a CAP vehicle. There was clearly no malice intended, it was a horrible error of judgement and a mistake. The point is, that Pamela Kantor is still alive and has not one broken bone is a miracle. I watched that horrific video of the CAP vehicle reversing fast, knocking her down, and then driving over her before stopping. I was so shocked, I was initially convinced it couldn’t be real. So many AI-created videos these days. But it was real and horrifying. But for all concerned, the miracle of her survival was a blessing. May she heal fast! 

And as we wind down to Pesach, I wish for many more beautiful miracles for all of us. May this Pesach be peaceful and enriching for all! 

Shabbat shalom and Chag Pesach sameach! 

Peta Krost 

Editor 

Please note: There will be no print edition of the SA Jewish Report over Pesach, but we will be putting out newsletters for you. Our next print edition will be on 16 April.