That Which is Hateful to You…

I spent an amazing week at Camp George with about 175 children and teens from all over Ontario, northeast US and about 36 Shinshinim (Israeli older teens working at camp before they go back and will be in the IDF). For the first time in my experience of over the 30 years at camp, we acknowledged, in the most powerful way, the commemoration of Tisha B’Av. Traditionally, this is not a commemoration that the Reform Movement acknowledges in any major way. But this year, it was different. This year, the campers, the staff, the Israeli youth acknowledged their loss, not just the loss of the temple in the year 70 C.E. or the destruction of the first temple in 586 B.C.E. This year the campers acknowledged the loss of their Jewish security, of their loss of freely and openly self identifying as Jews; the loss of feeling they could live safely in their community, in Ontario, anywhere without being threatened, discriminated against, bullied, harmed.

Some 50 students (about a third of the camp at that point) and some staff fasted, as they mourned the horrible events that were set off by the vicious and barbaric Hamas attack on October 7. They mourned the loss of so many innocent young lives, teens and young adults who were innocently at a party in Reim and then massacred by Hamas. They mourned the loss of whole families that were dragged from their homes, beaten, tortured, shot or taken as hostages. So many lives senselessly destroyed.

And the repercussions meant more lives lost. When a member of your family is murdered, or taken hostage, you “go after” the perpetrators. But, once again, it is the innocents that suffer. We also mourned that day for the innocent in Gaza that were and are forced by Hamas to be in harms way, to be Hamas’ human shields, that were/are in hospitals where Hamas stored and is storing weapons.

In particular, as part of the programming at camp, I want to share with you an amazing but very moving program in which we participated. There were a couple of sessions based on a young man who may or may not still be a alive, a young man who is about the same age as many of the counsellors at camp; a young man that some of the shinshinim knew personally; a young man the same age as perhaps your child or grandchild. (from “Tastes Like Home”) Hersh Goldberg Polin is 23. With his family, he made Aliyah when he was seven, and like many young, became a passionate fan of Hapoel Jerusalem’s basketball and soccer teams. He is well known and a prominent figure in the Teddy and Arena Stadiums. Just a regular young man!

He loved books and he loved travelling. Just four days before he would’ve turned 23 and taken off on his dream trip to India, he and his friend Aner celebrated by going to the party in Reim. They heard the siren sound on Saturday morning and rushed into a shelter, where they are encountered terrorists. Aner took command and decided that every grenade thrown into the shelter would be thrown back at the terrorists. From someone who managed to survive, we learned that Aner was able to throw back seven grenades at the terrorists, but on the eighth, he was fatally wounded. Hersh himself was severely injured, losing his left hand. At that point, he was taken by the terrorists and kidnapped into Gaza, and his parents for close to a year do not know whether their son is alive or dead, whether he is suffering or has suffered.

I cannot even begin to imagine the pain that his family is going through. His parents, in particular, his mother, have become a strong advocate for the safe return of the hostages and God willing for peace in the area. To honour and remember Hersh, the campers all made Hersh’s favourite chocolate chip cookies (I can share the recipe if anyone wants) and as we all ate the delicious cookies, praying, as his family is praying, that Hirsch soon will be back with them to eat again his favourite the cookies.

It was a difficult 24 hours of camp. Now we’re all back in our home communities, getting ready for the New Year, getting ready to start reading from Beresheet again, looking ahead with hope and faith in a better year. Over the course of the year, we will study Torah. It’s a lifelong study, but for those you who’d like the Torah in a nutshell, may I share with you one of the most powerful truths of Torah from Hillel, Babylonian Talmud Shabbat 31A.

“That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow human being. That is the whole Torah. The rest is commentary.”

If only all of us really lived by that maxim. No one wants their child, a family member attacked while they’re celebrating at a party, attacked at any time. At least I hope no one would want that to happen. That’s hateful. No one should want to kidnap or harm or be kidnapped or harmed. That is hateful. No one wants not to know whether their child, a family member is suffering, is being tortured, has been murdered. That is hateful. Let’s live by Hillel’s words. If it’s hateful to us, let’s not let it happen to anyone else. Let us make this our goal for 5785 and, hopefully, other people have to make it their goal as well. Peace and respect and understanding can only come when everyone realizes that hurt and harm and pain and anger and war are not the answers, I pray that Hersh Goldberg Polin is alive and will return to his parents and sister and that he will be whole in body and spirit. And that once again he can eat those delicious cookies Keyn Y’hee Ratzon May it be God’s Will! To you all, from the Botnick family, a healthy and healthy and fulfilling and peaceful New Year!

* After this article was written, the body of Hersh Polin was found. His mother’s prayers were not answered.

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