A Prayer for Israel

Tags: Israel Engagement, Terror, Religion

By Rhonda Blender

I'm sick.

Since last Friday morning when I woke up to the news that three Israeli kids were kidnapped heading home from their studies, I have felt physically ill and sorrowful. I have felt helpless.

I trust the IDF and the intelligence service to be pursuing every lead, overturning every rock, pebble, speck of dust, looking into each closet to find these kids. Someone has to know something. The boys have to be somewhere.

I've got my phone at my side following the latest updates. At home, I’ve been glued to the television surfing the cable news stations to see if this latest assault on the Jews is being followed by the news outlets. It wasn’t on the ABC World News this evening.

Three kidnapped Israelis, an entire society held hostage but it was more important to report that Alex Trebek of Jeopardy now has surpassed Bob Barker of Wheel of Fortune as the longest running game show host.

I stare at this filler material masquerading as news. I can’t relate to it.

As a member of the Jewish people, I am part of what is going on. But I don’t fool myself- I’m not over there and what the Israelis are going through, for this is an experience that is theirs. Regardless of my sincerity and deep feelings for everyone, well, I’m on the periphery...

For me as an individual, there is nothing to do besides write talkbacks and try to stay in communication with friends in Israel. I’m having a very strange experience with that.

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About the Author

Rhonda booked her first trip to Israel, traveling by herself, determined to initiate conversations with Israelis in cafes and shops for a fuller portrait of the country than that provided by news outlets in the States. She left Israel knowing that, “it’s more complex here than anyone in the Diaspora can grasp from their living rooms” and that she was in love with the country and the people. She is trying to make a career change into a role where she can work full time on behalf of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.

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