Tisha B'Av, a day symbolizing historical loss and failures for the Jewish people, becomes this year, perhaps more than ever, a painful mirror to our current situation. Since the outbreak of the war, with all the pain and bereavement that has afflicted us, we have been exposed not only to an external enemy but also to a deep division within ourselves. Jews – whether connected to tradition in various ways or not – often find themselves angry and hateful towards one another.
History teaches us that the greatest destruction we experienced, the destruction of the Second Temple, stemmed not only from the power of an external enemy but also from baseless hatred within us. Sibling hatred, internal quarrels, and social and ideological division are tearing us apart from within even today. Disputes, which are a natural and healthy part of any society, quickly turn into personal attacks, mutual defamation, and complete disqualification of entire groups within the public. We are busy searching for culprits, placing blame, and fortifying positions instead of seeking what unites and what is common.
The public diplomacy community, standing at the forefront of the battle for global public opinion, understands the magnitude of this challenge very well. How can we explain to the world the righteousness of our path, our stand against evil, when we ourselves are torn apart from within? The common enemy does indeed unite some parts of us, but this is a fragile unity, based on immediate need rather than a deep sense of belonging. The moment the external threat weakens, we may find ourselves back at the same point of conflict, and perhaps in an even more severe situation.
Tisha B'Av calls us to stop, look inward, and ask: Are we repeating the mistakes of the past? Will our society, which we want to build strong and resilient, be built on the ruins of sibling hatred? The path to healing the rifts is not easy, but it is essential. It requires genuine listening, even to voices different from our own; it requires tolerance and inclusion, even towards those with whom we disagree; and it requires, above all, the recognition that all of us, despite our differences, are part of the same story, the same future. Only then can we stand strong against the challenges of the present and the future.
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