RETURN TO SHDEMA

Met with a Friendly Face
My car was packed with those who were thrilled to return to Shdema after several weeks of it being a ‘closed military zone’ because of our battle with foreign anarchists. And we can add a big victory to our message; the beginnings of a new illegal Arab building off the side of the hill of Shdema has been destroyed for lack of a proper permit to build!
Upon my arrival, I was met with a friendly face. It was 'My Friend', an officer who had escorted me down the week before. We had carried on the beginnings of a great conversation as we descended the hilltop, and now we were continuing, finding out that we had a lot in common. (Name and photo of the officer is withheld by request for security reasons, therefore I will refer to him only as 'My Friend').
'My Friend' immigrated from India some 20 years ago with his family, although his distant family remains in India doing quite well financially. And where is 'My Friend'? Defending the hills of Judea with a passion for the God of Israel and the Land.
I asked him at one point: “What has changed with the Jewish people since the earlier years when we had the unity of Zionism? I don’t understand the mentality of the younger generation who is ready to relinquish the Land, including many of the soldiers under your command. And they won’t listen to those of us who have come from other countries, and know full well the Jews have no other place to go.”
'My Friend's' reply was as simple as the answer truly is: “They have forsaken God! They no longer believe in Him!”
As much as it grieves the heart, and how much more so Hashem’s heart, many Israelis have abandoned their belief in the God of their fathers. The Western culture has become their golden calf, along with a deceptive belief that democracy will be their Meshiach. They have forgotten the cost of freedom, not only having been resurrected from the ashes of the Shoah, but also the blood of their kinsmen througout Israel's wars.
Hopefully, many among the nation of Israel will truly hear the sound of the shofar this Rosh Hashana, and awaken to repentance, awaken to return to the God of our fathers, awaken to embrace the gift of His Land, awaken to the hope of Meshiach and renew a love for one another which will heal the breach of disunity.

(PHOTO: Haddasah sharing her new umbrella.)