Anti-Fragility: The Jewish People’s Resilience During Dark Times

In times of adversity and persecution, throughout history the Jewish people have found a unique strength to rise stronger and more resilient than before, exemplifying the concept known as anti-fragility – the spiritual alchemy of turning pain into purpose.

Passover is a testament to the endurance and strength of the Jewish people in the face of prolonged persecution and hardship. In approximately 200 years, the Jewish people went from a small group of 70 souls who entered Egypt, became enslaved, and then left as a nation three million strong to receive the Torah at Mount Sinai.

During that time, one of the most significant events during our enslavement was the genocidal decree of Pharaoh, who ordered the murder of the firstborn male infants. Despite this effort to decimate and destroy the will of the Jewish people, they not only survived - but thrived. The Torah states, "The more they oppressed us, the stronger we grew."

And so it has been ever since - the resilience and determination of the Jewish people to thrive in the face of adversity and survive tragedies that would have put an end to less resilient people.

Transforming Pain into Purpose

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks explained how major setbacks in Jewish history proved to be the springboard for extraordinary new adventures in Jewish spirit and creativity. For example, the destruction of the First Temple and expulsion to Babylonia (modern-day Iraq) led to a recommitment of the Torah, establishing the structural foundation of Judaism as a learning people. Under Persian rule, Haman's decree was reversed into Purim's victory. The victory of Hanukkah arose from the oppression and persecution of the Assyrian-Greek empire. The rabbinic literature of the Mishna, Midrash, and Talmud was a response to the destruction of the Second Temple. The encounter with medieval Christianity gave rise to Rashi and the medieval biblical commentaries. The encounter with Islam gave rise to Maimonides and the history of Jewish philosophy, and our expulsion from Spain led to the gathering of Jewish poets responsible for some of Judaism’s most moving prayers.

Anti-fragility is the ability to transform suffering and adversity into growth and renewal, tragedy into triumph, hardships into spiritual renewal.

And in our lifetime, the rise of antisemitism in Europe led to the crystallization of Zionism. After withstanding the horrors of the Holocaust, we witnessed the rebirth of the state of Israel with an army in our land. Anti-fragility is the ability to transform suffering and adversity into growth and renewal, tragedy into triumph, hardships into spiritual renewal. It is a trait that has kept my family alive.

Passover, 1942 – Holy Hell

Mina Perlberger, my mother-in-law, was a teenager in the spring of 1942, celebrating Passover in her little town of Tyczyn, in Poland. As the family sat down for the second Seder, the front door was broken down in an explosion of violence. The Nazis purposely decided to liquidate the village on this holy night. They pulled Mina’s father out of the house by his beard and thrust the family into the Rczezow Ghetto. Soon after that, Mina’s parents were deported to Treblinka, never to be seen again.

Yom Kippur 1942 – The First Sacrifice

“On Yom Kippur, just after the fast, our Rabbi from Wieliczka was shot down by the SS in Camp Rozwadow, Stalowa Wola.” So begins the survivor account of Yoachim Wimmer, of the murder of the Rabbi in front of his entire town. “He was working on the day of Yom Kippur while fasting, unloading metal scrap. The SS Sturmband Fuehrer of the camp declared in German that the Rabbi blessed be his memory, sabotaged the work, and had to be shot. His words were translated into Polish. Afterward, in the presence of 1200 people, Rabbi Frankel was shot down. The soil trembled with all of us together. The first sacrifice.”

Rabbi Frankel was my father-in-law’s grandfather.

My husband lost most of his extended family in the Holocaust. But we’re still here, creating new generations.

Simchat Torah, 2023

Hamas’s choice to launch a massacre on Simchat Torah, one of the holiest and most joyful days in the Jewish calendar, was not merely an attack on a religious holiday but an assault on the very essence of joy, celebration, and faith for those who observe it. By picking this date, Hamas also chose to commemorate the 1973 Yom Kippur War (attacking on yet another High Holy Day) to remind us that our enemies will never cease their efforts to harm us and take pleasure in inflicting spiritual pain on top of everything else.

For millennia, the deliberate targeting of our holy sites, religious practices, and sacred traditions was a tactic to compound trauma and devastation. And yet, the Jewish people have not only survived but thrived. Perhaps that is why they hate us. We refuse to cease to be.

Who would have thought that as we head into Passover, so many hostages would still be in inhumane captivity with the fate of many unknown, and that Israel would experience a direct attack from Iran?

As we gather around the Seder table, let’s embrace the strive to grow stronger in the face of adversity and put our faith and trust in God, just as our ancestors did thousands of years ago.

The current conflict brings immense pain and uncertainty. Yet it also presents an opportunity for the Jewish community to rise above adversity and emerge stronger and more resilient than ever before – even though we may not have clarity about what that looks like.

Our secret weapon – antifragility – was born in the crucible of hardship, oppression, and genocide. According to the recently-released World Happiness Report, out of 143 evaluated countries, Israel came in at number five! Despite the war, the hardships and the ever-looming uncertainty of what the day will bring, we rise above it with joy and meaning.

As we gather around the Seder table to retell the story of the Exodus, let’s embrace the spirit of anti-fragility and strive to grow stronger in the face of adversity, putting our faith and trust in God just as our ancestors did thousands of years ago.

As we navigate the challenges of our times, may we draw strength and inspiration not just from the story of Passover - but from our long history of not being broken no matter what they throw at us. Chag Sameach - Happy Passover.