Iran Attacks, Israel Unites: The Eternal Jewish Response

As missiles rain down on Israeli cities and the Jewish State confronts the growing aggression of Iran and its proxies, we find ourselves living a modern echo of our ancient story. Once again, the Jewish people are being tested — not only by the threats from those who seek our destruction, but by the call to unity, courage, and faith.

After the miraculous Exodus from Egypt and 40 years of wandering in the desert, the Jewish nation stood poised to finally enter the Land of Israel. The journey had been long and the road ahead would not be simple. There would be battles, uncertainties, and challenges waiting on the other side of the Jordan River.

At this critical moment, two of the tribes Reuven and Gad approached Moses with a request. They had seen the land on the east side of the Jordan and believed it was ideal for their livestock and families. Rather than entering the Land of Israel proper, they asked for permission to settle there, outside the boundaries of what would become the country of Israel.

Moses’ reaction was swift and intense. How could they consider separating themselves from their brothers and sisters at this moment? How could they stand back while the rest of the nation would soon have to fight for their homeland? He saw their request as a betrayal, as a failure to stand together as one unified people.

Jews must always be there for one another.

Moses reminded them that this was not going to be an easy entrance into the land. There would be battles. There would be loss. There would be sacrifice.

Immediately, Reuven and Gad clarified their intentions. They assured Moses that they would not abandon their brothers. They pledged to leave their families and flocks behind and to cross over the Jordan alongside the rest of the Jewish people. They would fight shoulder to shoulder with their nation and return to their land only once the mission was complete. Their message was clear: Jews must always be there for one another.

A Unified Family

This is not just a story from our ancient past. It is a foundational principle of what it means to be part of the Jewish people. Throughout history, Jews have stood by each other in times of crisis and in moments of joy. Our identity has never been purely religious, nationalistic, or cultural. We are not a race, nor simply a religion. We are not only a nation or an ethnicity. We are something deeper and more profound: We are a family.

Families take care of each other. They defend each other. They show up for one another, not because it is convenient, but because it is right. That is who we are.

Israel’s Protection

This idea was on my mind this past Shabbat. As the sun set and we turned off our phones, entering into the sanctity of Shabbat, I was standing on the porch at Aish in Jerusalem. I looked up and saw streaks in the sky. Missiles launched by Iran were heading toward Israel, and we watched in real time as the Iron Dome and other defense systems knocked them out of the sky.

It was surreal, yet it was also awe-inspiring. In that moment, I was struck by the realization that Israel has two essential assets that protect her. The first is the unmatched bravery of the members of the IDF. These are our children. Our neighbors. Our students. They are not anonymous soldiers. They are our family, and they are willing to risk everything to defend our homeland.

We do not survive because we are more powerful or more numerous. We survive because God protects us.

The second is the Almighty. God has stood with us through every chapter of our history. We do not survive because we are more powerful or more numerous. We survive because we are part of an eternal covenant. We are here because God said to Abraham thousands of years ago, “This is your home.” That promise still echoes in our time.

Never Again

Watching those rockets get intercepted over Jerusalem, I was reminded of another moment in modern Israeli history that speaks to the same truth.

In 1981, the State of Israel faced a grave threat from Iraq. Saddam Hussein was building a nuclear reactor at Osirak, and it was clear to Israeli intelligence that his goal was to develop a nuclear weapon. The international community largely ignored the threat, but Israel could not afford to wait. Prime Minister Menachem Begin made the bold and difficult decision to send Israeli fighter jets to bomb the reactor.

Israel was condemned by much of the world. The operation was seen as aggressive and unnecessary. Yet a decade later, as the Gulf War unfolded and Saddam launched missiles into Israel, the same world leaders began to realize that Israel had been right all along.

What is often forgotten about that moment is where Prime Minister Begin made the announcement. He spoke at the Western Wall, to a gathering of Holocaust survivors who were in Israel for a large reunion. Some of them had not seen family members in decades. Others had believed they were the only ones who had made it out alive. It was a powerful and emotional gathering.

Begin’s message to them was simple: never again. He reminded them that if anyone rises and declares their intention to destroy the Jewish people, Israel will act. We will not wait for the world to catch up. We will defend ourselves first. This is what “never again” truly means.

Praying at the Western Wall

On Thursday night, just before the attack, the Prime Minister of Israel visited the Western Wall. We knew he was coming because of the extra security placed in the Aish building, which overlooks the Kotel. It was not a typical visit. It was deeply intentional.

I tweeted at the time that I hoped he would find solace and inspiration in that sacred place. What I did not know then was that he had come to pray because, even with the best intelligence, planning, and execution, something more is necessary. They require God’s help.

That is the truth that unites all of our stories – biblical, historical, and modern. We are a people that do what we must, guided by faith in something greater.

We are a people that stood together at the edge of the Jordan and declared we would not leave the land until our brothers were safe. We are a people that bombed a nuclear facility in Iraq because we believed that waiting was not an option. We are a people that turned off our phones on Shabbat, knowing that missiles were in the air, and placed our trust in the Almighty.

We are a people that stands together. Always.

This is a time to embrace who we are. A time to remember that we are not alone.

And this is not just about Israel. This is about Jews and non-Jews alike. Israel is standing between the free world and a nuclear weapon in the hands of murderous tyrants.

To all of our friends, Jewish and non-Jewish, we are grateful for your prayers and your support. To my fellow Jews across the world, stand tall. Stand proud. This is not a time for fear or shame. This is a time to embrace who we are. A time to remember that we are not alone. We are a family, and we are not going anywhere. Our connection to the land of Israel is not recent, not political, it is ancestral. Jews, indigenous to this land, have been for 3500 years. We will be in Israel for many more glorious years to come.

We have the Almighty. We have the IDF. We have each other. This is a fight between good and evil, and we know where we stand.

Am Yisrael Chai.