Each year at this special time of the High Holy Days, one can sense a change in the air, as it were, as Israelis of every religious persuasion greet each other with the traditional greetings, "Shanah Tovah" and "G'mar Chatimah Tovah" (May you be inscribed for a good year).



This spontaneous salutation is often extended "even" to Egged bus drivers, who previously may not have endeared themselves to those Israelis whom they kept waiting unnecessarily at bus stops, or to other would-be passengers, breathlessly running to catch their ride, whom they deliberately ignored or bypassed. No matter. They are Jewish bus drivers and this is a time for forgiveness.



This same spirit of Jewish camaraderie is seemingly prevalent throughout the country during the holidays. Yet, if we are to be totally honest, then we must ask: Can every wrong that is done by a fellow Jew be forgiven?



Indeed, the teachings of our holy Torah instruct us that G-d, blessed be His name, forgives the sincere penitent, but not for those sins committed by that penitent against his fellow man. Those sins must be rectified by seeking forgiveness from the person who suffered the injustice.



Who, then, pray tell, of the politicians that ostensibly pass for the "leaders" of Israel and who perpetrated the ill-fated Oslo Accords - which resulted in the murder and wounding of thousands of Israelis - will now ask forgiveness from their bereaved, suffering families? Which of the myriad of power-hungry Israeli government officials who were responsible for the disastrous Disengagement Plan will, with a contrite heart, humbly ask forgiveness from the thousands of Jewish citizens they forced from their homes in Gush Katif and other Jewish hallowed land? Who will ask forgiveness for rewarding Arab enemies after countless terrorist attacks?



Will the minister of defense, the IDF Chief of Staff, as well as all those involved in the recent tragic war in Lebanon, now ask forgiveness from the people of Israel they have sworn to protect? Instead, they seek to deflect the blame from themselves for recent events because the stated aims of freeing our captive soldiers and stopping Katuysha and rocket attacks not only were not accomplished, but worse, the bloody hands of the murderous Hizbullah were strengthened.



On Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, Jews will gather in synagogues throughout the world and beat their breasts while reciting the litany of sins committed throughout the year, petitioning the Almighty to blot out all our transgressions. Yet, as our sages, of blessed memory, admonished, there can be no forgiveness unless there is true repentance. It is, therefore, incumbent upon all of the aforementioned Israeli officials - whose willful or unwittingly disastrous actions have placed the State of Israel in its present precarious situation - to admit their failure and immediately turn away from the destructive path of appeasement and concessions to the implacable Arab enemies.



In the merit of such repentance and by truly seeking forgiveness, may HaShem yitbarach, in His infinite mercy, send His promised redemption to the Nation of Israel and to Eretz Yisrael, speedily in our days.