Last week was the one-year anniversary of the murder of Ayala Abuksis.
Ayala was one of the active participants in the human chain that snaked through this land from Gush Katif to the Western Wall months before the Gaza-Samaria Expulsion. Being raised with the love of Torah, the love of the people of Israel and the love of the land of Israel, Ayala was imbued with the vision and courage that had been part of this human chain for over three thousand years. Though she was a resident of S'derot and not of Gush Katif, she could not fathom that Jews would expel other Jews from their homes.
She was wrong.
Ayala was part of the B'nei Akiva movement and felt that her calling at this time was to teach Torah, to impart its vision to young children under her care at the weekly Shabbat meetings of the youth movement.
It was one of those Shabbat meetings that Ayala, a friend and her younger brother were leaving that fateful Saturday evening. As they were walking home, still aglow from the fellowship and spirit of their Shabbat, they stood about 500 meters from Ayala's home on Jerusalem Street.
Suddenly, they heard the loudspeakers throughout the city cry out: Shachar Adom, Red Dawn. At that point, Ayala rushed over to her 10-year-old brother, Moshe, and hugged him, protecting him with her body.
The Kassam missile sent from the Palestinian neighborhood of Beit Hanoun exploded in her quiet neighborhood, its shards wracked Ayala's body and snuffed out her valiant life's breath. Her courageous and unselfish act saved her brother's life.
We all thought that this murder would lead the Israeli government to reconsider their decision to retreat from the Jewish settlements of Gush Katif. We were sure that the Israeli government would not want to risk bringing the Kassam missiles closer to the heartland.
We were also very wrong.
Ayala's family then began the journey into the dark world of mourning and memories. The family decided that they could not let Ayala's spirit fade away and began several charitable projects in her memory. In conjunction with the Makom BaLev youth movement of the Orthodox Union in Israel, leadership seminars were established. The family also decided to buy a pair of teffilin (phylacteries) and to make them available to those who needed them for prayers.
The Ma'ayanei Hayeshuah movement has been using that very special pair of teffilin every day in its outreach booth in S'derot. Several weeks ago, a young man approached the booth. He was wearing a large kippah (skullcap) and his tzitzit (ritual fringes) were clearly peeking out from under his shirt. He tenderly picked up that special pair of teffilin. He raised the bag to his lips and kissed them.
A flyer distributed by Ma'ayanei Hayeshuah described how, with eyes glistening, he explained to the two volunteers at the table the reasons behind his attachment to that specific pair of teffilin. He explained that a year ago, he was so very distant from Judaism and from the kippah and tzitzit that he was wearing. "Now look at me. It is all in Ayala's merit," he declared.
When Ayala was killed, this man made a point to come to the shiv'a house (the house of mourning) every day. He then continued to participate in the Torah classes that were held in Ayala's memory. He eventually began a spiritual voyage that brought him home into the embrace of Torah Judaism, "all in Ayala's merit."
I have thought much about the unsung heroes of this land. The press mentions them in passing and relegates for them a polite nod of recognition. On the other hand, the media pours out gallons of ink in describing aging politicians seeking to carve out a niche in history. It continues to discuss the antics of younger politicians and public figures who seem to stop at nothing in their drive for wealth and fame. We are forced to listen to hours of drivel about the need to appease and retreat in the unquenchable search for some moments of quiet.
All these self-serving efforts, though, will fade into irrelevance and will not leave any lasting effect on Jewish history. Those in this land who yearn to destroy and expel will have but a brief moment in the eternal continuum of time.
It is the actions of those who faithfully believe in Jewish Destiny who will fashion the history and direction of this people. Jewish heroines like Ayala, and those with the insight to be moved and changed by heroism such as hers, are the ones who will inevitably leave the eternal impression on our people.
Ayala was one of the active participants in the human chain that snaked through this land from Gush Katif to the Western Wall months before the Gaza-Samaria Expulsion. Being raised with the love of Torah, the love of the people of Israel and the love of the land of Israel, Ayala was imbued with the vision and courage that had been part of this human chain for over three thousand years. Though she was a resident of S'derot and not of Gush Katif, she could not fathom that Jews would expel other Jews from their homes.
She was wrong.
Ayala was part of the B'nei Akiva movement and felt that her calling at this time was to teach Torah, to impart its vision to young children under her care at the weekly Shabbat meetings of the youth movement.
It was one of those Shabbat meetings that Ayala, a friend and her younger brother were leaving that fateful Saturday evening. As they were walking home, still aglow from the fellowship and spirit of their Shabbat, they stood about 500 meters from Ayala's home on Jerusalem Street.
Suddenly, they heard the loudspeakers throughout the city cry out: Shachar Adom, Red Dawn. At that point, Ayala rushed over to her 10-year-old brother, Moshe, and hugged him, protecting him with her body.
The Kassam missile sent from the Palestinian neighborhood of Beit Hanoun exploded in her quiet neighborhood, its shards wracked Ayala's body and snuffed out her valiant life's breath. Her courageous and unselfish act saved her brother's life.
We all thought that this murder would lead the Israeli government to reconsider their decision to retreat from the Jewish settlements of Gush Katif. We were sure that the Israeli government would not want to risk bringing the Kassam missiles closer to the heartland.
We were also very wrong.
Ayala's family then began the journey into the dark world of mourning and memories. The family decided that they could not let Ayala's spirit fade away and began several charitable projects in her memory. In conjunction with the Makom BaLev youth movement of the Orthodox Union in Israel, leadership seminars were established. The family also decided to buy a pair of teffilin (phylacteries) and to make them available to those who needed them for prayers.
The Ma'ayanei Hayeshuah movement has been using that very special pair of teffilin every day in its outreach booth in S'derot. Several weeks ago, a young man approached the booth. He was wearing a large kippah (skullcap) and his tzitzit (ritual fringes) were clearly peeking out from under his shirt. He tenderly picked up that special pair of teffilin. He raised the bag to his lips and kissed them.
A flyer distributed by Ma'ayanei Hayeshuah described how, with eyes glistening, he explained to the two volunteers at the table the reasons behind his attachment to that specific pair of teffilin. He explained that a year ago, he was so very distant from Judaism and from the kippah and tzitzit that he was wearing. "Now look at me. It is all in Ayala's merit," he declared.
When Ayala was killed, this man made a point to come to the shiv'a house (the house of mourning) every day. He then continued to participate in the Torah classes that were held in Ayala's memory. He eventually began a spiritual voyage that brought him home into the embrace of Torah Judaism, "all in Ayala's merit."
I have thought much about the unsung heroes of this land. The press mentions them in passing and relegates for them a polite nod of recognition. On the other hand, the media pours out gallons of ink in describing aging politicians seeking to carve out a niche in history. It continues to discuss the antics of younger politicians and public figures who seem to stop at nothing in their drive for wealth and fame. We are forced to listen to hours of drivel about the need to appease and retreat in the unquenchable search for some moments of quiet.
All these self-serving efforts, though, will fade into irrelevance and will not leave any lasting effect on Jewish history. Those in this land who yearn to destroy and expel will have but a brief moment in the eternal continuum of time.
It is the actions of those who faithfully believe in Jewish Destiny who will fashion the history and direction of this people. Jewish heroines like Ayala, and those with the insight to be moved and changed by heroism such as hers, are the ones who will inevitably leave the eternal impression on our people.