by Justine Hemmestad
11-16-23
Located in northern Fremont County, Iowa, 9 miles south of Highway 34 on Highway 275, is a town called Tabor, which relies on the English pronunciation of the Hebrew Tavor. Mt. Tavor, in the Galilee of Israel, is prominently named in the book of Psalms. The town of Tabor’s founders believed that Iowa, on America’s western frontier, was the perfect place to build a college where all races and genders were accepted - back in the 1850s. An elementary school was first built in Tabor in 1854, then the Tabor Academy for secondary education was built in 1857, and finally the college the founders dreamed of was opened in 1866. Tabor, Iowa may not be as distant in spirit to Mt. Tavor in Israel as the miles would make it seem. Both translations are linked with higher learning. Itamar Ben David, tour guide and teacher in Jerusalem, is the father of a young son, Tavor, named after the mountain in the Galilee. As a father, Ben David can easily feel the grief of not knowing where two-year-old Aviv is. Aviv is one of the youngest children kidnapped by Hamas on October 7. All anyone knows is that she’s alone in Gaza, amid the horrors of war. Israel is a tomb after the terror attack, Ben David says; and everyone thinks about the children who were kidnapped and are alone in Gaza. Ben David says, “We are in a process,” but he refers to more than healing after the “Black Sabbath” of October. An Israeli Antiquities program has joined the effort to help identify the remains of missing people in the southern communities, chief ly, charred human bones. Ben David says there are probably close to 300 bodies still to be found and identified. In addition to the rescue workers and those who were kidnapped, Ben David prays for the Jewish diaspora. Antisemitism is on the rise around the world, up 1300% in England just to name one country, which is so strange to Rabbi Josh Franklin of the Jewish Center of the Hamptons, who asks, “How could they not be there to support us?” On its website the Anti-defamation League, which is the leading anti-hate organization in the world, calls on governments, political leaders and those in positions of influence around the world to: Continue to condemn antisemitism, both in principle and in reaction to antisemitic incidents. Secure and support Jewish communities and their institutions. Prosecute perpetrators of antisemitic incidents to the full extent of the law. These things would seem like an easy ask after such a horrific terrorist attack on the Jewish people, especially since the terrorists themselves shot video of their murderous rampage. Israel’s National Council on Post Trauma in the Ministry of Health warns against viewing such video. Ben David shares how traumatized, distressed, and worried about each other Israelis are. It has been said many times by many different sources that this was the worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Israel’s first objective in its subsequent military action is to get the hostages back. Ben David says, “We cannot allow foreign powers to dictate the importance of our hostages.” Traditional Jewish thought which seems poignant, not only in regard to the hostages but to Israel as a whole, is, “Every person should see himself as though he was brought out of Egypt.” A prayer for captives is Acheinu, a request for God to have mercy on captives and to free them, taking them from “narrowness to expanse, from darkness to light, and from oppression to redemption.” Israel is also focused on capturing the Headquarters of Hamas, which are strategically located under a hospital in Gaza. Israelis are “not wasting time” on Hamas’ inhumane tactics. “What is going on in this country is very unique,” says Adam, an Israeli citizen and Muslim, as well as a coworker and friend of Itamar’s. They’ve worked for three years together to preserve tombs and historical sites, in order to promote awareness of nature and archaeology. Itamar values his friendship with Adam, who speaks thoughtfully about the conflict from a Muslim point of view. In an effort to present understanding, Adam says that the current situation of living side by side is not good and will lead to a world war. Adam does not support Hamas; Hamas, he says, is “an ideology, not a political government…the Palestinian people were forced to elect Hamas.” The terror organization has said on Arab TV that there will be many more days like October 7. The Israeli Defence Force’s goal is to prevent that by eliminating the terror group in Gaza. Editor’s Note: Itamar Ben David, a reserve Captain in the IDF, was called up to serve this week.
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